The Pittsburgh Penguins are teetering on the verge of an early elimination after being flattened by the Philadelphia Flyers for the third consecutive time in the first round of the playoffs. Sidney Crosby has built his reputation, among other things, on dominating the Flyers. But he has not quite been himself in this showdown against Philadelphia, prompting a former blueliner to dissect his series so far.
Jordan Schmaltz Weighs in On Sidney Crosby’s Disappointing Playoff Comeback
The Penguins have an impossible-sounding task at hand: they absolutely must win the next game against the Flyers to keep their postseason hopes alive. However, from how the first three games have transpired, Pittsburgh appears powerless to make things right.
Moreover, Crosby, who is known for his leadership skills on and off the ice, has been slapped with three penalties so far, with one of them being for embellishment.
Former blueliner Jordan Schamltz does not buy the theory that Crosby is slowing down due to his age, maintaining that before the devastating MCL tear that he sustained during the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the 38-year-old was skating at an elite level. However, Crosby appeared to be struggling with the same knee during the Penguins’ latest 5-2 loss against the Flyers.
“I’m not buying the whole people are saying he may be a little bit old at this point. Like the regular season before that injury, before he had the grade-3 MCL, he was skating at an elite level. Last night he seems like he’s just so hesitant on that leg and that knee,” Schmaltz reflected, appearing on Morning Cuppa Hockey.
While it could very well be that Crosby’s injury got worse in the meantime, and that has taken a toll on his performance, it is not just the captain who has missed the mark by far this playoff series. The Penguins, overall, are far from the team that once won the Stanley Cup. To get back in contention, the team must look beyond Crosby.
Crosby played a big role in the Penguins’ previous Stanley Cup pursuits. But at 38, the franchise needs to recalibrate its expectations. Despite Schmaltz’s insistence that his age could hardly be a factor, Pens insider Josh Yohe has pointed out that the captain cannot be expected to play as he did in his 20s at 38. Neither Mario Lemieux nor Wayne Gretzky could accomplish that feat during their illustrious careers.
“While he’s [Sidney Crosby] certainly in better condition and operating at a higher level at 38 than Lemieux or Gretzky did, he can no longer take over a game at this age. As time goes on, he’ll need some help,” Josh Yohe wrote for The Athletic.
The Penguins’ rebuild has come a long way, paving the way for the team to return to the playoffs after a drought, but they are still not Stanley Cup contenders.
Pittsburgh does not appear nearly as driven and motivated to win games as Philadelphia does. Moreover, the Penguins stopped winning games as soon as they clinched the playoff berth; the franchise is guilty of carrying a losing streak into the postseason.
As true as it might be that the Penguins have far exceeded expectations by making the playoffs, there is little hope for a different Game 4 outcome, though Crosby could put on his cape at a moment’s notice and rescue his beloved franchise.
