Penguins Update: Five Fish That Got Away

Much has been made of our Penguins depth issues this season, particularly up front. The third line has been hampered by a declining 38-year-old Jeff Carter and inconsistent if not downright nonexistent performances by the wingers. A reasonably effective fourth line evaporated in the wake of bookend injuries to Josh Archibald and Ryan Poehling.

The net result? (Pun intended.) Our top two lines have been forced to haul the freight on a nightly basis. Top heavy hockey teams generally don’t go very far. Indeed, one only needs to look at our past three Stanley Cup winners to appreciate the value of forward depth. Players like Jordan Staal, Matt Cooke, Tyler Kennedy, Nick Bonino, Carl Hagelin and, of course, Phil Kessel were integral parts of those championship teams.

How important were they? The HBK Line led our 2016 Cup winners in scoring!

It’s not lost on me that a number of depth forwards from our recent past have blossomed in their new environs. Without further ado, here are five fish that got away (four since GM Ron Hextall took charge) who certainly would have helped our present cause.

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