As each NHL team rests up this Olympic break, a mere two months of regular-season hockey remains.
Accordingly, teams’ places in the standings have begun to solidify across the league. The Pittsburgh Penguins have cemented themselves firmly within contention — shining as the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division.
However, questions still surround them, and reasonably so. The Pens haven’t made a playoff appearance since their 16-year playoff appearance streak ended in 2023, and their star players in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are only getting older.
This season has been shaky for the Penguins. They started off hot but found themselves slumping in December, when they lost eight straight games. Before the break, they began to ramp it back up, going on a six-game win streak to end January.
Still, the question remains: are the Pittsburgh Penguins true Stanley Cup contenders? I argue yes.
The Pens’ age is frequently highlighted when their Cup chances are questioned. At an average age of 29.88, they stand as the third-oldest team in the league, behind only the Winnipeg Jets and Los Angeles Kings — two struggling teams.
However, the addition of the young Ben Kindel has given the team a new spark. The 18-year-old Canadian rookie forward has played in 53 out of 56 games this season, tallying 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points.
He suffered a 19-game goal drought in December and January as the Pens struggled, but re-emerged with a two-goal showing on Jan. 25 against his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks.
Kindel has established chemistry with his linemates Justin Brazeau and Connor Dewar, other relatively-recent additions to Pittsburgh’s squad. Brazeau and Dewar are 28 and 26 years old, respectively, and are currently having career years.
The Pens’ oldest players aren’t bringing the team down, either. 38-year-old Crosby and 39-year-old Malkin lead the club in points at 59 and 44, respectively, even though Malkin has only played 41 games this season due to spending a month on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Crosby currently heads Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, tallying two goals and four assists in his first four games. It’s safe to say Sid still has his spark.
A major point of uncertainty for the Pens has come from their goaltending situation.
They began the 2025-26 season with Tristan Jarry, who was returning from a stint in the AHL following bouts of injury and inconsistency. Arturs Silovs, an acquisition from the Vancouver Canucks, alternated starts with Jarry, hosting a shutout against the New York Rangers in the Pens’ home opener on Oct. 7.
On Dec. 12, the Penguins traded Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.
This trade was initially viewed as questionable by many, as Skinner suffered from inconsistency similarly to Jarry. Skinner’s struggles were highlighted in the Oilers’ loss to the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he allowed 44 goals, going 7-7 in 15 games with a 2.99 goals-against average. With the Penguins, Skinner has been better, recording an 8-4 record in 13 games with a 2.72 goals-against average.
The key is how the Pens perform in overtime contests — they are 4-0-12 in overtime games this season. If they can start to score game-winners beyond regulation, they’ll be able to find their footing again.
The Pens’ seasonal struggles have hidden behind their 70 points. Their season has been characterized by ups and downs, but I truly believe they went into the Olympic break on a high note that they can uphold until the end of April.
With Crosby returning off an Olympic high, Kindel shining alongside his linemates and Skinner settling in, the Penguins can make an impressive playoff push for the first time in years.