Four games in, folks, and let me tell you—the Penguins’ bottom six are a dumpster fire. While the top six are out there looking like rockstars with 13 goals and 14 assists, the bottom six have cobbled together one measly assist. One! Don’t talk to me about small sample sizes; this is a disgrace.
Now, about that 6-3 fiasco against the Red Wings. A game we should’ve had in the bag, mind you. A game I thought Crosby would show up big in. Our bottom six? They might as well have been playing in their pajamas. No goals, no assists, and a defensive effort that’s laughable. They were on the ice, but you wouldn’t know it unless you tripped over them.
This isn’t just a one-game blunder; it’s a four-game facepalm. These guys are a liability, plain and simple. Their collective plus/minus is in the red. So not only are they not scoring, they’re practically rolling out the red carpet for the other team.
Let’s talk culprits. Jansen Harkins just got the boot, waived by the Penguins. His stats? A whole lot of zeros and a -1 plus/minus. Even threw in a couple of penalties for good measure. Jeff Carter? The guy’s had more than his fair share of chances and has come up empty. Time to cut the cord. And let’s not forget Matthew Nieto, who’s basically Harkins’ stats twin, but with double the penalty minutes.
Look, the season’s young, but the alarm bells are deafening. If this bottom six doesn’t get their act together, we’re in for a long, painful ride. What’s the game plan, Kyle Dubas? Shuffling lines is the easy fix, but we might need to start thinking trades, call-ups, or even some free-agent shopping.
Time’s ticking, and something’s gotta give. We’ve got enough teams in the “struggle bus” lane in this town; the last thing we need is for the Pens to hop on board.
All stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference