Home / Sports / Penguins' Bottom Six Fuels Playoff Success
Penguins' Bottom Six Fuels Playoff Success
12 Aug
Summary
- Bottom-six performance correlated with playoff appearances in recent seasons.
- Player support lines are crucial as stars age, needing to tilt scoreboard.
- 2026 saw a significant improvement in goal differential without stars on ice.
The Pittsburgh Penguins experienced a notable turnaround in the 2025-26 season, achieving their first playoff qualification since 2022. A key factor in this resurgence was the enhanced performance of the team's third and fourth lines, outscoring opponents at even strength when stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were off the ice.
This positive trend for the bottom-six players mirrors playoff appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2026. Conversely, the seasons where these support lines were outscored, from 2023 to 2025, resulted in missed postseasons.
The 2025-26 season saw a significant improvement in the 5v5 goal differential without Crosby or Malkin on the ice, moving from an average of -18.3 to a +3. This indicates a critical shift in team performance, emphasizing the importance of depth scoring.
Notable contributions came from the fourth line, which remained exceptional despite injuries, featuring players like Blake Lizotte and Noel Acciari. Other support players, including Ben Kindel and Anthony Mantha, delivered career-best performances, underscoring the value of secondary scoring.
