Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins TAME THE KRAKEN in Seattle, how good is this team?

Episode Date: January 20, 2026

Connor Dewar helped power the Penguins to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday afternoon, and now they're making a move in the Metro! Patrick and Hunter begin the show recapping a very professional effort and victory on Monday in Seattle. Thanks to a two-goal performance from Connor Dewar, punching back against Seattle, and another quality start from Stuart Skinner, the Penguins have created some distance from those chasing them in the Metropolitan Division. (0:00) That leads us to a bigger conversation about how good this team actually is. We begin talking about the goaltending. After another good start by Skinner, has he passed Arturs Silovs as the 1A? Along with that, Rutger McGroarty has been sent to the AHL for conditioning, but does he have a spot in the lineup once he comes back? (13:05) Finally, what should Kyle Dubas do before the Olympics and at the trade deadline? The Penguins clearly look like a playoff team, but does this mean they should go shopping at the deadline? (23:39) Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/lockedon right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. So before tip-off, check the FanDuel app and see what’s dropping during NBA Happy Hour — every Friday from 6 to 7:30 PM Eastern. A little basketball, a little action, and a whole lot of Friday energy.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the Pacific Northwest, the Pittsburgh Penguins were powered to a victory by Connor Dewar. Yes, Connor Dewar. Hunter and I are going to recap the game against the Cracken and more right after this. Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello, and welcome back to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I am one of your hosts, Patrick Damp.

You can follow me across all social media platforms at Synonym 4WET. Joined, as always, by the one and only Hunter Hodes. You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. You can give our show's Twitter account a follow at L.O. underscore Penguins. You can find us on Instagram at Locked on underscore Penguins and TikTok at Locked on Penguins. Of course, as always, we appreciate. you making us part of your daily routine. Don't forget, we are free and available wherever you get your podcasts as well as YouTube. Plus, if you follow us on YouTube, which you should be,

make sure you've hit the notification button so you can be among the first to know when we drop our daily Monday through Friday episodes. A big victory for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday afternoon, 6 to 3 over the Seattle Cracken. And like I said, in the introduction. You got to be able to tell your kids, your grandkids, your nieces and nephews, where you were on January 19th for the Connor Dewar game. He gets two goals, a short-handed goal and an empty net goal,

and just genuinely played arguably one of his best games in a penguins uniform. And the penguins credit where it is due. I set it during the game, Hunter. The Seattle Cracken are the kind of team. that while they don't have any real true game-breaking talent, they've got some very good players, but you look at that roster, you don't see a ton of superstars, if any,

they're the kind of team that just grinds you down. They are persistent, they never back away, they keep pushing, and we saw that against the penguins. Into the penguins credit, they kept pushing back, and they were able to come out with a clean two points in what was a very, very solid. solid effort. Yeah, there were a few times in the second period where I felt like the defensive effort was a little bit lackluster where Seattle was kind of pushing them around a little bit.

But once Brett Kulak got his goal to really respond, Pat, after Seattle tied it, the tide for that game completely flipped. Like the Penguins were outplaying Seattle for most of that game when they had a lead. Seattle pushed back to tie it. Again, they were stringed together, some really nice shifts in the Penguins zone. And that's what I put out, the tweet, I'm like, hey, Seattle's not good offensively. We want, let's try to clean up a little bit defensively here. Once Brett Kulak gave them a three-two lead, they did exactly that. And the penguins got back to basics, and they skated in it, it felt like right off

the ring. The penguins were the better team. When you look at this overall 60-minute effort in this one, the five-on-five metrics were very much there that the penguins had 62% of the shot attempts, 56% of the high danger chances and 60% of the expected goals. they did a really nice job getting to the front of the net. But also there were some chances that went in in this game that weren't even high danger pat.

They were kind of low to medium danger that really weren't going in during the streak pat where the penguins were really struggling to score goals. So it was nice to get that type of game out there. Yeah, the penguins still had some good high danger opportunities, but they were also getting opportunities that were going in the net. Like Justin Brzo's goal, for example, that came from pretty far out. It's nice to see that type of shot go in, every once in a while.

He sees a really nice shot there from Brazil. Nicene Parker Waddospoon, what a canon from the point. I touched on Brett Kulak. Connor Dewar, say it with me, everyone. The straw that stirs the drink on that fourth line. And speaking of that fourth line, they once again had a really nice effort. I continue to love this line of Dewar, Achari, and Lazot.

They played just under eight minutes, five on five last night, Pat. And they were on the ice for 66% of the shot attempt, 72% of the expected goals, 66% of the scoring chances, of course, Dewar gets his breakaway short-handed, really nice job there, gets a goal later in the game for the empty net.

He has now matched his career high in goals. You know, that trade for some people was kind of thought as an afterthought, myself included. I remember when they made that trade, Pat, I was like, okay, they're bringing in this young fourth-liner who has had okay numbers in the past, but nothing special.

Now he's turned into quite the play, on the fourth line, a line that I don't know where it would be without Connor Dewar. Been a really nice piece of business from Kyle Dubus. But when I look at this overall performance, it was professional. I think that's the best way to describe it. Yeah, again, there were times in the second period where Seattle pushed back. I didn't like the way the penguins were defending, but they were able to get back to their game once they seize back the momentum, and they very much deserved to win this game.

The top line was good. Third line was very good. all lines obviously were great. And I thought all three defensive hearings were also good too. And Stuart Skinner, none of the goals that he gave up were bad at all. So all in all, really nice team win and a good way to start out

a pretty important four game swing here. Yeah, that's the biggest point is we talked about it on Monday that this is a very crucial road trip for the penguins with how much they're going to have to do after the Olympics and keeping themselves in the time. top three in the Metro is going to be extremely important because it really does look like that the Atlantic Division is going to get five spots. And the way you get into the playoffs as a Metro team is finishing in the top three.

So this is a really good, really good effort to keep that going because very briefly, before the Islanders got a win on Monday night, the Penguins slid up to second place in the metro, but they're back down to third, but they're still holding on to a top three spot which is very important. You brought up the fact that they were getting some puck luck, which I would agree with that, that sentiment. A lot of pucks were going in that shouldn't. I mean, Kulak and Watherspoon both go top shelf from the point.

So that's not something you see every day. I also, I agree to an extent that the defensive effort for a little bit in the second wasn't all that good. I also relate that back to. the fact that this is a Seattle team that just doesn't go away. They were going to push. They were going to play hard. They always do.

I liked the fact that this team responded. That has been not so much lately, but in spurts this season, a problem for this penguin's team. They get pushed after a good start and then they crumble. Now, for the last month, that has not been a thing. But when they went through that really rough stretch a few weeks ago,

or about a little over a month ago, I should say, that was the biggest problem. It wasn't that they were doing anything X's and O's-wise that was negative or a fatal flaw. It was just things would go well. The other team would push back, and then the penguins crumbled. Last night, well, yesterday afternoon,

there was pushback less than a minute later. Kulak breaks the tie, gives them the lead back, and the penguins never surrender at the rest of the game. Right, exactly. And they were able to, really carried that momentum into the third period in another third period where they're just playing really confident when they have the puck with the lead, which again, we saw in that stretch power, they were blowing all those leads.

When they weren't confident, they were fragile, puck watching, just not doing the things they needed to do to defend leads, very passive as well. Last night, or last night on the East Coast, at least, because the sun was basically down by the end of this game. You saw them playing really aggressive in the third period when they had to lead. You saw them go for the kill. I want to keep seeing more of that. You saw that at the beginning of the season. It's now coming back out again, especially ever since the Christmas break, which, by the way, Pat, Penguins are now 8-2-2 in their last 12 games, been a completely different team since that break, and they have their entire confidence. So I want to keep seeing them

play with that type of confidence in the third period when they have leads. That feed from Crosby to Raquel. I mean, good luck stopping him there. By the way, 1,400 games now for Cindy Crosby. Congratulations to him, 1,742 points. Continues to do Sidney Crosby things, man. I mean, it's ridiculous at this point. He's also fifth on the NHL's all-time list for most multi-point games in NHL history.

One more will tie him for third. Technically, it's fourth, but the NHL website says it's fifth. I'm just giving you the information there. One more, though, does tie him for third on the all-time list for the most multi-point games in NHL history. He's going to get that potentially as soon as Calgary on Wednesday. But that feedman was just, oh my God, just be beautiful. I can't say enough about that assist in just that whole play because it was a great forecheck by Sidney Crosby. Hashtag Sid down low, doing his thing.

He continues to be the best fourth line grinder that's ever. played the game, especially when he gets below the goal line. That was an incredible forecheck and just the sense to look behind and know that he's got Raquel there while he's under pressure, I should add, because it wasn't like he was sitting there all by his lonesome behind the net. He had a Cracken defender right on his back, notices that Raquel is there, notices that the crack and goaltender thinks that he's going to skate it out and is able to make that backhand past the Raquel, and Raquel just has all the time in the world to put that away with a wide open net.

Just what's left to say? 87 at this age, at this point in his career, is still elite, and it's unbelievable that we get to continue to watch it. But I may have ignored a couple of things that Hunter went over in this first segment, because I want to save it for the second segment and the third segment. We are going to have a bit of a 500-foot view. of this team right now as they continue this Western swing. And I want to start it with the discussion about Stuart Skinner and Artur Sheelovs

and what the penguins should do next. So hang with us. We're going to take a quick break and we're going to dive into that when we get back right after this. But we've got to tell you about today's first sponsor and that is game time. There's nothing like being near the ice during hockey season, the speed, the hits, the atmosphere. it's totally unmatched.

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The Penguins right now, as we talked about, they currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 57 points. They're two points behind the New York Islanders for second, and they are nine points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, which in years previous, you'd look at that and go, well, that's insurmountable. But the way the Eastern Conference standings have gone this year, it might not be. So we'll see what happens. But you'll see if you're watching us on YouTube. Another quality start by Stuart Skinner, lineup and roster decisions are looming, and are the penguins good? So let's start with Stuart Skinner.

You're going to look at the numbers from last night, and you're going to see 870. You're going to an 870 save percentage, I should say, gives up three goals, really don't fault them, except for one where he kind of turns the puck over behind the net. Yeah. He probably should have just left the puck there instead of trying to clear it out, but that's neither here nor there.

And then Tolvinen's power play goal. I don't think an anti-missile system was stopping that shot. That's what we like to call a pinnors. dismissal, Pat, honestly, the goal that he had led, he had the turnover, the goal that he gave up there. That was also a really nice shot. Two of those goals were just beautiful shots, I think. Yeah, there was not a whole lot he could have done on them. But I, let's go with this.

I still maintain my take that I think it's time for Stuart Skinner to be the 1A. Now, this doesn't mean that you're going to bury Artur Sheelovs. We hinted at it on Monday's show. When they get back from the Olympic break, there is going to be pretty, much a game every other day or back to backs. So Sheelovs will get his opportunities. But I do think ever so slightly, Stuart Skinner has taken the reins as the 1A.

Yeah, I think we should now be moving to a plan where he's getting two out of every three starts. But you can still work Sheloves in as a fine 1B. I don't think you need to keep doing this rotation just with the way that Skinner is playing. And you're right. People are going to look at 870 if you're just box score, watching him like, oh my God, he wasn't that good. Trust me, people.

He was very good, especially at the beginning of the game where he made that huge save on a breakaway. Bad turnover by the Penguins. Skinner comes up really big with that save. He made a couple of really big saves after as well. Even in the third period after Seattle cut it to one, at least for a time, he had a couple of big saves where the Penguins were able to go down, make it fire three, and basically end the game at that point.

He was very good once again in this game. He continues to put together a lot of really good starts. I mean, this really started back on December 30th against Carolina when he finished the game with a 9-64 7%. She carried it over into January with, you know, the wins against Detroit in New Jersey. Obviously, he gave them a chance in Boston. He was really good against Philly. Said the same thing now for Seattle. So, Pat, we're almost now into a full month of him just playing really well for this team.

So if I am Dam Euse, I am giving him two out of every three. starts will he do it time will tell but i think he has earned it at this point i'm not trying to disrespect she loves i think he has definitely been a lot better as of late especially over the last two to three weeks but i think with the way skinner is playing he's just been a little bit better i think you can reward him by giving him two out of every three starts she loves his stepped up i mean he he had a dip in his performance about a month ago maybe a little over a month ago but he has bounced back and he has shown that he has some potential there. He's obviously the younger of the two goaltenders. He'll be an RFA at the end of this season. But realistically, I look at this team right now

and Stuart Skinner ever so slightly is the better goal tender. And I'll keep coming back to this and it's going to kind of feed into this whole discussion is the penguins are being pretty apparent that they want to go back to the playoffs this year. They want to make the playoffs this season. And if that's your goal, I think right now, Stuart Skinner, gives you the better chance of returning. It doesn't mean that Arter Shilovs can't do it. It doesn't mean that he can't pick up the ball

and have a run of really quality starts because that's what he's done the last couple of weeks. But I think ever so slightly, Skinner has been the better of the two goaltenders by just a little bit. Another thing that's looming is we kind of miss this is that Rector McGrorty is back in Wilkes-Barre-Sgrantin. He's going to get a little bit of conditioning time after he went down with that concussion. And this is going to be a really tough decision for Dan Mews because you pull up daily face-off. You look at this team's line combinations.

You know that that first line, it's not getting broken up. They have really rebounded over the last month in playing a good completely. complete game. They're also producing. Tommy Novak, Igor, Igor Chinikov, as he corrected us, Tommy Novak and Evgeny Malkin, they really look like they've got something going, especially Gino and Chinokov. They suddenly have chemistry. Kindle, Brazo, Mantha, it's done well. I don't think it's worthy of being broken up. But really, you look at, then you look at the fourth line, who we cannot say enough about and how good they've been. You're not breaking up that fourth line. So you look at this and go, where does he fit? That's the question. And the third line really needed that goal

last night. I felt like they were doing a solid job of generating chances. They just couldn't finish. So when I saw Justin Brzoe get his goal last night, I was like, okay, they really, and I mean, really needed that. But yeah, right now, Pat, with the way this team is going, with the way everyone is understanding their role, I don't know if I see a spot for him right now. However, things can change depending on what they do at the deadline. Does Kyle Dubas still move a pending UFA forward or two? For example, obviously he's not going to move all of them. That would be, especially with where they are in the standings,

that's not going to happen. But say he does move one or two. Again, I'm just footballing here. I think that's where he would potentially come back in line up. Same with Ville Quovin. I think right now there's with the way the team is going, probably not really a spot, but, you know, a lot can change over the next you know, six to eight weeks and all that.

And we didn't really touch on this for Monday's game, but I felt like we kind of need to. The penalty kill continues to be rock solid for this team. And just real quick, I'll spend like a couple seconds on this. You know, the biggest difference continues to be, you know,

the aggressiveness from last year to this year. They're not just sitting back and allowing free zone entries. They're pressing a bit higher, forcing quick decisions. And you saw that on display last night. Yeah, I know Seattle had that power play goal in the third period, but that was a rocket of a shot,

really not much the PK can do there, but I'm really impressed by that unit. However, Pat, one small negative, power play is a little bit clunky, to say the least. Last night was not good against, you know, a penalty kill that is foul awful in this league. So I really think the Penguins are missing Eric Carlson on that unit. I do want to see the power play be a little bit better. I was hoping second time would be just like the first time where I'd call out the unit. They'd play well like they did in Philly. Wasn't the case for this one.

I still think they're going to be fine, but it's just a little bit clunky. But again, going back to our original conversation, I just don't really see a spot in a lineup for him right now. But I still think he's going to be called up at some point later on this season. I do too. I think that he is more valuable than he gets credit for. He's nowhere near a completed product. He's also going to be, I think, a big part of the team's future in terms of a player that can play

in the middle six to top nine. Like no one is out on Ruck. or anything like that. I think he's going to be totally fine. The penguins just have a lot more forward depth than they've had in quite a few years, honestly. That's really what it comes down to right now. I know that he has gotten plenty of grief from plenty of fan bases,

but I do got to tip a cap to Kyle Dubis because you look at this group. You say that they have forward depth for the first time in a long time. And that's correct. But I will say that it's unexpected because you look at this lineup, right? I mean, your top line, you know those guys are great. Raquel Krosby, Russ. I don't need to say any more about him. Evgeny Malkin is of Genni Malkin.

Tommy Novak was a big bet. We had faith in him, but there was always a very real world. It didn't work. Early returns on Igor Chinikov, really good. Then you look at the third line, Anthony Mantha. We expected him to bounce back a little bit, but not be this good. Ben Kindle, we didn't think he was going to be in the NHL this year. And here he is a regular NHLer.

Justin Brzoe, home run, grand slam, walkoff ninth inning world series game seven. He's been really good. And that fourth line has been great. So it's a good problem to have, but it is a problem nonetheless. Yeah, but also at the same time, again, it's a great problem to have, especially when you have the depth that the penguins do up front. So, you know, they're going to keep working away. at this, we'll have to see what they do overall at the trade deadline.

But I'm just excited that they have all this forward depth, man. It's very fun, especially after the last couple years where the forward death has just not really been there a lot. So that's really what I have to say about it. And oh, yeah, one more thing. It's always fun beating Lane Lambert because he looks like a vampire, looks like Unai Emery from Astin Villa. Good evening, as he likes to say of Astin Villa. There's your soccer reference for the day there, Pat. But Lane Lambert just looks like a vampire.

and I can't unsee it. Hit the dot on the bingo card. He made his footy reference for the day, but you brought something up that is a good way to keep this discussion going to close out the show. Kyle Dubus, the trade deadline, and what should they do? We'll get into that when we come back right after this.

Closing out the Tuesday edition of Locked on Penguins, I'm Patrick Damp, right alongside my pal hunter, hodies. And Kyle Dubus is going to have some really big decisions to make when it comes to the trade deadline. Obviously, we're rapidly approaching the roster freeze that will be in place as we get to the Olympics. So if he wants to make a move, he's got about a week and a half, two weeks to do it until the

trade for until the roster freeze goes into effect. And then he's obviously got to perform his duties for team Canada at the Olympics, which that might be a little bit of an advantage because once you're at the Olympics, you got your team. you can just go talk to other general managers who might be on national team staffs and figure out what you want to do when you get back to the NHL. But I really look at this roster as in this season, I should say, as some found money because we had zero expectation for this team. Internally, they were always going to hold themselves to a high standard.

That is what good organizations do. They always want to compete for a championship. even when you can look at the roster logically and go, they're not winning in a Stanley Cup. But I think that if I'm Kyle Dubus, for the most part, I'm sticking to the plan. If a younger player becomes available that you think can be part of the future and you want to give up some assets for it,

I would be for that. But buying anything, renting, I don't think you need to do it. This team is ahead of schedule, but that doesn't mean you need to get wide-eyed and start derailing yourself from a plan that at this moment is working. Yeah, ahead of the schedule in terms of this year. Obviously, they still need that next big time player for the franchise. Again, I love Ben Kindle.

But if you can find a player or prospect, Pat, that's, you know, even better than him. Obviously, that changes things for your rebuild as well. And also if Marashov is as good as you and I think he can be, that also changes things as well. So at least for this year, they are ahead of schedule. but they still do have quite a bit of work to do to still build, you know, up this up to a, you know, longstanding contender even after Sid and Gino and Tanger are gone. But for the deadline this year, yeah, I think for the most part, I'm standing pat and maybe doing a small soft buy as a reward for the season that the team is having.

Also at the same time, I don't think you're doing your job right if you're not at least listening to some offers that come your way. Obviously, he's not going to take shortcuts. for the season, but say a team calls you on, I don't know, Anthony Mentha, for example, you have to at least listen. Same thing for someone like, you know, Justin Brazo, the other UFAs on the roster, you're going to have to listen. I'll throw in Noachari in there, Conradue, or yes, their free agents, yes, I know how good

the fourth line has been. I'm just saying you at least have to listen to what other teams have to say because I do think teams are going to be calling. But if I'm Kyle Dubis, you know, again, maybe a small, soft bystanding pat, If you sell off a UFA or two, I definitely would not be surprised if they did that. I don't think you're going to see a full sale off, you know, like you saw last year, but I could still see a player or two going out. Also, something like Kevin Hayes, for example, I can see the penguins, you know, moving on from him

and having a different 13 forward in the locker room, for example, though I also know at the same time that the penguins really do love Kevin Hayes in that room. So we'll see. But, you know, he's not going to deviate from this plan. There's really no reason to. But that's really all I have to say on that. In terms of if they are good, I'll keep saying it, man.

They are good enough to stay in this race for the rest of the season. This is going to come down to the final week of the season, I think, with how close the East is. It's going to be really close. I know it's two of the final three games of the season. Those are against Washington, man. I am really circling those two games that could make or break, whether the Penguins get in the playoffs or not,

just because of how close this. things are. The good part is right now, they are in third with a little bit of a cushion. Three points up on the flyers, three points up on the capitals with the two games in hand. You win those two games in hand. You're seven points up on Washington. And you said earlier in the show, the key for this, you got to get a top three spot. The Atlantic is a lot more competitive than the Metro. If you can get that top three spot, you know, that that's the area you really want to focus on. Because the islanders, you know, I like this.

season that they're having. I still don't think they are that good. I still think they're kind of there for the taking. I love Schaefer. Obviously, Soroken is probably going to win the Vesna this year. If I had, if I had a vote, I would put I Lillia Sorokin up for the Vesna at least. But I still think that's a team that can't be caught. And the penguins, at least for a time, they did catch them. Right now, they have the tiebreaker over them too. So that's really where I hear. The islanders are in a very similar conceptually spot as the penguin. They weren't expecting to have this kind of season to the halfway point, but they are. So you take what you got, you keep running with it.

And to kind of tie it all together, one, I look at the penguins and they've got nearly a 600 points percentage through 48 games. Yeah. More than half the season. I think at this point, you can say that they are a good team. Are they a great team? No, they're not going to be coming out of the east. I would be genuinely shocked if they even can win a playoff round.

But again, I will also harken back to this. You've got some young players who, while they aren't going to be your franchise cornerstones, they are going to be contributors for your team for the foreseeable future. I would rather them see 87, 71, 58, and 65 in the playoffs and how they operate to introduce them to what it's going to be like, then to have them go, yeah, well, you know, we played a regular season or two with them,

and they were really fun and cool, and we taught a lot, we learned a lot from them. You want to see these guys at their apex, put them in the playoffs, and they'll learn very quickly that this is different. I do agree with that also, especially for the younger players like Ben Kindle,

getting to see him in the playoffs and a couple of these other younger pieces as well, you know, whether that's Chinakov or even, if McGrordy is potentially in the playoff lineup as well, Pat. Just throwing that out there. That could only be good for their development. You get them in those really, really big high stakes games. And these young players, they learn what it takes to potentially win in the playoffs.

And they can learn from the veterans like Crosby, like Malkin, like Batang, like Carlson, obviously he's been in the playoffs so much throughout his career. Like, that's another thing that I don't think enough people are talking about. like they make the playoffs that's also huge for those younger kids because they can experience this for the first time and be like oh this is what playoff hockey is all about exactly and the last point i'll make before we close out the show which kind of brings this all together and gets back to the the deadline discussion i do think it's a tightrope walk for kyle dubus because you have this plan set out where you want to you want to acquire younger pieces

you want to acquire draft capital and you want to weaponize your cap space. And that is all well and good and it's starting to work up to this point. But you also need to keep in mind the human element of it. Because this team is overperforming. They are in a top three spot in the metro. They look like they're going to remain in the race barring something catastrophic for the rest of the season. If you do a little bit of a sell-off or a good bit of a sell-off at the deadline, that's going to crush some morale because this team has shown that they can hang.

And while again, you don't want Kyle Dubus to deviate to take shortcuts to suddenly decide that, okay, the window's open now. You also got to send the message to the locker room that I see how well you guys are playing. I'm going to reward you for it. Right. I think it's a tight rope to walk, but he's going to have to do it. That's why I don't think Pat, you're going to see a full sell-off like you saw last year, you're right like they're well out of the

playoff race like they were at the deadline last year but that's not going to be the case unless something very and I mean very strange happens I mean we have 34 games left and they are very much in the thick of this I would say yes we have gotten to the point where they are a good team how good can they be that's still open for interpretation

but I am confident saying now that they are a good team with what I'm seeing you and me both. But that is going to do it for our Tuesday edition of the locked on penguins podcast. Hunter and I will be back on Wednesday to get you set for penguins and flames in Calgary. Cover any news that might happen between now and then. And of course, because it's Wednesday, you know what time it is. Warrior Helmet Wednesday returns where we give out our MVP of the week.

But until then, for Hunter Hodes, I am Patrick Damp. Thank you, as always, for tuning in, and we will be back on Wednesday.