Penguins miss playoffs, goaltending, lack of depth among reasons

The Pittsburgh Penguins failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season, their longest drought since four straight from 2002 to 2006.

The Penguins (31-35-12) were eliminated from contention when they lost 3-1 at the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Pittsburgh made the playoffs in 16 straight seasons from 2007 to 2022, then the longest active streak in the NHL, and won the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017. It hasn't won a postseason series since 2018, losing in the opening round four straight years.

Here's a look at what happened in the 2024-25 season for the Penguins and why things could be better next season.

The skinny

Potential unrestricted free agents: Matt Nieto, F; Joona Koppanen, F; Bokondji Imama, F; Matt Grzelcyk, D

Potential restricted free agents: Emil Bemstrom, F; Philip Tomasino, F; Connor Dewar, F; Vasily Ponomarev, F; P.O Joseph, D; Conor Timmins, D

Potential 2025 Draft picks: 11

What went wrong

Goaltending: Tristan Jarry, expected to be the primary starter, was 8-8-4 with a 3.31 goals-against average and .884 save percentage through Jan. 14, when he began a second stint at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the American Hockey League. He regained some form following his second recall March 3, but is 14-11-6 with a 3.26 GAA and .888 save percentage. Alex Nedeljkovic, meant to be the backup, and Joel Blomqvist, a 23-year-old prospect now in the AHL, haven't fared better. Nedeljkovic is 13-15-5 with a 3.16 GAA and .894 save percentage; Blomqvist was 4-9-1 with a 3.81 GAA and .885 save percentage in his first NHL season.

Leaks elsewhere: The Penguins have allowed 3.58 goals per game, the second most in the NHL ahead of the San Jose Sharks (3.75), and the goalies weren't always at fault. Marcus Pettersson was the most reliable defenseman but was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 1. The defense pairs have been routinely tweaked since, including trying Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson on the left, their respective off side, to find a match with Timmins, who was acquired in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 7. Nothing seemed to gel.

Lack of depth: Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, making up the first line for most of the season, have scored 92 of Pittsburgh's 227 goals (41 percent). Rakell leads with 34, ahead of Crosby (30) and Rust (28). The Penguins have become overly reliant on their top forwards in recent seasons, which became more concerning. Second-line center Evgeni Malkin, at age 38, has 15 goals in 64 games, his lowest in a season with at least 44 games played.

Reason for optimism

Crosby doesn't stop: At 37 years old, Crosby has yet to show his age. He leads the Penguins with 86 points (30 goals, 56 assists), clinching a 20th season averaging at least a point per game to pass Wayne Gretzky (19) for most in NHL history. Crosby had 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) on a 12-game point streak that ended Sunday. The Penguins' captain has scored at least 30 goals in each of the past four seasons and is close to a third straight with at least 90 points. Pittsburgh will likely have him for at least two more seasons after he signed a two-year, $17.4 million contract ($8.7 million average annual value) Sept. 16, running through 2026-27.

Youth movement: Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, two rookie forwards, were recalled from the AHL on March 28. McGroarty was immediately placed at left wing on the first line and has three points (one goal, two assists) in his first seven games. Koivunen, who leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists), is on the second line. Sergei Murashov, a 20-year-old goalie, is 11-2-0 with a 2.66 GAA and .914 save percentage in his first AHL season. Those three headline a crop of prospects who could soon become noticeable with Pittsburgh. It's also likely to expand. The Penguins have 30 picks in the next three drafts, including four in the first round and 18 in the first three.

Mike Sullivan: There has been no indication the Penguins are dissatisfied with Sullivan as their coach despite a lack of recent success. He won the Stanley Cup in each of his first two seasons after getting hired Dec. 12, 2015, and has the most wins (406) and games coached (749) in team history. Sullivan provides consistency, the kind Crosby, Malkin and Letang value, and could help bridge the gap between the past championships and the future runs Pittsburgh hopes to develop.