When the Pittsburgh Penguins stumbled at the start of the 2018-19 season there was some concern that they were headed in the same direction as the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings. Recently dominant, championship teams that suddenly fell off of a cliff due to declining talent, a salary cap crunch, and no way to replenish the cupboard.
The concern as it relates to the Penguins was probably a bit overstated and a knee-jerk reaction to a slow start.
For one, the Penguins’ core talent is significantly better than what the Blackhawks and Kings have had, and they are still playing at a significantly higher level.