The Pittsburgh Penguins missed the NHL playoffs for the third year in a row, and general manager Kyle Dubas didn’t hold back during his post-season press conference. He shared honest views about the team’s current situation, especially about star defenseman Erik Karlsson and the future of the team.
Erik Karlsson’s Role and Concerns
Erik Karlsson is one of the NHL’s most talented — and most talked-about — defensemen. After joining the Penguins with big expectations, he had a mixed season. While he showed flashes of brilliance, there were also stretches of inconsistency. Karlsson himself admitted that he didn’t enjoy the last 15 games of the season and said he doesn’t want to spend more years missing the playoffs.
As Karlsson approaches his 35th birthday, he made it clear: he wants to be in the playoffs, competing in high-stakes games. Kyle Dubas addressed this directly.
“His actions have to match his ambitions,” Dubas said. He pointed out that Karlsson had many good moments but needs to be more consistent if he wants to lead the team back into playoff contention.
Despite the ups and downs, Dubas still believes in Karlsson. He praised Karlsson’s performance during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, where the Swedish defenseman looked sharp, scoring a goal and recording three points in three games.
Rebuilding Without Starting Over
Many teams, after struggling for a few seasons, go for a full rebuild — trading away stars and collecting draft picks to start fresh. But Dubas doesn’t think that’s the right path for Pittsburgh.
In a bold comment, he said, “You can hope in one hand and s— in the other and see which one fills up first,” to show how relying only on luck in the draft isn’t a strategy.
Instead, Dubas wants to build around the Penguins’ current stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson. He compared their approach to that of the Washington Capitals, who recently became competitive again with the right mix of veterans and young talent.
The key difference, according to Dubas, is that Pittsburgh lacks players in the middle range — not stars, not rookies, but reliable young players who can make a big impact.
Young Players Could Step Up Soon
Dubas named a few prospects from the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who could earn spots in the NHL next season. Among defensemen, he mentioned Jack St. Ivany, Owen Pickering, and Harrison Brunicke.
He also highlighted forwards like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, who already played a few NHL games this year due to injuries. Another name to watch is Tristan Broz, who had 19 goals and 37 points in 59 AHL games. Dubas said they didn’t want to bring him up late in the season for games that didn’t mean much.
Future Draft Picks and Team Outlook
Looking ahead, the Penguins have a solid set of draft picks, including two first-rounders and several in the later rounds for the 2025 NHL Draft. They hope to use those wisely to strengthen their roster.
Though the last few seasons have been tough, fans remember that before their 16-year playoff streak, the Penguins also had a rough patch — and it led to them drafting Crosby, Malkin, Letang, and Fleury. With the right mix of experienced leaders and rising stars, Pittsburgh can aim for a bounce-back just like the Capitals did.
The Penguins are not planning a full rebuild, but they’re working hard to improve. With veterans like Crosby and Karlsson still in place, and with promising young players coming up, Pittsburgh has a chance to fight its way back into playoff contention.
But players like Erik Karlsson need to step up and deliver consistently if that’s going to happen. The next two seasons will be critical for the Penguins as they try to write the next successful chapter of their proud NHL history.
