Ahead of their game against the Kings on Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally paid tribute to a legend by retiring Jaromir Jagr’s No. 68—a significant honor, as it’s only the third number the franchise has raised to the rafters in its fifty-year history.
However, the current Penguins, despite warming up alongside Jagr while many donned bushy mullet wigs, offered what could be seen as a contrasting performance to honor the NHL’s fourth all-time leading goal scorer, managing to score just once in a lackluster 60 minutes of play.
Initially, Sidney Crosby’s first-period one-timer seemed promising enough to secure a win. However, an equalizer from Adrian Kempe swiftly arrived through Tristan Jarry’s five-hole with six minutes left in the third period.
Shortly after, despite being on the penalty kill, Kempe capitalized on a turnover, deceiving Jarry with his eyes during a two-on-one to score again. The atmosphere in the arena became so subdued that one could almost imagine hearing Jagr’s phone vibrate in his suite.
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2-1 loss against the Kings was emblematic of their performance throughout this season. While their goaltending has been solid, ranking among the top five in the league by save percentage, and their defense has done a commendable job protecting their goalies,
the team finds itself in 11th place in the conference due to offensive struggles. Their offense has faltered, particularly in one-goal games, resulting in the league’s worst points percentage in such situations. This issue has been exacerbated over the past month, especially with the absence of second-leading scorer Jake Guentzel due to injury.
With a record of just 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, and victories against weaker opponents like Chicago and Montreal, the Penguins are facing challenges in maintaining their competitiveness.
The core of the problem lies beyond their top players. While Sidney Crosby is on pace for his highest goal-scoring season since their last Stanley Cup victory, the production drops off significantly after him. Third-leading scorer Evgeni Malkin has only managed 16 goals,
and Erik Karlsson, who achieved over 100 points with the San Jose Sharks last season, has tallied just 38 so far. Despite decent underlying statistics for their top-tier players, particularly in terms of scoring chances, they are struggling to convert, especially on the power play.
However, the Penguins face even greater issues with their bottom six forwards, who have contributed very little to the team’s offensive output. These players, who are typically deployed away from the top lines centered around Crosby and Malkin, have collectively scored only 16 goals this season. This lack of secondary scoring is a significant factor in the team’s one-goal losses.
While some franchises might view a challenging season like this as an opportunity for rebuilding and rejuvenation, for the Penguins, it represents a crisis. With the team on the brink of missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year, urgency is high.
Many key contributors are in their mid-to-late 30s and are locked into long-term contracts, leaving little room for roster adjustments. This season was supposed to be a final push for relevance before age caught up with the team, making their current struggles even more concerning.
Jaromir Jagr’s jersey retirement ceremony was significant not only to honor his contributions but also as a symbolic reconciliation. After a stellar decade with the Penguins, Jagr faced criticism from his former fans when he played for the Philadelphia Flyers.
The retirement of his number marks a closing of a somewhat uncomfortable chapter in Penguins history, yet it coincides with a challenging period for the team’s current stars. Without a resurgence in scoring soon, the Penguins risk becoming mere memories of their illustrious past.
