'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made Of

Looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, many were anticipating some bigger moves ahead of the 3:00 p.m. ET cutoff on Mar. 6.

Well, as it turns out, there wasn’t much activity at all – not from the league, and not from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The lone move that Penguins’ general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas made on deadline day was to acquire forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Soderblom, 24, is a massive physical presence at 6-foot-8, 252 pounds, his forechecking, speed for his size, and two-way game were all attributes that drew the Penguins to him.

However, given the Penguins’ current predicament – they are still without Sidney Crosby, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury but skated with the team Friday, and Evgeni Malkin, who was suspended five games by the Department of Player Safety – there are many who wanted to see the team shoot a bit bigger in the trade market (size aside, of course).

The Penguins are stretched thin at the center position, they have the toughest strength of schedule remaining in the NHL, they’re missing their top-two points producers, and they’re barely hanging on to second place in the Metropolitan Division with two teams chasing closely behind them.

Nevertheless, Dubas chose to stay the course. And he believes in the group that they have.

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL’s Department Of Player Safety

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL’s Department Of Player Safety Evgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

“Obviously, the mix has worked quite well,” Dubas said. “They’ve got some chemistry. Dan [Muse] has done a great job coaching them. The staff has done a great job. We just have to deal with some absences this year for various different reasons, and continue to stay with it.

“Find a way to write our own story, regardless of what everyone else expects it to be.”

Dubas’s actions – or inactions – at the deadline didn’t simply speak to the market he was dealing with. Yes, he did say prices were sky-high, and teams weren’t willing to meet asking prices. Yes, he did say that teams’ respective positions in terms of playoff contention – including his own – played a factor in choosing not to buy big. Yes, at the end of the day, he didn’t do much at all.

But a big part of the equation was the fact that he already added to this team – and that they’ve already responded to those additions. Through trade, he added Stuart Skinner, Egor Chinakhov, and Brett Kulak – then Sam Girard – all of whom are upgrades over the players who would be in those positions otherwise based on the roster the team began the season with.

Penguins Sign Goaltender To Entry-Level Contract The Pittsburgh Penguins are pretty well-known at this point for the goaltending depth they possess in their system. Netminders like Sergei Murashov, Joel Blomqvist, and 2025 draftee Gabriel D’Aigle have received a fair amount of attention.

Since the Chinakhov trade, the Penguins are 14-5-4, and they’ve been playing better systemic hockey. They’ve been getting contributions from up and down the lineup, and even Crosby went pointless in four out of his last six games before the Olympic break while his team went 4-1-1.

And Dubas points to those contributions from everyone – as well as his team’s ability to respond well to adversity and respond after bad games – as defining qualities of this particular group of players.

“I think the contributions from some of the younger guys throughout, but then, whether it’s been Chinkahov, Brazeau, Mantha, the rise of the Lizotte line… I think that’s led us to have success and give the team the chance to see it all the way through” Dubas said. “I think, especially since we’ve come back from Christmas, it’s not just been the wins, but the way that the team has gone about winning that shows that, when we’re at our best, it’s a very good team.”

He added: “For me, the greatest thing about the team the whole year has been the way that we’ve weathered times that haven’t been great. The way that the team responds when things don’t go well… the team always finds a way to respond, even with guys out of the lineup.”

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL’s Department Of Player Safety Evgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

Without both Crosby and Malkin, there are some players, in particular, who are going to have to step up even more. That includes Rickard Rakell, who is already being asked to man the center position, which he hasn’t played regularly since his teens and early-20s. That also includes Erik Karlsson, who will be relied upon to drive more offense from the blue line. And it especially includes 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel, who has already impressed with his 200-foot play and will probably need to hike up the production.

But that’s just what these Penguins have done. They’ve stepped up when things have gotten hard. They’ve responded after tough losses. They’ve fought tooth and nail for every point they’ve gotten this season.

And that’s not only a testament to the talent that populates the roster, it also speaks to the chemistry of the team and the locker room.

Mar 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) skates with the puck in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

“I think the mentality is very much, ‘We’re gonna make the most of what we have,'” Dubas said. “And I think Dan has led that, but the players have been right there with him every step of the way, and it’s a huge credit to them for being able to stick with that throughout the year.

“That said, we have our biggest challenges ahead, and it will be the ultimate test of that. But I think that’s also the most exciting part of being here and being in this position is we have a great opportunity now, and we have to make the most of it and find a way.”

Dubas believes in his team as-is, and his team has a belief in themselves. Now, it’s time for them to show everyone exactly what they’re made of down the stretch run of what has been a magical season so far.

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