Lack of secondary scoring: The Penguins' top six forwards -- Jake Guentzel (35 goals), Crosby (33), Rickard Rakell (28), Malkin (27), Zucker (27) and Bryan Rust (20) -- have accounted for 66 percent of the team's total goals (170 of 259). The only other two players in double digits in goals are Jeff Carter (13) and Letang (11). None of Pittsburgh's defensemen have at least 40 points (Letang has 39 in 63 games). Entering Wednesday, the Penguins were 28th in goals from defensemen (29) and 23rd in points from defensemen (162).
Deadline deals didn't work: The Penguins acquired forward Mikael Granlund from the Nashville Predators on March 1, and then acquired Bonino from the San Jose Sharks and Kulikov from the Anaheim Ducks on March 3 before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. They have received a total of one goal, five assists and 28 games played from those three players. Granlund, acquired for his versatility and ability to add secondary scoring, has five points (one goal, four assists) in 20 games. Bonino was acquired for his ability to center a bottom-six line, kill penalties and provide some offense. He has played in three games with zero points. He has missed 17 straight with a lacerated kidney. Kulikov played in four games, had one assist, and then missed 14 straight because of a lower-body injury.
Too many ups and downs: The Penguins have run hot and cold all season, with four spurts of solid, winning hockey and four that featured inconsistent, mostly losing hockey. They were 4-0-1 in their first five games, but 0-6-1 in their next seven. They followed that with their longest sustained hot streak, going 15-3-2 from Nov. 9-Dec. 20. But then it was 2-6-2 in the next 10, followed by a run of 6-2-3 in 11. Then came a four-game losing streak, all in regulation, from Feb. 17-23. But optimism picked up again in advance of the deadline, when the Penguins went 7-1-1 from Feb. 25-March 12. They went back to the inconsistent stuff and are 6-9-0 in their past 15 games, including a crushing 5-2 loss at home to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. It doesn't help that they lead the NHL with nine losses in games when they have the lead going into the third period (four in regulation, five in overtime/shootout). And, on top of it, the Penguins got inconsistent goaltending. Tristan Jarry had a .909 save percentage; seven of the eight teams that made the playoffs in the East had a goalie with at least .910 or better (Florida is the exception). The Penguins allow 3.21 goals per game, which is 19th in the League.
