5 Stanley Cup playoff teams from 2019 that won’t clinch in 2020

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

For the first time since Sidney Crosby’s rookie campaign back in 2005-06, the Stanley Cup playoffs won’t entail the Pittsburgh Penguins.

At first glance, it’s almost unfathomable; but given how competitive that the Atlantic Division is this season, the Metropolitan Division might only be represented by three teams. If that were the case there’s a good chance that the Steel City is the odd team out.

The Penguins are already experiencing some issues they haven’t had to deal with in quite some time – such as injuries to star players such as Crosby and forward Evgeni Malkin earlier this year. Pittsburgh has played a ton of hockey over the past few seasons, which typically entailed the long grind of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

General manager Jim Rutherford’s squad has been exposed the past two postseasons, after finally being eliminated by the Washington Capitals in 2018 and last year in the first round by the New York Islanders.

Keep in mind that Pittsburgh was swept by the John Taveres-less Islanders.

It didn’t exactly happen overnight, but over time the Penguins have slowly portrayed that they were mortal again.

The team shook up the roster and created salary-cap space when Pittsburgh traded Phil Kessel to the Arizona Coyotes this offseason, but it seems that the Pens will have to find a way to overhaul its roster in order to have one more shot at raising a Stanley Cup while Crosby dons a black and gold sweater.

As the Taylor Hall trade rumors swirl, perhaps Pittsburgh manages to sign him on July 1, 2020? Would be a nice consolation prize for missing the postseason.