The Pittsburgh Penguins have been on a rollercoaster this season that has had more downs than ups. They stumbled coming out of the gate, and their season looked like it was over before it even began. However, during the last month of 2024, they stacked up some impressive wins and it started to look like they might have a shot at making the postseason. Since the start of 2025, the Penguins have been on shaky ground, losing seven of their last nine games. What has been going wrong and can they fix it?
Penguins’ Penalty Kill
Last season, the Penguins had one of the worst power plays in the league. They have greatly improved in that area this season, as their power play currently ranks sixth in the NHL. However, their penalty kill has been a different story. They are currently ranked 14th with a penalty-kill percentage of 79.1.
So far this month, Pittsburgh’s penalty kill has been way too passive. They are at their best when they are being aggressive and getting in the shooting lanes to block shots, which is not how they have been playing lately. The unit has lacked movement and therefore has made zone entries for the opposition way too easy. They have to get back to clogging up the lanes and staying alert.
The Penguins’ recent struggles on the penalty kill are a bit confusing. For most of this season, they have done well when short-handed. Through mid-November and all of December, they had an 80.7% penalty-kill rate. The team has tried out some new faces on the penalty kill, including Cody Glass, who did not have much short-handed experience before coming to Pittsburgh, and rookie defenseman Owen Pickering. Since returning from the holiday break, they have looked extremely out of sync and they have to find a way to get on the same page.
Penguins’ Goaltending
Pittsburgh’s goaltending issues have been the story of their season. On Jan. 15, they placed starting goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers. Jarry has a .886 save percentage (SV%) with a record of 8-8-4 in 22 games this season. He cleared waivers and was sent down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins where he will remain for the foreseeable future.
Related: Penguins Place Goaltender Tristan Jarry on Waivers
Pittsburgh will now turn to backup goalie Alex Nedeljkovic and third-stringer Joel Blomqvist, who was recently called up from Wilkes-Barre. Blomqvist is no stranger to the NHL, as he spent eight games at the start of the season with the Penguins. In 12 games with Wilkes-Barre this season, he is 6-4-2 with a .912 SV%.
Nedeljkovic has played in 20 games this season and has a .890 SV%. Against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 17, his most recent game, he became the first NHL goalie to record a goal and an assist in the same game after scoring an empty-net goal late in the third period. He also made 40 saves in the Penguins 5-2 victory over Buffalo. Pittsburgh is still in the hunt for a wild card spot, and they are hoping their new goalie duo can help them claim it.
Consistency Will Be Key
Inconsistent is a word that can easily be used to describe the Penguins’ season so far. They currently sit four points out of a wild card spot, and the only thing holding them back is themselves. They have proven that they have what it takes to win games, but they still lack consistency. With three months left in the regular season, they have to find a way to start racking up the wins or they will miss the playoffs for the third straight season.
