The Pittsburgh Penguins seemed to have hit the pause button on their glorious NHL run for the past few seasons. Between 2007 and 2022, the Penguins made the playoffs 16 consecutive times, as if it were no big deal. It also won two consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. However, the franchise has struggled to leave its mark lately, having failed to win a postseason series since 2018.
Could Pittsburgh Penguins Land the First Overall Pick in 2026?
The roster isn’t lacking talent either. With players like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby, there’s plenty of star power to propel Pittsburgh back to glory. Yet the team falls short every time. The Penguins finished second-to-last with 80 points in the Metropolitan Division in the 2024-25 season.
Following such a poor showing, an analyst has predicted that the 2025-26 campaign won’t be any better for Pittsburgh.
Jason Gregor of the “Jason Gregor Show” on Sports 1440 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has predicted that the Penguins will become a lottery team in 2026. Gregor points out that almost every 21 years, Pittsburgh gets the first overall pick in the NHL draft.
In 1984, the Penguins made history by drafting Mario Lemieux first overall, then repeated the feat 21 years later when they drafted Crosby first overall in 2005. Gregor speculates this could be a pattern, and the Penguins could draft the expected first pick, Gavin McKenna, in 2026.
Penguins…
1984 Mario Lemieux 1st overall.
21 years later…
2005 Sidney Crosby 1st overall.
21 years later…
2026 Gavin McKenna 1st overall??
Could happen. Penguins look like they will be a lottery team.— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) July 8, 2025
Gregor believes the Penguins are headed for lottery territory. The analyst notes that it doesn’t matter whether Crosby is traded elsewhere or continues his journey in Pittsburgh. The Penguins appear to be a lottery team, regardless.
This puts into perspective how Crosby’s exceptional hockey skills are no longer enough to pull the team out of its slump.
The 37-year-old center has accumulated 1,687 points over 1,352 regular-season games and 201 points in 180 postseason games. Yet the team’s absence from the playoffs over the past few years raises serious concerns about the franchise’s direction.
What Does Recent NHL Draft History Tell Us About Landing Top Picks?
However, a team doesn’t necessarily have to be the worst in the league to land the No. 1 pick. The New York Islanders finished third in the Metropolitan Division in 2023-24 and sixth in 2024-25.
In both seasons, there were teams worse off than the Islanders, but the New York outfit secured the first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, at the 2025 NHL Draft.
Similarly, the Dallas Mavericks finished 10th in the NBA’s Western Conference in the 2024-25 season but still had the last laugh when they drafted Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in this year’s NBA draft.
It remains to be seen how the 2025-26 season turns out for Pittsburgh. Before that, the team’s management has important decisions to make. Rumors are swirling that the team is poised to trade at least one of its veteran right-wingers. The choice is between Rust and Rakell.
However, there are concerns about this decision because both are reliable point scorers who work well alongside Crosby. “Dealing away Rakell and/or Rust also diminishes the quality of players Crosby shares lines with at the back end of his career.”
Whether Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas decides to retain Rust and Rakell or trade them in return for younger NHL talent could significantly affect the 2025-26 season.
The 21 year hat trick for Gavin McKenna! Nice short trip from Happy Valley to the Burg!
Pens won 3 cups between 07-22 not 2