I’ve been so good this year — when will my gently used Evgeni arrive from shipping? Hopefully he’s ready to go against Chicago.

Chicago is rebuilding in real time. The roster is young, fast, and capable of flashes of excitement, but still still learning. Their game is built around opportunistic offense.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is in a very different place — a gray place. Are we rebuilding, or is this lipstick-on-a-pig time? The Penguins are re-calibrating… searching for an identity… collecting paychecks… working on it.

“Pittsburgh. Working on It“

Get your shirts at Gate 35 and 50.

Our expectations of the Penguins has declined. Still, everything can be rescued with a good win streak. This is also a game where leadership matters. Sidney Crosby doesn’t need a highlight-reel night — he just needs to set the tone. Maybe slap a couple teammates if necessary.

The Penguins need to force Chicago to defend longer than they want to. It’s Pittsburgh’s job to limit second chances and clear rebounds. If the Penguins keep the slot clean, they should like their chances. Two points here matter not because of who the opponent is, but because of where the Penguins are trying to go.

It is not hopeless — just fragile. The structure is mostly intact. The leadership is fluctuating and the execution hasn’t matched the urgency. We’re not dead yet.

Lets Go Penguins