Kyle Dubas Mirrors Cup Champion Florida Panthers With Direction at the NHL Draft
The Penguins haven't been true contenders for years now, but according to Daily Faceoff, their current blue print mirrors that of a two-time Cup Champion.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled to be a genuine Stanley Cup threat for a number of seasons, and while some resisted the rebuild, the right move is for the team to look towards the future.
Without the right person at the helm and with a lack of patience, things could go very badly for the Penguins, but as of right now things are working well, with Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff identifying the pattern that the Penguins are following, similar to that of the Florida Panthers.
Dubas Adopts a Proven Blueprint to Build a Contender Through the Draft
Not only is Dubas looking to build this through the draft like the Panthers did with Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov and others, but they're building a team with size and strength, something that plays very well in the post-season.
The Penguins have added some serious size over the past two years. McGroarty is a strong forward who can knock guys down and use his frame to generate scoring chances. Bill Zonnon and Will Horcoff love to bring their energy to every shift, and I can see them becoming valuable bottom-six options. Peyton Kettles, meanwhile, is 6-foot-5 and makes it hard to get around him. I can see them all becoming NHLers, and that alone should make them a bit more scary to play against.
While a team needs high end skill and eventually needs to make trades to become a true contender, things start with the draft, and given how many young players they have with great size, it's becoming more and more clear that Dubas can lead this team back to prosperity.
Whether or not those players end up being difference makers in the NHL, only time will tell, but right now Dubas has a plan that mirrors that of the very successful Panthers, and if he can keep it going, the future will remain very bright indeed.
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