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New stat shows which Penguins player has been least valuable to the team this season
Photo credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to hover around the Stanley Cup Playoffs but after recent struggles one player has been identified as the least valuable to the lineup.
Throughout the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the more up and down teams in the league.
Currently they sit in a playoff spot one point ahead of the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins all three of which are teams that have had incredibly high highs and deep struggles as well.
In recent games, the Penguins had been on a tear before this afternoon's game and that winning streak has caused fans to blame Pittsburgh's struggles on Kevin Hayes who has been scratched through the winning streak and was put back in the lineup tonight.
Kevin Hayes struggling to fit in with the Penguins under Dan Muse
This season, with Dan Muse at the helm the Penguins have played nearly an equal amount of games with and without Kevin Hayes.
In that time, without Hayes the Penguins have won 15 games as opposed to only 6 with him in the lineup.
This season, in 21 games played Hayes has just five points with the Penguins and has struggled mightily away from the puck as well.
Despite his struggles, Hayes was in the lineup almost every night leading up to the holiday break until this afternoon where he replaced an injured Bryan Rust.
In his return to the lineup, Hayes drew out frustration from fans who want him back out of the lineup permanently.
With the fans and media now making this realization it will be up to Kyle Dubas and Dan Muse to take Hayes out and make the difficult decision to potentially consider waiving or trading the veteran.
After sending down Ville Koivunen to the AHL the Penguins have a clear suitable replacement in Koivunen that could immediately come up and be a better option than Hayes for a Penguins team wanting to make the playoffs.
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