Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Kyle Dubas weighs buy move as Pittsburgh Penguins sit 31-15-13 without Sidney Crosby
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Athletic says the Pittsburgh Penguins are the NHL trade deadline's wild card, and Kyle Dubas has fans sweating.
This is the part nobody saw coming in October, Pittsburgh is 31-15-13 and sitting in the Metro mix.
They are not winning with smoke and mirrors either, the goal differential is real, 203 for and 173 against.
The tension is obvious, buy for a run or sell to protect the future, because both paths make sense today.
Then the gut punch hit, Sidney Crosby is on IR and out at least four weeks, after ripping 27-32-59 in 56 games.
Without Crosby, the story shifts from "ride the legend" to "prove the structure," and that is where this gets interesting.
Dubas already acted like a buyer, landing pieces like Sam Girard, Egor Chinakhov, and Stuart Skinner.
The trade deadline is Friday, March 6, so the pressure is basically immediate.
Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins face a fork
If you are a Penguins fan, you can feel the familiar itch, this team looks fun again, and you do not want to waste it.
The clearest "why now" is between the pipes, because Arturs Silovs has held the line when the lineup gets messy.
That steadiness gives the blue line permission to close early, and it keeps Pittsburgh's rush game from turning into track meets.
The smart play is not a pure rental binge, it is adding one controllable center or a right-shot defender who can survive playoff pace.
Cap space and extra picks mean Dubas can trade without emptying the cupboard, and that's why rival GMs keep watching.
Now it comes down to this, do you chase points today, or chase certainty for April when Crosby returns and everything tightens up.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Frank Seravalli says Hurricanes only move Jesperi Kotkaniemi for clear center upgrade
Frank Seravalli says Hurricanes only move Jesperi Kotkaniemi for clear center upgrade
| POLL | ||
MARS 3|157 ANSWERS Kyle Dubas weighs buy move as Pittsburgh Penguins sit 31-15-13 without Sidney Crosby Should Kyle Dubas buy at the NHL trade deadline for the Pittsburgh Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 140 | 89.2 % |
| No | 17 | 10.8 % |
| List of polls | ||