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Penguins at the Crossroads: Should Pittsburgh Finally Embrace the Tank?
The Penguins are heading towards a major rebuild, and while some are resisting, it's clear that embracing the tank is the way to go for this organization.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the NHL's most consistent and successful teams over the past two decades, but with their stars ageing, things are going downhill.
The team have already missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three straight seasons, and now, all expectations are that this team will continue falling as they look to start a rebuild.
Why tanking could accelerate the Penguins' rebuild
Even when rebuilding, some teams don't like to completely embrace the tank, and with Sidney Crosby leading the way, it's unlikely that he'd be happy with the team doing that.
However, the team aren't terribly bad as of right now and they're not good enough to compete for a post-season spot, with many, including Josh Yohe of The Athletic believing they need to choose one path or another to build for a clear future.
The Gavin McKenna factor and lessons from Lemieux & Crosby
One of the biggest reasons to embrace the tank is potential No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, and after the organization landed Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury with either the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in the draft, they know how well a top pick can define the future of an organization.
Beyond McKenna, the top five picks in the 2026 NHL Draft could be game changers, and if the team finally give in and believe in the tank, there's no reason why they can't come away with a star that can lead them into a new, successful generation.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 2 | 22 ANSWERS Penguins at the Crossroads: Should Pittsburgh Finally Embrace the Tank? Should the Penguins look to tank in 2025/26? | ||
| Yes | 13 | 59.1 % |
| No | 9 | 40.9 % |
| List of polls | ||