Much has been made of our Penguins depth issues this season, particularly up front. The third line has been hampered by a declining 38-year-old Jeff Carter and inconsistent if not downright nonexistent performances by the wingers. A reasonably effective fourth line evaporated in the wake of bookend injuries to Josh Archibald and Ryan Poehling.
The net result? (Pun intended.) Our top two lines have been forced to haul the freight on a nightly basis. Top heavy hockey teams generally don’t go very far. Indeed, one only needs to look at our past three Stanley Cup winners to appreciate the value of forward depth.