It feels like the Pittsburgh Penguins deserved a much better fate than their 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
But fate wasn’t on their side, and neither is time.
In their final game before the NHL trade deadline at 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Mar. 7, the Penguins showed a lot of heart – as well as got some solid goaltending from Alex Nedeljkovic – and took a 1-1 tie late into regulation. During the second period, Artturi Lehkonen scored for the Avs, while Rickard Rakell potted his 29th goal of the season for the Penguins late in the period on a gorgeous tic-tac-toe play with Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby.
Then, with just five minutes and 37 seconds left in the third period, Anthony Beauvillier took the Penguins’ first penalty of the game, which was a trip. Casey Mittelstadt capitalized on the ensuing power play, and Lehkonen and Jack Drury added empty-net tallies to lead Colorado to the 4-1 victory.
Truth be told, the Penguins were the better team for most of regulation. But – as many such games have unfolded during their disappointing 2024-25 season – it simply wasn’t enough to get it across the finish line.
“[We did] a lot of good things,” Crosby said. “Generated some good chances, didn’t give up a ton. Ned was really good. It’s one of those games that you hope you find a way to win it because we did a lot of good things. Unfortunately, we didn’t, and it’s been kind of going that way since the break, where we’ve put some really good games together and feel like we deserve better.
“But you don’t get participation points. You’ve got to find a way to win games.”
The notes and observations will be a bit different this time around. With the trade deadline just around the corner – and this being the final game beforehand – this roster is going to look quite a bit different when it takes the ice against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.
So, I’m going to assess the game – and season as a whole – for each player who has a chance of wearing a different uniform come Friday or sooner:
– Matt Grzelcyk: Grzelcyk’s defensive deficiencies have been no secret this season – and he had two giveaways on Tuesday as well – but I this game was still a good example of the kind of value he can bring to a contending team.
Although undersized, he is an excellent puck-mover. He keeps things flowing on the power play, even though there weren’t too many looks during Tuesday’s game (just two). He is pretty good in transition as well.
With sheltered minutes on a third pairing alongside a more shutdown-type defenseman – and in a power play role – he has some offensive value for a team in need of a cheap boost from their blue line. He has found his offensive game in Pittsburgh, even if his defense leaves a lot to be desired.
– Anthony Beauvillier: I’ve really liked Beauvillier’s game this season, and if the Penguins weren’t rebuilding/retooling, he’s someone I’d consider keeping around.
But the Penguins are retooling/rebuilding, so there’s no sense in extending him. His 13 goals are already eight more than he had last season, when he was traded twice. His 12 even-strength goals are less than only the top line of Crosby, Rust, and Rakell.
He has moved up and down the Penguins’ lineup this season, and he had a very solid showing alongside Evgeni Malkin and Philip Tomasino against the Avalanche, finishing with a team-high five shots on goal – including a breakaway attempt that almost snuck through Scott Wedgewood’s five-hole.
His forechecking, flashes of skill, and puck pursuit game will be missed if dealt. He has really found his game again in Pittsburgh.
– Alex Nedeljkovic: After enduring a few rough outings in a row, Nedeljkovic was very good in this one. He allowed two goals on 25 shots against, and he made some big saves in big moments.
A lot of signs point to Nedeljkovic going nowhere, and he is really well-liked by his teammates. But the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate – is currently carrying three goaltenders, which is a bit unusual for this time of year.
If he is dealt, he will be missed in the locker room. His play has been more up than down over these last couple of months, and for the most part, he gave the Penguins more than a fair chance to take their season back before it got buried.
– Erik Karlsson: I wouldn’t count on Karlsson being gone at the deadline, but he had another questionable defensive game on Tuesday. He was credited with three turnovers, and his positioning on Mittelstadt’s power play goal wasn’t the greatest.
However, his offensive ability is hard to ignore. He’s far and away the best offensive blueliner on this team, and statistically, he’s still one of the best in the league, as he entered the Colorado game 11th in scoring among league defensemen.
It’s been a mixed bag for Karlsson, but the lack of his offensive presence would certainly be felt by the team. And they’d be a lot worse, which is a bad or a good thing depending on who you talk to.
– Noel Acciari: Acciari gets the job done in his role. He – once again – led the Penguins in blocked shots with three on Tuesday, and he also registered a hit, which he leads the team in this season with 138. His 76 blocked shots are third only to Karlsson and Grzelcyk.
It’s no surprise Acciari has garnered interest from teams. He has value as a fourth-liner on contending teams, especially for the playoffs. If he’s taken out of the mix, there’s no one else like Acciari on the Penguins roster. And I think that will be noticeable in defensive zone starts.
– Kevin Hayes: Hayes has seen an increased role since slotting back into the lineup after the turn of the New Year. He has been a regular on the Penguins’ top power play unit, and he’s been serviceable in a third-line center role.
I thought his line – which included Danton Heinen and Emil Bemstrom – generated some chances. Heinen missed on burying a few attempts. Hayes had seven attempts of his own.
Like Beauvillier, he has shown some value this season after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. If the Penguins are able to get any sort of return for Hayes, it’s a win, considering they received a second-round pick to take on his contract.
He isn’t the best skater, but he’s a high-IQ player. I’ve largely liked Hayes’ game this season.
– Blake Lizotte: Lizotte is a name that may be flying a bit under the radar in terms of trade value for the Penguins, as he has shown flashes of elevated offensive ability in a third-line role this season.
But even outside of that, he’s been a very good defensive forward for the Penguins, and – like Acciari – should be attractive to a contending team with his role and cap hit.
He doesn’t throw the body and block as many shots as Acciari does, but his defensive zone reads and penalty-killing prowess are legitimate, as is his speed. And there is definitely some untapped offensive potential to his game that the Penguins haven’t taken advantage of nearly enough.
He was good for the Penguins on Tuesday in some hard minutes. Manning those hard minutes is something he can continue to do for a playoff-bound team, too.
But, I wouldn’t expect both he and Acciari to be dealt. The Penguins still need some of these guys on their roster.
– Rickard Rakell: I have a lot of thoughts on trading Rakell that may not be the most popular. And Rakell does not want to leave Pittsburgh. But, at the end of the day, this is a business.
It has been reported that Dubas’s asking price for Rakell is very high, and it should be. He’s had a marvelous campaign for the Penguins, with his team-leading 29 goals and his 53 points, which are second only to Crosby.
But to say that this is best Rakell will ever be is, I feel, a bit disingenuous. When you look at Rakell’s history, this guy is on the verge of being a three-time 30-goal scorer. He scored 28 goals and registered 60 points in his first full season with the Penguins in 2022-23 before injuries and a slow start derailed his 2023-24 campaign.
When Rakell is healthy – and playing alongside an elite playmaker who can set him up – this is who he is. Rakell is a goal-scorer, and barring health, this is who he will be alongside someone like Crosby, who he has legitimate chemistry with.
While I would wait until summer for the cap increase to bring more teams into the fold and wage a bit of a bidding war, it’s perfectly understandable if POHO/GM Kyle Dubas pulls the trigger on a “can’t-refuse” offer for Rakell.
Nonetheless, he and the first line were fantastic again for the Penguins Tuesday, and his goal helped Crosby get one step closer to his record-breaking 20th consecutive point-per-game season. If he is wearing another uniform come Friday, he will be sorely missed – especially by 87.
– Sidney Crosby: Just kidding. He isn’t going anywhere. I’m looking at you, Colorado.
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