One of the major storylines in Pittsburgh from last off-season was Kyle Dubas revamping the Penguins’ bottom-six forward group. These 5v5 splits that we wrote about last April were one major area that doomed the team in 2022-23 and was a significant reason to point to Ron Hextall’s shortcomings as a roster builder. Here’s the unrefreshing reminder of last year’s results in that area.
With both Crosby+Malkin: 1 goal for, 0 goals against (+1)
Crosby: 67 goals for, 51 goals against (+16)
Malkin: 53 goals for, 50 goals against (+3)
When neither Crosby or Malkin on ice: 47 goals for, 71 goals against (-24)
For a further look at what a healthy balance for Pittsburgh looks like, the 2020-21 team serves as a great example.