The Pittsburgh Penguins are down 3-1 in their series against the New York Rangers, which means they’re one loss away from a summer of second-guessing, major re-tinkering and a full evaluation of GM Jim Rutherford’s performance. (That David Perron trade … woof.)
Rutherford was tasked with adding essential depth players to the Penguins forward group, and the results have been inconsistent. But one addition has made a difference in the playoffs: Max Lapierre, the devious veteran forward, whom they acquired for Marcel Goc from the St. Louis Blues.
Look, he’s not what you’d call a “measurably good player.