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Things aren't really going well for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Pennsylvania-based team has won only five of its first 16 games of the season: we knew it might be tougher in '26–'27, but maybe not quite this bad.
Josh Yohe, who covers the team for The Athletic, summed it up well in a tweet:
Right now, the Penguins:
• Are old
• Slow
• Small
• Their older players are starting to look old
• Their younger players don't look NHL-ready
• They play an insanely stupid brand of hockey
• They're easy to play against
Other than that, all is well.— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) November 6, 2026
The Penguins are old, slow, small… And at some point, the team's veterans can't do it all on their own either.
Especially given that players like Crosby and Malkin aren't getting any younger. So what will the Penguins do with their veterans? Can we expect to see one of them traded before the trade deadline on March 1?
According to Yohe, Malkin doesn't want to leave the Penguins. He still loves the organization and isn't ready to retire either.
On that front, it's pretty clear.
Josh Yohe: People I spoke to within the organization believe that, like last season, Evgeni Malkin doesn't want this to be his last season in Pittsburgh. He still has a passion for the sport and for the organization – The Athletic (11/5)
— NHL Rumor Report (@NHLRumorReport) November 6, 2026
But when we think about the Penguins' situation, we can't overlook Sidney Crosby's. “The Kid” is having the worst start to a season of his career (10 points in 16 games) and no longer looks like the dominant player we've seen in recent years.
At 39, it's normal to see him slowing down on the ice.
But the question keeps coming up: Will he finish his career in Pittsburgh with an organization that's heading for the rocks? According to Josh Yohe, people within the Penguins don't think this is his final season in the NHL.
It remains to be seen whether that will happen in Pittsburgh or elsewhere…
Josh Yohe – The Athletic – Crosby | The Penguins still view Crosby as a top-tier NHL player. Dubas won't play hardball with Crosby and his agent, Pat Brisson. It all comes down to how much longer Crosby wants to play. No one I've spoken with in the organization thinks Crosby will retire after this season. I don't believe he will, either, and I don't think he wants to play anywhere else. We have to take him at his word. However, Crosby's tone shifted from May to September. He now sounds like an athlete who is at least confronting the reality that the end might not be too far off. – 11/5 #LetsGoPens #NHL
— R i N K Y (@RinkyReport) November 6, 2026
In a Nutshell
– Hehe.
Nick Suzuki with a little stick tap to Dmitry Simashev's legs after he apparently got “tripped” last night 😅 https://t.co/PYnEa5RA8k
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 6, 2026
– I like the technique.
A header to keep the puck in the zone on the power play 😅
#WomensWorlds https://t.co/DcVgJTGq77
— BarDown (@BarDown) November 6, 2026
– Is this going to happen?
It would work out for both of them. https://t.co/0pEcoFMkEn https://t.co/4usr2p2LRX
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) November 6, 2026
– It'll be good for the Rams.
Highly anticipated reinforcements in Los Angeles 👇
https://t.co/LgjXvNSixo— TVA Sports (@TVASports) November 6, 2026