Does Sidney Crosby ever play another playoff game?

[dalewood12]

Simple question.

Currently sixth all time in playoff points.

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[Chainshot]

I'd give it a maybe - I don't know if anyone can come in and be as ineffective milquetoast as Hextall as GM and if there is the possibility of getting a goaltender who can both stay healthy and consistent could push the Penguins right back into the playoff consideration as early as this coming year.

And there is also the thought that would the Pens ask Sid if he wants to go anywhere else for one more (or more) try elsewhere as a way to jumpstart rebuilding in the post Geno/Sid/Letang world.

 

[Khelandros]

Penguins miss the Playoffs by 1 point and everybody writes them off. They started the season (Oct-Dec) 2-6 in extra time and finished 9-11. A couple of extra wins in OT at the beginning of the season and none of these threads are happening and the streak would still be in effect.

But no, everyone is claiming doom and gloom and this era is over like they finished bottom of the league 30 points back.

 

[Drytoast]

I wanna see him go to a team that's in contention as their 2C. He's done all there is to do in Pittsburgh. No need to waste his last few years there as they rebuild.

 

[pi314]

Penguins miss the Playoffs by 1 point and everybody writes them off. They started the season (Oct-Dec) 2-6 in extra time and finished 9-11. A couple of extra wins in OT at the beginning of the season and none of these threads are happening and the streak would still be in effect.

But no, everyone is claiming doom and gloom and this era is over like they finished bottom of the league 30 points back.

Or just league average goaltending.

 

[Satoru Gojo]

Yeah because if not with Pens it will be elsewhere

 

[DickSmehlik]

Not with the Pens he won't.

Crosby and Malkin are going to be a year older and no way, no how they both play 80 plus games in the same season again. Too many cracks in their roster to fix easily. Besides, Buffalo and Ottawa are knocking on the door.

 

[SomeDude]

As long as the next GM is competent, I don’t see why the Pens won’t be a playoff team again next year. They barely missed this year with absolutely no depth and horrible goaltending. We still would have made the playoffs is Sullivan got canned.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

With another team? Certainly. With Pittsburgh it depends on what choices they make in the off-season.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Yea but with Montreal

 

[The Nuge]

Or just league average goaltending.

That’s a BS excuse. Their goalies had a .909/.905 SV%. The Oilers were a 109 point team with a .888 SV% goalie. The Kings were a 104 point team with their tandem from last year putting up a .876/.868 SV%. The Kraken were a 100 point team with .895/.887. Tampa’s backup had a .891 SV%. Florida made it with Bob/Knight both at .901 SV%.

 

[McVespa99]

That’s a BS excuse. Their goalies had a .909/.905 SV%. The Oilers were a 109 point team with a .888 SV% goalie. The Kings were a 104 point team with their tandem from last year putting up a .876/.868 SV%. The Kraken were a 100 point team with .895/.887. Tampa’s backup had a .891 SV%. Florida made it with Bob/Knight both at .901 SV%.

The Nuge would never speak that harshly

 

[AD1066]

Penguins miss the Playoffs by 1 point and everybody writes them off. They started the season (Oct-Dec) 2-6 in extra time and finished 9-11. A couple of extra wins in OT at the beginning of the season and none of these threads are happening and the streak would still be in effect.

But no, everyone is claiming doom and gloom and this era is over like they finished bottom of the league 30 points back.

They also got 82 games out of both Crosby and Malkin, who will be 36 and 37 next year. That seems unlikely to happen again.

 

[Khelandros]

They also got 82 games out of both Crosby and Malkin, who will be 36 and 37 next year. That seems unlikely to happen again.

Some of the Penguins best years have been when one or the other is injured. Crosby is hurt, Malkin wins a Hart./Art Ross. Malkin gets hurt, Crosby elevates his game.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Maybe? I could easily see Pitt missing the playoffs the next 3-4 years. But they could also sneak in there

 

[Khelandros]

Or just league average goaltending.

That’s a BS excuse. Their goalies had a .909/.905 SV%. The Oilers were a 109 point team with a .888 SV% goalie. The Kings were a 104 point team with their tandem from last year putting up a .876/.868 SV%. The Kraken were a 100 point team with .895/.887. Tampa’s backup had a .891 SV%. Florida made it with Bob/Knight both at .901 SV%.

I believe league average was 0.894 SV%. GAA was 3.01.

DeSmith (0.905) and Jarry (0.909) both had better than average SV%, but DeSmith (3.17) had a higher than average GAA, compared to Jarry (2.9)

 

[bambamcam4ever]

That’s a BS excuse. Their goalies had a .909/.905 SV%. The Oilers were a 109 point team with a .888 SV% goalie. The Kings were a 104 point team with their tandem from last year putting up a .876/.868 SV%. The Kraken were a 100 point team with .895/.887. Tampa’s backup had a .891 SV%. Florida made it with Bob/Knight both at .901 SV%.

The Penguins played one of the most defensive systems in the league this year though, the complete opposite of a team like Edmonton.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Crosby to Rangers.

They need a #2C

 

[biturbo19]

Yeah. It's gonna take some work, but i think the damage Hextall did can be somewhat undone fairly quickly. If they're willing to continue to mortgage the future to make a couple last runs through the playoffs with Sid/Geno/Letang.

They're really not that far out from a playoff spot. They barely missed...and that was with a ton a dead weight and some pretty poor goaltending. If they can move some pieces around to inject a bit of youth/speed/dynamic ability and energy to their Top-6 wings...that'd easily make the difference of the 1 point or whatever that they missed the playoffs by this year.

Sprinkle in some improved goaltending somehow and you're cooking.

 

[Regal]

The Penguins played one of the most defensive systems in the league this year though, the complete opposite of a team like Edmonton.

Yea but even looking at shot quality, moneypuck (+1.4), naturalstattrick (-1.17), and evolving hockey (+11.1) has the goalies as being around average when looking at goals saved above expected. They’re never perfect and sometimes timing of goals can’t be accounted for, but I don’t know if it was bad enough to put much blame on it for missing the playoffs or really to expect it to necessarily be better next year. It was certainly better in ‘21-22, but it’s not like Jarry is a star goalie like a Vasilevskiy or Shesterkin whom you’d feel confident in a bounce back

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

The Pens would be playing now if the dumb f***s in front office had more than two brain cells between them.

I bet they make it next season if some roster changes are made.

 

[biturbo19]

Yea but even looking at shot quality, moneypuck (+1.4), naturalstattrick (-1.17), and evolving hockey (+11.1) has the goalies as being around average when looking at goals saved above expected. They’re never perfect and sometimes timing of goals can’t be accounted for, but I don’t know if it was bad enough to put much blame on it for missing the playoffs or really to expect it to necessarily be better next year. It was certainly better in ‘21-22, but it’s not like Jarry is a star goalie like a Vasilevskiy or Shesterkin whom you’d feel confident in a bounce back

They're playing right at the margins of the playoffs though. One or two extra saves somewhere at the right time over the year gets them that extra win that puts them in the playoffs, rather than on the outside looking in.


Not sure you can entirely "blame" goaltending...but it's clearly an area where even an extremely slight variance to the + side could be the difference in Crosby playing more playoff hockey, or not.

 

[Regal]

They're playing right at the margins of the playoffs though. One or two extra saves somewhere at the right time over the year gets them that extra win that puts them in the playoffs, rather than on the outside looking in.


Not sure you can entirely "blame" goaltending...but it's clearly an area where even an extremely slight variance to the + side could be the difference in Crosby playing more playoff hockey, or not.

Sure, but at that point even a defensive play to prevent a goal or finishing a chance that was flubbed can change things just as well. Sometimes teams get bad goaltending luck and seem primed for a bounce back, but like you said, here it’s more of a case of splitting hairs where they could go one way or the other, and it’s probably just as likely the goaltending is a bit worse next year than a bit better.

I get the point that a few extra things could have gone right and people probably wouldn’t be talking about this, but when I look at a question like this in terms of what happens next year and beyond, I think you have to look at it from the idea of whether anything stands out as likely to get decently better next year, because the things that went right aren’t a guarantee either (such as Crosby and Malkin playing 82). I’m not sure then that goaltending is an obvious one. If they were particularly bad or if they had a history of being much better, it would be a bit different.

If anything, I think Pittsburgh’s most likely room for improvement is probably more on offense. They had the 3rd most expected goals at 5v5 and 4th best xGF% at 5v5, yet were 20th in 5v5 goals for and 18th in 5v5 GF%.

 

[biturbo19]

Sure, but at that point even a defensive play to prevent a goal or finishing a chance that was flubbed can change things just as well. It felt like the poster who originally brought up goaltending was suggesting that it was the main problem area and just getting to league average should be enough to get back in. Sometimes that is the case for a team, where they get really bad goaltending luck and seem prime for a bounce back, but like you said, here it’s more of a case of splitting hairs where they could go one way or the other, and it’s probably just as likely the goaltending is a bit worse next year than a bit better.

If anything, Pittsburgh’s room for improvement is probably more on offense. They had the 3rd most expected goals at 5v5 and 4th best xGF% at 5v5, yet were 20th in 5v5 goals for and 18th in 5v5 GF%.

Yeah. To me, fixing that old, slow, soft, stale supporting cast of forwards up front is the biggest growth area that could tip the scales for them next year. But a defensive play or couple saves here or there could also tip things for them. They're that close.


But yeah. I don't subscribe to the idea that getting better goaltending is the only, or even the easiest or most reliable way to push them over the hump back into the playoffs next year. I think it just becomes a bit of a focal point because of Jarry's free agent status. That represents an opportunity to easily pivot in a different direction with goaltending. Given what's out there however...it does seem just as likely they actually slightly downgrade in net, rather than improving.


I'd be focused on fixing the forward corps surrounding Croz/Malkin, first and foremost. That's the area with the most room for easy improvement.

 

[Darren McCord]

The Pens would be playing now if the dumb f***s in front office had more than two brain cells between them.

I bet they make it next season if some roster changes are made.

If the pens make no trades they are probably in TBH. Hextall made them a worse team at the deadline