Pittsburgh Penguins News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were the core of a Penguins team that announced its arrival in 2008. (Amy Irvin/The Hockey Writers)

Penguins Have a Difficult Playoff Push Ahead of Them

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Zach Alvarado | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 8:45 AM ET

After a tough 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 8, the Pittsburgh Penguins are on break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. It runs from Feb. 12-20, giving players close to two weeks to rest and heal from any injuries they may be dealing with. While most of the team will be recovering from a grueling 57-game season up to this point, they will be represented at the tournament. Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, and Rickard Rakell will all represent their countries. While those three will enjoy more hockey, general manager Kyle Dubas will work hard to figure out how to get his team to playoff contention.

Sitting six points back of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference – in which seven teams are separated by those six points for the final spot – there is still a sliver of hope it can be done. Going on such a heater will not be an easy task as they have the 11th strongest schedule remaining according to Tankathon, nor will such a run guarantee they grab a playoff spot. However, Dubas thinks the team has what it takes to be back into playoff contention. The question is: just how difficult will a push for a playoff spot be?

Gaining Conference Points Will Be Critical Down the Stretch

Conference play has not been kind to the Penguins this season, but it has not been terrible. Their 13-13-8 record against Eastern Conference teams has seen them secure 34 points in the standings. Where they have struggled is against Metro Division opponents, as they have gone 4-9-4, gaining 22 points out of 34 for a .588 points percentage (P%).

This past week, the Penguins secured three points from Metro Division opponents in the Carolina Hurricanes (3-2 shootout loss) and New York Rangers (3-2 win). While those were a step in the right direction, they dropped two huge points to the Flyers. With that loss, they saw the Flyers draw level on points with them. Not only that, but the Penguins missed out on closing the gap to just four points back of the Detroit Red Wings, who lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning later that night. Once play resumes for the Penguins on Feb. 22, they will open up the final 25 games of their season with four straight games against Metro teams. They play a back-to-back against the Washington Capitals and Rangers – both ahead of them in the standings – and finally two against the Flyers.

This season has looked good for the Penguins against the Atlantic Division. Holding a 9-4-4 record, they secured 22 out of 34 points for a .647 P%. Having that much success over the Atlantic bodes well for the Penguins, as five games come against teams they are in a battle with for the final spot. Where points will be crucial in that stretch will be against the Boston Bruins (two games), Lightning (one game), Ottawa Senators (one game), and Buffalo Sabres (one game). If they manage to pick up all 10 points, they will put themselves in a solid position down the stretch.

Need to Overcome Their Western Conference Nightmare

Games against the Western Conference will determine their fate this season. The Penguins have nine games to go against that conference and things have not been good for them. Of the 16 teams in the East, they are tied for the second-least points gained. They are 10-12-1 against the West, winning just two of their last five. The Central Division has been a thorn in their side this season. They are 3-6-0, being outscored 40-22. They will need to quickly change that as seven of the nine games are against Central opponents. From the Pacific, the two games versus the Vegas Golden Knights will be difficult for the Penguins on their road to a playoff spot. The Golden Knights sit second in their division with a 33-17-6 record. They score a decent number of goals (185) but also give up quite a bit (155). Not only will it be a difficult path going through some of the West’s best teams, but it will give them a chance to prove they can get the wins needed to get into the postseason.

Securing a Playoff Spot Is Unlikely, But Not Impossible

It will be a difficult road for the Penguins to make the playoffs, as MoneyPuck has them listed as having a 3.4% chance of making it. Many will look at that and say it will be impossible for the team to secure a spot, but it is unlikely, not impossible. The effort the team has shown without the likes of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust has been a surprise, but refreshing. If they can come out of the break with their top players back and continue the level of play they showed the last three games, they can give themselves a good chance to make the run that is needed. There is no better time to show they have what it takes to get into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs than in their final 25 games.