Pittsburgh Penguins News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

2 Penguins Players Who Have Been Stepping Up Lately

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Sylvie McCarthy | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 4:10 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins are having a season that no one saw coming. They currently sit in a playoff spot, and there is a good chance they will qualify for the postseason. However, last month at the Winter Olympics it looked like the Penguins’ season had been dealt a devastating blow. On Feb. 18, captain Sidney Crosby suffered a lower-body injury during Canada’s quarterfinal victory over Czechia. As if that was not bad enough, Evgeni Malkin was handed a fiv- game suspension on March 6 for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in the head. Over the past month, the team has had to step up in a big way and that is exactly what they have done.

Penguins Have Been Underestimated All Season

Most people predicted the Penguins would remain at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division this season and be in the running to acquire Gavin McKenna with the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. That is not what happened, however, and the team is currently in the middle of a tight playoff race. When Crosby was sidelined with the injury injury and Malkin was suspended shortly thereafter, it seemed almost definite that Pittsburgh’s Cinderella season would end.

During Malkin’s five-game suspension, Pittsburgh went 2-1-2. They not only survived in his absence, but they also showed true grit and fortitude. In those five games, their shootout woes continued with losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and the Carolina Hurricanes, but they also had a comeback win over the Utah Mammoth and managed to defeat the Boston Bruins in overtime.

One of the biggest things to note about this five-game stretch is that it wasn’t just one player who stepped up to fill the void. The Penguins got production from across their lineup, and Erik Karlsson was a key contributor. Through 12 games in March, he has seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points, with seven of those points came during Malkin’s absence.

Karlsson’s first two seasons in Pittsburgh were a bit underwhelming, but this season he has looked like a different player. He has made improvements to every area of his game, and he looks like a true number-one defenseman again. He is making better decisions with the puck, playing with more confidence, and playing a much-more-responsible game in the defensive zone. Pairing him with Parker Wotherspoon was also a smart decision as the two complement each other well. If the Penguins want to be a serious playoff contender, they will need him to continue playing at this level.

Another player who has been a constant for the Penguins this season, especially in the absence of two of the team’s top performers, is Anthony Mantha. While Malkin was out of the lineup, Mantha racked up six points and has 53 points in 70 games. Originally, it may have been general manager Kyle Dubas’s plan to trade him either at the 2026 Trade Deadline or at the end of the season. However, Dubas is more than likely reconsidering.

Mantha has played a key role for the Penguins this season and is one of the reasons they have exceeded expectations; he already has a career high 26 goals on the campaign, and there is a very good chance he will reach 30 goals before the season is over. He has good defensive awareness and he is good at creating chances. At 31 years old, he still has some good years left in him, and if the Penguins make the playoffs Dubas will be watching him closely to see how he performs.

Penguins Have to Keep Their Foot on the Gas

Malkin returned to the lineup on March 16 and Crosby returned on March 18. The Penguins are in the middle of an extremely-tight playoff race, and there is virtually no room for error. They need to continue getting production from up and down their lineup as they head into the last 12 games of the season.