Knowing the odds, Dubas still believes in his stars

CRANBERRY TWP., PA (93.7 The Fan) – He knows time is running out. He knows they’ve blown an opportunity at three more points over the last two games. He knows he wants to get younger. But he’s not ready to give up on this team just yet.

The Pens are currently in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, they’ve spent much of 2024 in that position, once rising slightly only to fall again recently. Even with this, with 29 games remaining Pens GM Kyle Dubas has seen enough glimpses to think playoffs are still realistic.

“When we are at our best, we show that we can play with anybody,” Dubas said Wednesday. “It just hasn’t happened enough. We are looking for that in this next stretch here.”

The reasons he believes are rooted in the past. Maybe too far in the past and not realistic to this team. Dubas still holds out the main core of players, who he identifies as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, are still worth believing in. The first three are three-time champions while the other had one of the best offensive seasons for a defenseman in NHL history last year. Dubas believes there is still the possibility to unlock some of Karlsson’s game that he has yet to show the Penguins.

“I think if the group didn’t have the pedigree that it has or the history that it has, I wouldn’t feel its owed the same latitude. But I feel this group, respecting them and what they’ve accomplished in the past here and how proud they are. Others may not agree, but I think it’s the right and fair thing to do.”

It's not like they have a ton of options. Dubas said it’s been a mostly dry trade market and while he says he would explore all options, he won’t use top picks as trade bait. His best trade piece, Jake Guentzel, who is a free agent after the season, is hurt. They have no cap room and it’s not like he has a bunch of stud players in the minors he can grab to bring life to this team.

To prove that latter point, the highest scoring player at Wilkes-Barre Scranton, the Pens top farm team, is Alex Nylander. The near 26-year-old is 78 in the American Hockey League in points.

The Pens GM admits he’s receiving an increased number of calls. Other general managers are not calling to sell players to the Pens, as has been the case for much of the last two decades. Rather they are calling to see if the Pens are willing to part with some of their players.

He’s standing firm. Even though he called it ‘a daunting task’ looking up at the standings. Dubas realizes they haven’t been consistent. Yet, he’s willing to give this team, 11 points out of a playoff spot in the Metro, more time.

“It’s been outlined to them,” Dubas said. “They know what is at stake. We’ve got these last two remaining games of this homestand, the Western trip and then we are back here again to show where we want to go. I think that’s the right and fair way to handle it with the group.”

Is the first-year Pens GM believing in something that has come and gone, or will his patience be rewarded? It’s a risk, but Dubas still thinks the Big 3 and now Big 4 are not done.