You have to start to wonder if Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has this poor start to the season in his master plan. After a playoff appearance last year, many thought the team could catapult themselves back into the postseason with another strong start to the campaign. The opposite has happened, and it appears Dubas might be willing to witness a losing effort.
With a jumble of forwards on the roster, it's been tough for the younger players to enter the mix. Perhaps Dubas wants these players to play and potentially sell off some pieces between now and the NHL trade deadline to get assets, and more importantly, open spots for younger players. That all being said, if that wasn't Dubas' plan for this year, then he has miscalculated some moves.
When it comes down to it, there are a handful of veteran players who shouldn't be in the lineup.
All three of Andrei Kuzmenko, Declan Carlile, and Justin Brazeau should not be hitting the ice on a routine basis. There are other options for the Penguins who would present a better chance for the team to succeed without those three in front of them. Keeping them in the mix could prolong the early season struggles to the point of no return.
Pittsburgh Penguins could help save their season by benching Carlile, Kuzmenko, and Brazeau
Let's start with Andrei Kuzmenko, who many were banking on being the replacement for Anthony Mantha. After tragedy struck him before the season even began, things have only gotten worse with his performance. His fit with the Penguins remains a question mark. Kuzmenko has appeared in 11 games and only has one assist. Pittsburgh signing him in free agency has turned out to be a bust.
Perhaps the biggest failure during the early part of the season has been Declan Carlile. The Penguins were hoping he'd emerge as a solid top pairing defensive defenseman, but that hasn't happened. He has given up terrible chances in pivotal moments during recent games.
Carlile is unplayable right now, and Pittsburgh would be better off either sitting him for a while or moving on from him completely.
He just got back from injury, but Justin Brazeau doesn't make sense on this roster. He had a terrific start to last season, but he's fallen out of favor since. Pittsburgh doesn't seem to know what to do with him, and that problem has only inflated since he's returned from injury. All the veteran winger is doing is logging minutes and taking away a spot in the lineup that should be for a younger skater.
It all comes down to what the Penguins truly want to accomplish this season. If they are trying to lose a lot of games this year, then that plan is going well. If they are truly trying to compete and win, then they are in a world of hurt. Having this logjam of players is just frustrating to look at. Pittsburgh should not anticipate their hockey club winning many games if they don't make significant changes.
Add us as a preferred source on Google