The Pittsburgh Penguins are back within the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They may tackle their in-state rival, the Philadelphia Flyers, in Round 1. No person expected either team to be on this position. Most pegged the Penguins and Flyers to complete near the underside of the Metro Division, but here they’re once more renewing their rivalry. A part of the explanation the Penguins are on this position is due to their captain, Sidney Crosby.
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The Penguins missed the playoffs the last three seasons in 2023, 2024, and 2025. All of the talk was about Sidney Crosby and the way awesome it could be to see him within the Stanley Cup Playoffs again. Most felt it could be with one other team. There was a ton of trade speculation even after he signed his two-year extension.
But with Mike Sullivan gone and recent head coach Dan Muse, Crosby told his teammates to dam out the surface noise in regards to the Penguins being a rebuilding team and that they were going to get Gavin McKenna within the 2026 NHL Draft.
As Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com and Full Press Media explained on “The Point” on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Jake Hahn and Victoria Matiash, Sidney Crosby told his teammates it’s a “us vs the world ” mentality because the Penguins embraced a brand new mindset and youthful energy to get them so far.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Jake Hahn: “We love you joining us here, Jim and shedding a bit of light on the Devils. But I do know you’re dialled into the whole league. I’ll stick within the Metro, because obviously, you’ve probably seen a number of these themes all yr long. How are you going to explain what’s happened in Pittsburgh this yr with this Penguins roster, and now, impulsively, we’ve gone from “Oh, great story” to “they might win a round of playoff hockey”?
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Heck, possibly they might even challenge Carolina on that Metro side of the bracket. It’s been fun to observe because all of us have a lot respect for Sid and Gino and all of the veteran players. Erik Karlsson, you need to throw in there, too. But how will you explain where we got to with this Penguins team, a team that was projected for 77 and a half points by oddsmakers before the season?”
Jim Biringer: “Yeah, I feel Dan Muse has to have a number of credit for this. I mean, how many individuals in Toronto want to provide Kyle Dubas his love and flowers? I’m. I feel the addition of Ben Kindel has been great for this team, youthful energy as we saw on the Island. But I feel Dan Muse really allowed these guys to play to their potential again. I feel it was just time to maneuver on from the Mike Sullivan era.
And also you see it in Erik Karlsson’s game. You’re seeing these guys are having fun, but you never can discount a team that has Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, especially Crosby, I mean, this guy. I mean, what he’s doing 21 seasons, point per game, unbelievable. Still going strong, still he could play till he’s mid-40s, if he desired to. I mean, the best way he’s playing immediately, one other Olympics wouldn’t be out of the query for me. I mean, that’s just my opinion it immediately.
But I mean, Crosby’s willingness. Anthony Mantha, again, great story for him, right? Profession season coming off the injuries, back to the guy everybody expected him to be. There are a number of profession seasons, but can that carry over to next yr?
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But again, the useful energy is there with the brand new coach; there’s a belief within the room. Hey, it’s us against the world. No person believed in us. Hey, why not go on the market, win a round, possibly get to a Conference Final? Would it not be that shocking, provided that they’ve done it before?”
With the Pittsburgh Penguins having three-time Stanley Cup Winners in Crosby, Malkin, and Kris Letang, they’ve a shot to maintain their run going. It should just come all the way down to goaltending. Not to say, can the Penguins recover from the first-round demons, having not won a round since 2018?
But never discount any with the number 87 on it.
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