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Penguins flipped the script, and Kyle Dubas has to change course now
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Sidney Crosby has the Pittsburgh Penguins on a 100-point pace, second in the Metropolitan Division, and the NHL trade deadline talk just turned real.
Through 50 games, Pittsburgh sits 25-14-11 for 61 points. That is not a cute little heater, that is banked standings gravity.
This Western trip has been the proof. They lit up Seattle, handled Calgary, then walked into Edmonton and dropped a 6-2 punch.
Anthony Mantha scored twice in that Oilers win, and Arturs Silovs stopped 29 shots. The vibe looked like a group that expects to win, not hopes.
Dan Muse keeps talking about "team game," and it is not coach-speak right now. The details are showing up shift after shift.
The penalty kill has been a weapon, and the man advantage is pulling its weight too. When both are humming, you can travel and steal points.
Since December 27, the Penguins have points in 11 of 13, and Crosby has driven the bus with 18 points in that span. That is top-six leadership with teeth.
Sidney Crosby has the Pittsburgh Penguins buying belief
Pens fans are used to the other shoe dropping, but this time it feels like the floor is solid.
So yes, they should be buyers, but smart ones. Think one legit middle-six finisher, or a steady right-shot defender for the blue line.
Kyle Dubas already dipped a toe with Ilya Solovyov, 25, drafted in 2020 (7th round) by the Calgary Flames. That is the kind of depth swing buyers take.
The calendar matters, too. The NHL trade deadline lands March 6, so this is the window to lean in without getting desperate.
If they close the trip Sunday in Vancouver the right way, the message is simple. This season is ahead of schedule, and the room has earned help.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 24|127 ANSWERS Penguins flipped the script, and Kyle Dubas has to change course now Should Kyle Dubas make the Pittsburgh Penguins trade deadline buyers? | ||
| Yes | 99 | 78 % |
| No | 28 | 22 % |
| List of polls | ||