As they ready for a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a fairly unfamiliar position: on the outside of the playoff picture.
Granted, they’re not that far outside of the East’s top eight, but it’s a far cry from the sort of work one usually expects from the Penguins.
It seems like it’s leaving Sidney Crosby with a fish-out-of-water feeling, as NHL.com reports.
“It’s maybe a little weird to think that, at the halfway point, you’re fighting for your playoff life,” Crosby said. “But that’s the situation for a lot of teams. Finding that desperation and understanding is important, and hopefully something that’s going to help us here.”
On the bright side, the Penguins have been looking much better lately. They’re 5-2-2 in their last seven games and seem to be showing an offensive burst they often lacked under Mike Johnston.
That seems especially true for Crosby, who looks more and more like ... well, Sidney Crosby.
Overall, this isn’t exactly a hopeless situation for the Penguins, yet it’s probably an unusual feeling to face so much uncertainty.
Maybe it will turn out to be a blessing in disguise in the long run?