When Kyle Dubas took over as manager of the Penguins last June, he decided to give Sidney Crosby and his group a chance to compete for another Stanley Cup. His biggest acquisition came in August when he acquired Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks. This trade was made to improve the team's defense, but since Kristopher Letang is also a right-handed defenseman, many analysts wondered if Karlsson was really the right fit for the Penguins.
NOT THE SOLUTION
With his 38 points in 52 games, Erik Karlsson is not to blame for the Penguins' failures, nor are the majority of this team's star players who are performing relatively well. The Penguins' problem is not with their star players, but rather with the strong players on this team. The performances of Reilly Smith (22 points in 46 games), Rickard Rakell (20 points in 40 games) and Jeff Carter (8 points in 46 games) are nowhere near the level of a team that really didn't want to give itself a chance just to make the playoffs, but also to win the Stanley Cup.
What to do with JAKE GÜNTZEL?
The following file is that of Jake Guentzel. Kyle Dubas has an important decision to make soon. Either give him a contract extension or trade him by the March 8 trade deadline, because the Penguins can't afford to lose him when the unrestricted free agent market first opens in July without getting something in return receive. Jake Guentzel (52 points in 50 games), who is currently injured, could give the Penguins a very interesting return if he is traded.
The other player who still has value is Reilly Smith, who still has another year on his contract ($5 million) after winning the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights last season. He never really found his place in Pittsburgh and rumors of sending him elsewhere have been circulating for the past few weeks.
Other players who could leave include Jeff Carter, but at 39 years old, we understand interest may be limited. Colin White and Chad Ruhwedel also don't have much value and if they are traded you can't expect a big return.
THE FUTURE OF SIDNEY CROSBY
Kyle Dubas will therefore have to make big decisions in the coming days. As his core of players continue to age, every decision he makes will be analyzed from top to bottom and send a message to the rest of the group.
Because if the next few days are important for the Penguins, even more important decisions will be made in the coming months. Sidney Crosby, for example, will be in the final year of the 12-year contract he signed in 2012 next season. Logic dictates that he will finish his career in Pittsburgh and therefore sign another contract with the Penguins.
But Sidney Crosby will also have to decide whether he wants to absolutely finish his career in Pittsburgh and perhaps finish another Stanley Cup, or whether he wants to play for a team that will give him a chance to achieve another dream.
Of course, he doesn't have to make that decision today, but it's clear that there will be a lot of speculation next season. Speculation that other teams will also listen carefully, as many teams dream of the possibility of getting their hands on Sidney Crosby. The question is whether that day will come.