Passion for Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Penguins up and down 2023-24 season

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (Jan. 28, 2024)—After 16 straight seasons the Pittsburgh Penguins were unable to qualify for the 2022-23 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The longest streak of post-season play from a professional American sports top-five league team came to an abrupt conclusion.

It was a feat that may never be touched again. The illustrious run included three Stanley Cups and three players who stuck around for the ride in its entirety.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang became the longest-tenured trio to play together in the top-five professional sports leagues in America. For the three of them, 2022-23 was proclaimed as the potential last dance due to the increasing age of the three.

This proved to be incorrect as all three returned to continue their pursuit of a fourth Stanley Cup. 

Big changes would follow as many within the organization figured a final push with these three was imminent.

General Manager Ron Hextall would shortly be fired after just two seasons with the club.

Following the departure of Hextall, plenty of other firings and hirings were made up and down the organization, but none more important than the hiring of Kyle Dubas.

Dubas came in as the President of Hockey Operations but would soon be named as the new General Manager for the 2023-24 season. This gave Penguins fans far and wide something to be excited about.

Dubas was known for his flashy dealings with his formerly managed Toronto Maple Leafs. The summer of 2023 would prove no different as Dubas completely retooled the Penguins roster.

Dubas gave the Penguins a much more refined and youthful group to play around the big three.

Along with that, Dubas went on to sign the biggest fish in the pond as reigning Norris Trophy defenseman Erik Karlsson was set to join the Penguins after a monster trade.

Fast forward to the present, the 2024 all-star break. The Penguins currently sit five points outside a playoff spot with 35 games remaining in the season.

Plenty of drama and tension have been brewing within the media as it appears Dubas may be set for yet another blockbuster move prior to the trade deadline in March. 

Forward Jake Guentzel has been having yet another monster season for the club sitting second on the team in points with 49. However, the rumor mill suggests he may be on the move. 

With the halfway mark of the season past, the Penguins look for answers as the playoff push is more intense than ever.

Roster questions will be answered, players will battle, and the identity of the 2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins will shine bright all-in due time.

Don’t miss a moment here at Pens Pit Stop. 

About Alex

PITTSBURGH TIES

Growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, sports had an immediate impact on my life. The culture of this city strongly revolves around the performance of its sports teams, and I quickly became accustomed to that. Whether it was the Steelers losing a playoff game, the Pirates failing to make the playoffs or the Penguins losing in the cup final, sports made me feel all the emotions. 

Family and influence

I began playing sports at just five years old with soccer and hockey being the focus. The Penguins quickly became my favorite team due to my father Greg. Greg was a season ticket holder and showed me just how impactful sports in Pittsburgh are from a young age. Feeling like a part of something was such a strong emotion and what I enjoy most. Supporting a team or player is something a group of strangers can get behind and that is what makes sports so special. 

Education and experiences

Sports have remained a consistently important part of my life even after I stopped playing them. After deciding to attend Slippery Rock University in 2020 I had to find ways to keep that attachment to sports without actively participating in them. For me, it was through writing, photography, and podcasting. After taking my first two years to land on this goal I started brainstorming ideas on what I could do to set myself apart.  Being a Multimedia Journalism major would not be enough to lead me where I wanted to be so, in 2023 I joined our student-run newspaper The Rocket as the assistant sports editor. Along with The Rocket, a fellow student and I pioneered the first-ever sports podcast show here at Slippery Rock titled AW Sports. Finally, I applied for and received an internship with the University of Pittsburgh athletics where I got to write, do photography, take stats, and have many more incredible experiences. I found that these things gave me that adrenaline rush that playing sports did as a kid and since I re-established that connection I have not looked back.

Photo by Alex Hanczar. Pitt Men's soccer celebrating go-ahead goal against Duquesne University on 10/17. Goal scored by forward Guilherme Fetiosa.