Penguins face uncomfortable reason top players no longer want to play in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Penguins once had little trouble convincing established players to join them. Playing beside Sidney Crosby and competing for the Stanley Cup was a fairly persuasive sales pitch.

That advantage has disappeared.

During a recent mailbag for Pittsburgh Hockey Now, the question was asked to Penguins reporter Dan Kingerski whether the Penguins were still viewed as a desirable destination for prominent trade targets and free agents.

Kingerski did not attempt to soften his answer.

“Nor are the Penguins a Stanley Cup contender. They’re rebuilding,” Kingerski wrote.

That is the uncomfortable truth facing Pittsburgh. The city has not changed. Neither has the organization’s history or the support surrounding the team. The Penguins simply cannot offer top players what they typically want most: a realistic chance to win immediately.

Pittsburgh’s old recruiting pitch has expired

For years, the Penguins could sell potential additions on joining Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh won three Stanley Cups between 2009 and 2017 and remained a fixture in the postseason long after its final championship.

Players knew exactly what they were joining. Pittsburgh offered meaningful hockey, a respected core and the possibility of another deep playoff run.

The current version of the Penguins offers considerably less certainty.

Crosby remains productive, but he can no longer disguise the organization’s larger direction. Pittsburgh is rebuilding around younger players and prospects, even if management prefers not to slap a giant neon “rebuild” sign on the front of the arena.

Veterans with control over their destinations can see the standings. Their agents presumably have access to them as well.

Kingerski pointed to Dylan Larkin not including Pittsburgh among his preferred destinations as evidence of the franchise’s changing reputation. That decision was not necessarily a criticism of the city, its fans or the organization. It was a reminder that accomplished players are more likely to choose teams already positioned to contend.

Kyle Dubas cannot trade his way around reality

General manager Kyle Dubas has remained relatively quiet this summer, but that does not mean he has stopped working.

Earlier in the same mailbag, a reader asked whether the Penguins were waiting until training camp to evaluate their roster. Kingerski answered that Pittsburgh was not standing still by choice. Other teams have shown little interest in what the Penguins are offering at their preferred prices, while the cost of available talent has exceeded what Dubas can reasonably surrender.

That leaves Pittsburgh in an awkward position.

The Penguins need more young talent before they can return to contention, but their current status makes attracting established players difficult. Trading premium draft capital for a temporary improvement would only slow the rebuild. Doing nothing, however, does not provide much excitement for Crosby or a fan base watching the remaining years of his career disappear.

There is no clever transaction capable of fixing all of that overnight.

Penguins must earn back their reputation

Pittsburgh will not become a preferred destination again because of its championships, facilities or familiar stars. The next generation of Penguins must prove the organization is moving toward something.

Prospects such as Bill Zonnon, Will Horcoff and Liam Ruck offer hope, but hope is not the same thing as an NHL roster ready to compete.

Once Pittsburgh’s young players begin producing and the Penguins show undeniable progress, veterans may place them back on their preferred lists. Until then, Dubas is selling a vision instead of a contender.

That is a much tougher pitch, even when Crosby is still waiting at the other end of it.