Back when he was first acquired by the Penguins, Philip Tomasino got to start out on the wing right next to Evgeni Malkin and he flourished there. He was making sweet plays, scoring goals, helping Malkin find the back of the net and really helping drive play.
But that experiment did not last long and Tomasino has been in the bottom six for quite some time now and it is a real head scratcher. He is now making plays next to Kevin Hayes but recently in Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, he got another chance with Malkin and made it count. Tomasino received a sweet pass from the Russian center and went in alone on the backhand and beat Samuel Ersson.
There is not much more that Tomasino needs to prove in the bottom six, he needs to be playing with Evgeni Malkin again.
Malkin has been needing a young speedy winger that can score for quite some time
It is not a secret that Evgeni Malkin has been getting older as the years keep going on and he is not still young and in his prime do everything player that he used to be.
That is where Tomasino comes into play. Tomasino is that player that can really help Malkin drive play and get up the ice and create chances. When he was first acquired from the Nashville Predators, that was all he was doing.
And then for whatever reason Coach Sullivan decided to demote him and play him in the bottom six and fans of hockey wonder why Tomasino has not been producing much since then. He has not been playing with offensive driven players, and he can seriously help Malkin with that.
Tomasino needs to be promoted back to Malkin's wing for the rest of the season
It is evident. There needs to be a change in the lineup as soon as Saturday's matinee against the Boston Bruins. Penguins fans are seething to see Tomasino back with Malkin because it is just the perfect fit.
Now will Coach Sullivan think that? Probably not, he will probably still be in the bottom six come Saturday's game and Penguins fans will moan and groan that he should be with Malkin.
Fans deserve to see these two back playing together and driving offense and scoring goals and just being dynamic together like thehy were when Tomasino was first acquired.