Madden Monday: Penguins missing playoffs could be ‘a blessing in disguise’
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I’ve had a hard time trying to find a silver lining to the end of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2022-23 season.
They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They ended up losing their last two games to two of the worst teams in the NHL (the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks). By extension, they eliminated themselves. They had to fire general manager Ron Hextall. And there is no reason to believe that a quick fix is forthcoming.
But on this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast with Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE, Madden puts a somewhat positive spin on how everything has gone down with the Penguins.
“I think this is a blessing in disguise,” Madden said of the franchise’s failure this year. “I think this is a low bar that they settled for, perhaps too readily the past few years, being eliminated.”
Where Madden is going with the thought is that in each of the past four seasons, the Penguins have made the playoffs. But the team lost in the first round. So if merely qualifying for the playoffs has been the organizational goal since 2018, it’s high time to start thinking bigger and making changes.
If failing to even qualify for the postseason is the jolt the organization needed, so be it.
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“I think it would be the same for the Steelers if (Mike) Tomlin’s streak of never having a losing season would stop,” Madden added.
Last season, the Steelers were unable to qualify for the postseason in Week 18 at 9-8. It was the third time that has happened since the 2018 season.
Yet somehow, Tomlin has avoided a losing season every year since he began coaching the Black and Gold in 2007.
Meanwhile this year, erasing the overtime results as a separate category, the Penguins were 40-42. Madden says don’t expect a quick turnaround for the Penguins.
“I think, now, the Penguins can look to build a team that cannot only squeak into the playoffs, but maybe win a playoff series or two. Not next year. I think you might have to take a step back next year to take a couple of steps forward the year after,” Madden added.
“One thing I don’t think they are going to be able to acknowledge is that the core of (Evgeni) Malkin, (Kris) Letang, and (Sidney) Crosby is done winning championships. They can say, ‘We can always contend with our core three, blah blah blah.’ But that’s all over. I hope that I’m wrong. I understand putting a smiling face on it. But that’s all over.”
In this week’s podcast, Madden and I also discuss some recent shortcomings illustrated by Pens head coach Mike Sullivan, the roster construction, and what the NHL playoff bracket looks like without the Penguins in it.
We also get into some Steelers draft conversation and the 2023 start of the Pirates.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden talk sports on ‘Madden Monday’