from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

When the Penguins failed to qualify for last year’s playoffs, GM Ron Hextall was brought to the public square, and was shamed and stoned. Oh, and fired, too. Kyle Dubas, a star-power guy despite his roots in junior hockey, absconded from Toronto to take the job and immediately tripled down by trading for Erik Karlsson, age 33, with three years left on his contract for an annual $10M cap hit.

The team has been lousy, and now the organization is facing carnage. Crosby, having a marvelous season at age 36, has only one more year to go on his contract. No. 87 sounded about as unhappy after the trade deadline at which favorite winger Jake Guentzel was shipped away for futures as Henrik Lundqvist did when the Rangers went into their rebuild/reset mode in 2018.

The King, of course, chose to stay. There is no telling what Crosby will do, even as folks seem to believe it will be automatic for him to sign an extension this summer. It is not about loyalty, and certainly not in a triple-cap business. Joe Sakic played his entire decorated 20-season career with one franchise and never left Colorado — but he would have if the Avalanche hadn’t matched the Rangers’ 1997 offer sheet.

As No. 87 decompresses after the season, he is going to have to decide what he loves most — Pittsburgh or competing for Stanley Cup championships. Either way, the franchise is facing years of distress. I’m just wondering how the league is going to fix it.

I mean, correct it.

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