3 things the Pittsburgh Penguins need to do to get back in the playoff race

2. The Penguins need to acquire a top-six winger to get back into the playoff race

The Penguins are led in scoring by their stars, Guentzel, Crosby, and Malkin. Their top two defensemen. Karlsson and Kris Letang rank fourth and fifth respectively, and then there's a big drop-off.

Players like Brayan Rust and Reilly Smith have room to improve but are not the biggest issues on this Penguins team. They have the track record to stick around in the top six. A player who has been a major disappointment is Rickard Rakell who slots in on Pittsburgh's first line, playing on the right wing alongside Crosby and Guentzel. While Crosby and Guentzel have been great, Rakell has just four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 26 games.

Rakell is a player who was coming off a really solid year, potting 28 goals and dishing out 32 assists, good for 60 points playing in all 82 games for the Pens in the 2022-23 season. He's scored as many as 34 goals and put up as many as 69 points in a single season. Going from that to a completely unproductive player has hurt Pittsburgh in a big way.

Acquiring a winger to play in their top six should be Kyle Dubas' top priority as the trade deadline rolls around. Crosby and Malkin are solidified as their top two centers, as they have been for over a decade now. Adding more high-end scoring on the wing could help them score more goals, which is what this team really needs.