Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Is The Window Closing On The Pittsburgh Penguins?

12/26/2015 at 5:16pm EST

from Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,

I heard somebody say we're deluding ourselves if we believe the Penguins need only a tweak — or one major move — to reclaim Stanley Cup-contender status.

It's over, the person said. The Sidney Crosby-Evgeni Malkin era produced one Cup and will produce no more. Not this year or next year or the year after that. Open your eyes and look at the window. It's glued shut.

You know what? The man made a compelling case. It's difficult to picture this team making a playoff run. It's nearly impossible to picture it hoisting the Cup.

The Penguins' new reality is what Mike Babcock described in his latter days coaching the Detroit Red Wings.

“We're a team that used to battle to win the Stanley Cup,” Babcock said. “Now we battle to get into the playoffs.”

Still, I cannot fully buy into the idea that the Crosby-Malkin Penguins will fade into oblivion.

continued

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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