Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Pittsburgh Penguins ended a three-season playoff drought on Thursday by clinching a spot in the 2026 postseason after beating the New Jersey Devils, 5-2.
Here’s a look at the NHL standings now that the Penguins have secured one of the Eastern Conference’s remaining spots.
(x- clinched, e- eliminated)
After three seasons of missing the playoffs due to depth issues around their aging core, the Penguins made a few key changes this season.
That included adding first-year head coach Dan Muse behind the bench while general manager Kyle Dubas drafted Ben Kindel and brought in low-cost free agents like goaltender Arturs Silovs and forwards Justin Brazeau, Parker Wotherspoon and Anthony Mantha.
Kindel has since developed into one of the best rookies in the NHL, while Mantha went on to record the first 30-goal season of his career in Pittsburgh.
Mantha is not the only player who enjoyed a career year in Pittsburgh after struggling with their former team. Egor Chinakhov, acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in December, recorded 20 goals for the first time after spending time on both Malkin and Crosby’s lines.
Elmer Söderblom, a deadline acquisition from the Detroit Red Wings, added size and goalscoring to the bottom six line after an injury to key fourth-liner Blake Lizotte.
Stuart Skinner has meanwhile formed the team’s new goaltending tandem with Silovs since he was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the trade for performer Pens netminder Tristan Jarry.
That new depth, in addition to a resurgent season from former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, was enough to carry the Penguins into a playoff spot despite playing stretches this spring without either Crosby or Malkin.
With Crosby and Malkin both back in the lineup, the Penguins will hope this team is deep enough to get them past the first round for the first time since 2018.
The biggest question for Pittsburgh this spring might be the team’s goaltending. Pittsburgh has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL this season, but their tandem of Silovs and Skinner has at times struggled down the stretch.
Skinner is coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances with the Oilers. The Penguins will hope that experience can help backstop this team as they approach their first postseason run in four years.
This content was brought to you by: Bleacher Report – Front Page
