It is no secret the Pittsburgh Penguins have underwhelmed since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2009. Fast forward almost eight years later since their last Championship and a decade since the Crosby-Malkin era began, that 2009 season has still been the only championship credit to their careers.
It is easy to point fingers, assign blame, and act like fixing these issues are easy, they aren’t. Yes, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have not played to our expectations in recent years, but does this warrant their departure?
The pair can’t just play with anyone, at least if you want the most out of your franchise stars. In 2009, Crosby and Malkin had Jordan Staal, Petr Sykora, Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan, and Tyler Kennedy, who all score 35 or more points. Last year, only Kris Letang, Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz scored 35 or more points.
What has become clear is that the Penguins are not scoring much outside of Crosby and Malkin, significantly affecting the two in their ability to not only score, but dish the puck out too. For example, in the 2008-09 season they made up just over 30 percent of their team’s points combining for 216. Last year, they only made up a quarter of the team’s points, but more noticeably their assist number have fallen dramatically.
In their championship season, the two combined for 148 assists or 33 percent of the teams overall production compared to 98 assists, or 25 percent of the team’s number. Simply observing in games, especially in the early part of this year, there have been multiple times where Crosby or Malkin have passed the puck, but their teammates can’t find the handle on it. Simply put, the team scored more because the pair had better players for support.
Injuries have also stagnated the production of the two in recent years. Who could ever forget David Steckel’s hit on Crosby that would have a lasting effect on not just the captain, but the team as a whole. Following the concussion, Crosby suffered through lingering issues and strenuous injuries that prevented him from completing a full season between 2010 and 2013.
Malkin also ailed from a few injuries as well including both and ACL and MCL tear, shoulder issues, and a concussion has also limited the Russian playmaker since he helped bring the Cup back to Pittsburgh. Lets not forget the outstanding single seasons the two finished since 2008-09, it is not if they have completely fell off the wagon. However, one criticism Malkin has done without is the question of his maturity and character.
The Penguins’ issues run much deeper than two players. Before Mike Sullivan took the reigns of this dysfunctional team, there were locker room questions on Crosby’s ability, leadership, and maturity. Fans have become less patient with Crosby’s struggles, in part because of his lack of respect for authority, and the way he would snap at players, coaches, or referees. Dan Bylsma nor Mike Johnston had the galls to challenge the superstar, but the tides may just be shifting with Sullivan at the helm.
Step back for a second, though. Crosby’s immaturity may in fact not be immaturity at all, it could just be frustration. This still does not justify the way he has acted in his past, but any player of his stature doesn’t want money, they don’t want awards, they don’t want regular season wins, they want championships. This season alone the captain has struggled, but with him buying into Sullivan’s scheme, Crosby’s best years may well still be ahead of him, as is evident from his recent play.
To finally answer the question, does the recent play of Malkin and Crosby warrant one or both of their departures? No, but what it does warrant is the understanding that Pittsburgh posses two of the league’s most talented athletes, with that needs to be a group of players who can match their finesse and athleticism. Of course, that is a tough order for the front office, but with a new system in place and coach who will not allow Crosby to do what he wants, light can be seen on the horizon.
It may not be easy, but if the recent play of the offense continues, fans may just be witnessing the turnaround this team so desperately needed. It looks as if the entire team has rallied behind the idea of a more disciplined and shot-heavy team. Sullivan is challenging both Crosby and Malkin, and they are responding by being the players we expect them to be.
Both are still under 30-years old, and have years of hockey left to play. Be patient, so long as they are healthy, and the team around the pair continues to play well, the idea of trading Crosby or Malkin will become a distant memory.
