Pittsburgh (24-16-9) is fifth in the Metropolitan Division and is tied with the New York Islanders for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference. However, since a 14-2-2 stretch from Nov. 9-Dec. 15, the Penguins are 6-8-5 in their past 19 games.
"I think our team has been very inconsistent this year," Hextall said. "I think we've had moments where we've been very good. I think we've had moments where we haven't been very good. … I think that's reflective of a lot of players on our team. We're looking for more consistency from here on through the end of the year individually, across the board.
"We would like to get better. Sometimes getting better would be making a move that maybe is a better fit than what we have. When I look at our team on paper, I like our team. When I look at some of the games and results, I don't like it as much."
One reason for the Penguins' inconsistent play this season has been their top-heavy offense.
Although they are still getting production from their top two lines, which are anchored by Sidney Crosby (24 goals, 36 assists in 49 games), Evgeni Malkin (19 goals, 31 assists in 49 games), and Jake Guentzel (20 goals, 26 assists in 45 games), the bottom-six forwards have accounted for just 34.4 percent of the offense (55 out of 160 goals).
"I think when you look at our top players, for the most part, they've performed well," Hextall said. "I think some of our role players need to be better at times, and we certainly expect them to be.
"I think it's fair to say the chemistry [with the bottom-six forwards] hasn't been what we hoped. There are times I think where we had some chemistry down there, but I think, over the course of the year, the chemistry hasn't been that great. Chemistry is a tough thing to define when you're talking about a line or a hockey team or a defense or a forward group, but you can kind of feel it and see it when it's there. That's somewhere we can look to hopefully improve."
Hextall added that although a trade could provide that improvement, he won't feel pressured into making a wrong decision.
"It's really dangerous to feel like you have to make a deal because, quite frankly, looking at history, all of a sudden, you make a bad deal," Hextall said. "We're not going to make a deal and make a bad deal. We're going to make a deal because we feel like it makes our team better. … I've never felt pressured to make a deal for the sake of making a deal.
"I think now our focus is on having the best team possible this year without doing silly things for the future."
Making the correct trade, or choosing not to make the wrong one, could help the Penguins ease out of an unfamiliar position.
Pittsburgh has qualified for the playoffs in 16 straight seasons, the longest active streak in the NHL.
"It's not a mentality that we've ever had in this room," defenseman Kris Letang said. "We're just trying to win every night. It's not happening all the time. We're not perfect, that's for sure. We're not looking far ahead. We're looking at every game, try to win, and that's about it.
"I think we know what areas of the game we need to correct and get better. In the next couple months, the game's going to get tighter and it's going to get harder to score goals. I think we just have to go game by game."
They can do that as currently constructed, coach Mike Sullivan said.
"We're obviously not satisfied because we're not where we want to be," Sullivan said. "We know we're capable of more. We're going to work at it. … I think we have a capable group. Now we have to go out and show it."
