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Penguins Must Fix Inconsistencies Before Possible Postseason Run

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Sylvie McCarthy | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 6:26 PM ET

Barring a huge collapse, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. They have had a much better season than anyone predicted and at times it has looked like they could go on a deep playoff run. However, some of the same issues that have been plaguing the Penguins for the past few seasons have been popping up more frequently lately. If they do make the postseason and want to avoid a first-round exit, they will have to solve these problems once and for all.

Penguins Continue to Deal With the Same Struggles

The Penguins have been without captain Sidney Crosby since returning from the Winter Olympic break. Crosby was injured in Team Canada’s quarterfinal game against Czechia. His team has been performing well enough without him, but his absence has been evident.

On March 7, the Penguins lost 4-3 in the shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers. Pittsburgh losing in a shootout is nothing new, but the game against the Flyers should not have made it past 60 minutes.

Pittsburgh had six power-play opportunities in regulation against Philadelphia. They went 1-for-6 with four shots combined. Tommy Novak was the only bright spot, scoring in the first power play of the game. There is no doubt the Penguins’ power play has improved this season, but it did not look good against the Flyers. No one seemed to be on the same page, and the players never found a groove.

The Penguins’ power play had yet another chance to redeem itself with a 4-on-3 opportunity late in overtime. They failed to score, and the game resulted in a shootout loss, putting Pittsburgh 1-10 in shootouts this season. There are no shootouts in the playoffs, but this is a serious issue the team has to figure out.

It seems like Pittsburgh’s shooters always have the same plan of attack: They always come down either the left or the right at a pretty consistent speed and try to shoot the puck through the opposing goalie’s five hole. Goaltenders across the NHL know this is their strategy, so when facing the Penguins in a shootout goalies stay deep in their net. They have to try something new to keep the goalie guessing. At this point, trying out different shooters such Ben Kindel and some of the other young players would be a welcomed change.

Pittsburgh’s defense is also becoming more and more of a problem. Kris Letang’s age has caught up to him this season. His decision-making skills have been poor, and he gets beaten on the breakaway more often than not. Unfortunately, head coach Dan Muse does not have a ton of right-handed options to pair him with.

Can the Penguins Fix Their Issues Before the Postseason?

For most of the season, the Penguins have played good, solid hockey. However, they are still finding ways to beat themselves. Against Philadelphia, they made careless mistakes, mismanaged the puck and had poor defensive zone coverage. They held the lead three different times in that game, but kept allowing the Flyers to hang around.

All season, the Penguins have either played very well or very badly in games. Their biggest struggle is still consistency. They have done a better job this season at putting together full 60-minute efforts, but they are still not able to do it on a regular basis.

Special teams play a key role in the postseason, and hopefully when Crosby returns the Penguins will be able to get their power play back on track. The team has proven that they know what it takes to win, and that they are capable of doing that. The question is, can they stop sabotaging themselves?