The longest active playoff streak in North American sports is in danger of ending

The Pittsburgh Penguins have the longest active playoff streak in North American sports, having qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past 16 years. 

If things do not turn around quickly for them that streak may come to an end this season.

After getting embarrassed on Thursday night by the Edmonton Oilers, 7-2, their fourth consecutive loss and seventh in the past 10 games, they find themselves on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. 

During Thursday's loss, fans were chanting for the team to fire general manager Ron Hextall and everything seems to be falling apart as the trade deadline gets near. The recent slump, as well as their spot in the standings, could push the Penguins to do something they have not had to do in nearly two decades: Become sellers at the March 3 trade deadline. 

The Penguins do have some things going for them in the playoff push. 

The biggest one is that they have played fewer games than just about every team they are competing with for a playoff spot. Those games in hand could help them easily make up ground.

But they have to actually win those games for them to matter, which is far from a guarantee right now.

The Penguins kept their core together this offseason by re-signing Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang to finish their careers alongside Sidney Crosby. It makes them one of the longest-tenured trios in North American sports history. While those three have continued to play at an extremely high level, the rest of the team has fallen short. 

Since that trio first started playing together during the 2007-08 season the Penguins have been the most successful team in the NHL. 

During that time their 708 regular season wins are tied for the most in the NHL (with Boston as of Friday), while their 102 playoff wins are the most in the league. They have also played in more Stanley Cup Finals (four) than any other team in the league during that time, winning three Stanley Cups (tied with Chicago for the most during that stretch). 

All streaks eventually come to an end, though. The Penguins probably did not imagine they would be this close to it happening this season.