How front office failures nearly broke the Penguins

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesOn Wednesday morning, Rob Rossi and Josh Yohe of The Athletic published a detailed account of the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise under the front office leadership of Brian Burke and Ron Hextall. Much of the focus is placed on the last year of their tenure, beginning with near break up the Penguins ‘Big Three’ and culminating with the Penguins missing the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, leading to their dismissals.

What Rossi and Yohe reveal is the inner workings of one of the darkest, most embarrassing chapters in Penguins history, a history that already includes multiple bankruptcies and a near relocation. We see in detail for the first time, just…