Madden Monday: ‘If it was totally up to me, I would trade (Jason) Zucker and (Brian) Dumoulin. I would be a seller’
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost the first two games in their critical three-pack of contests against Metropolitan Division rivals. They dropped a 5-4 decision to the New York Islanders on Friday. They fell 5-2 at home to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Game 3 of that batch is Monday night at PPG Paints Arena against the Islanders. Those two teams are tied at 63 points apiece, currently good for the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference, just a point in front of the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers. The Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings are lurking at 60 points apiece.
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden isn’t panicked about the Penguins’ playoff predicament for 2023. But he does feel the Penguins’ current struggles are a harbinger of things to come.
“I have no confidence in the teams chasing them to catch them,” Madden said. “If you made me predict right now, I’d say they’re still 50/50 to make the playoffs, which is what I would have said three or four weeks ago. The real problem is going to be next year. This year, I don’t feel Buffalo and Detroit are going to be able to catch the Penguins. I just don’t feel they’re ready. Next season, I don’t feel the Penguins will be able to catch Detroit and Buffalo.”
Madden also doesn’t think the Pens will be able to hunt down the New York Rangers or New Jersey Devils to crawl into one of the top three spots of the Metro. That means they’re stuck in a wild-card position, at best. As a result, if the Pens do make the playoffs, they’ll probably have to play the Boston Bruins (89 points) or Carolina Hurricanes (82 points).
Due to that looming mismatch, Madden believes the Penguins should consider selling off assets before the March 3 trade deadline, instead of living on a prayer that they could land a significant return to help the cause this year.
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“The Penguins are playing for a wild card. Period. And that means they get killed by Boston or Carolina. If it was totally up to me, I would trade (Jason) Zucker and (Brian) Dumoulin,” Madden said. “I would be a seller. I would get rid of the guys that are going to be free agents at season’s end. I feel like they think they will be doing the dressing room a disservice by doing that. But I feel that’s being realistic and doing right by the franchise.”
Madden said if there is static from veterans in the locker room because of that approach, management should ignore it.
“It’s time to stop worrying about how this dressing room feels. It’s too late for that. And it’s also improper to worry about this 17-year playoff streak. Because that’s just as meaningless as the (Mike) Tomlin ‘no-losing season streak,’” Madden said, referring to Tomlin’s 16 years without a losing season as Steelers coach. “When you haven’t won a playoff series since 2018, there’s really no point in making it that many times in a row. Not extending the streak, certainly.”
For those who believe that approach would be waving a white flag too early, Madden asked for realism.
“There’s no trade this team can make that would raise its ceiling for being anything more than losing in the first round of the playoffs. That’s the best it can possibly do, even if they got (Chicago forward) Patrick Kane for free. They won’t. But if they did, they would still lose in the first round of the playoffs, if they made the playoffs at all,” Madden insisted.
Yet it’s Madden’s belief that Penguins general manager Ron Hextall will try to add anyway.
“My worry is that might happen because Hextall is going to look to try to save his job. And (president of hockey operations) Brian Burke too. I think they’re the most vulnerable to dismissal if the Penguins do miss the playoffs — or go out in the first round this year,” Madden continued. “Ownership has to keep them from doing that. And I don’t know if Fenway Sports Group is that present. If they’re that involved — that they’re that cognizant of what’s going on, and what needs to not go on. Namely the kind of trade we’re talking about. Mario (Lemieux) would have prevented that. I just don’t know if FSG is keeping a close eye.”
Also in the podcast, Madden offers a name he expects the Penguins to pursue. Plus we discuss the rest of the Eastern Conference, offseason NFL rules debates and some quarterback conversation as well.