After the Penguins were swept in four games against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals, changes should have been made.
At the very least, Dan Bylsma should have been fired and Kris Letang probably should’ve been traded to not only create cap space but build depth at forward.
Instead, the Penguins kept Bylsma and rewarded Kris Letang by giving him an eight year extension worth $58 million.
The result? Another embarrassing early exit in the playoffs and now the dream of seeing a dynasty in Pittsburgh has all but faded out of reality for the Penguins. But don’t worry, if you want to see a dynasty, just look at the team in Chicago who waits for their next opponent in the Western Conference Finals.
Where did it all go wrong?
For one, the general manager made horrible decisions. Ray Shero may not be the GM much longer, but the consequences from his decisions will be felt for the next few years. This is not a team that is one or two pieces away from being a contender anymore. No, the Penguins need a MAJOR overhaul from top to bottom. They lack too much depth at forward and there’s not enough cap space for a quick fix in free agency.
Of course, the cheapest option would be to call up prospects but Shero has neglected drafting forwards over his seven year tenure as general manager with the few draft picks he’s actually had. While teams were using their picks to shore up the depth in the organization, Shero used his to acquire NHL veterans. In some instances it worked; such as the Marian Hossa trade. But for the most part, those deals have fallen by the wayside.
Are you tired of seeing Sidney Crosby struggle to produce in the playoffs? Give him a true first line winger. Jonathan Toews hasn’t had a problem scoring in these playoffs but then again, he has Brandon Saad, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, and Patrick Sharp at his disposal. Crosby has Brian Gibbons and Lee Stempniak.
There’s some talk that Shero wanted to deal Letang after last season but was told not to by upper management due to marketing issues. If that’s true, then Shero’s hands were tied. That does not, however, excuse him for signing aging vets Rob Scuderi and Pascal Dupuis to such long deals. Both players are in their mid-30’s and they will both make 3.75 million per year for another three seasons.
Yikes.
The cap situation is so bad the Penguins will have roughly $15 million in room to sign 15 players this offseason.
Obviously this is not entirely on Ray Shero. He constructs the roster but Dan Bylsma and the players are in charge of making it work. Bylsma has been bested time and time again in the playoffs with teams utilizing the same strategy. Jesse Marshall from Faceoff-Factor has a great write up on how teams have stymied the Penguins, here.
Bylsma has never shown an alternative to his game plan. When the other team adjusts, he doesn’t know what to do. The proof is in the results; two blown 3-1 series leads, a 4-0 sweep last season, and an embarrassing loss to a Flyers team that has seemingly had their number for the past four years.
There’s something else that has plagued this team since Bylsma took over: lack of focus at the most opportune time. How many times have we seen this team lose a critical game that could have saved them in the long run? Everyone points to Game 7 and the frustration of watching yet another team celebrate at Consol. But what about Game 5 where the Penguins had a chance to not only end the series at home, but at the very least wear down a team that was playing their sixth game in nine days? But they took the night off allowing the Rangers to climb back, and the rest is history.
Relieving Dan Bylsma of his coaching duties is a no-brainer but the same should be said for Ray Shero. These two have combined in the steady decline of an organization that looked like the next 1980’s Edmonton Oilers just five years ago. The window not only appears to be closing, but there’s barely an opening to allow for air.
Malkin and Crosby are no longer part of the next generation of young talented players. The talent is still world-class, but these are probably the prime years for both and instead of seeing them matched with players of nearly equal talent around them, they may be spending their best years on a team trying to rebuild. It’s a scary thought and a nightmare for the fan base, but given the cap situation and lack of organizational depth, we might be waiting awhile longer before seeing a roster that can truly make the Penguins a contender.
You can blame the star players for not performing on the biggest stage, but the coach needs to put them in the best position to win and the GM needs to put the appropriate amount of size, speed and skill on the ice to give them the opportunity to do so. Bylsma and Shero failed and now they need to go. Getting rid of one while keeping the other will on perpetuate the issues facing this team.
Photo courtesy of ESPN 970
