Pittsburg, PA

Penguins Perspectives: The Tortured Penguins Department

Published

2 years ago

April 18, 2024

Penguins Perspectives: The Tortured Penguins Department

Welcome to Penguins Perspectives, a weekly column by KDKA-TV Digital Producer Patrick Damp. Each Friday, Patrick will talk about the week that was, the week to come, what to watch for, and more.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – It is rare, but you remember it all too well: the Pittsburgh Penguins are not in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

When the season began, we were ready for combat. The short-lived but horribly disappointing Hextall era was behind us and Kyle Dubas took over the hockey operations department.

He immediately laid the groundwork and like clockwork, a ton of bad contracts were off the books: Jeff Petry, Jan Rutta, and Mikael Granlund amongst others were turned into the reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson.

There were new additions such as Noel Acciari, Lars Eller, Ryan Graves, and Matt Nieto and we were ready for it. A season that would wipe away the stench of losing the longest postseason streak in North American sports.

The hope turned out to be treacherous and we once again find ourselves in the same position we were just one short year ago – a point outside of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and plenty more questions than answers.

Maybe, just maybe, there were clues that we didn’t see.

More than anything, the biggest questions remains: what do you do now and where do you go from here?

It’s easy to give into the temptation to say a rebuild is due. Two years of missing the postseason certainly doesn’t make things seem bright and optimistic.

We’ve seen this film before and we didn’t like the ending.

And yet…Crosby showed he still has greatness in him. Evgeni Malkin, after finally getting a competent winger in Michael Bunting, raised his game. Kris Letang accepted a lesser role with Karlsson on the roster and battled through what certainly had to be an injury to end the season.

There’s also the thought that we aren’t quite out of the woods when it comes to the previous management. Jeff Carter remained but in a lesser role. Rickard Rakell was still here and did not live up to the contract he was signed to.

We learned to live with the pain.

All of this is to say, when it comes to this era of the Penguins, the end game is this offseason.

There’s one more kick at the can left, but it can’t be strictly on the backs of the core, but so it goes.

For Kyle Dubas, this summer has to be what he has already said: getting younger, faster, and deeper. It’s no coincidence over the last month that this team played some of its best hockey when younger legs such as Bunting, St. Ivany, Puustinen, O’Connor, and others were given bigger roles.

It’s delicate, but it can be done.

There’s no real definitive way to wrap this one up, it’s too soon and we don’t know what will come this offseason, but it’s sure to be another hugely consequential one.

Standing pat is not an option, and outside of the big names, the team requires a facelift.

Otherwise, we’ll be in for another cruel summer this time next year.

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Pittsburg, PA

Oneil Cruz Powers Pirates Past Astros

Published

11 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz needs to have a great season for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026 and his strong Spring Training continued in their most recent victory.

Cruz hit a three-run home run off of Houston Astros right-handed pitcher Jayden Murray in the top of the fifth inning, playing a big role in the 5-2 victory at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Fla.

He waited on a changeup on the second pitch, 85.1 mph over the middle of the plate and sent it 106.4 mph off the bat and 368 feet, scoring both left fielder Billy Cook and third baseman Alika Williams with two outs.

That marks the first home run for Cruz in the Grapefruit League, who has had a great Spring Training so far, slashing .538/.600/.846 for an OPS of 1.446 in five games, with seven hits in 13 at-bats.

Pittsburgh got the win after the top of the sixth inning, after a rain delay ended the game.

Pirates Rookie Pitchers Have Up-And-Down Showing vs. Astros

Right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft made his second start for the Pirates in the Grapefruit League and dominated vs. the Astros.

Sep 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft (67) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Ashcraft threw three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and a walk, while posting two strikeouts for Pittsburgh.

Former Pirates pitcher, right-handed starter Mike Burrows, countered Ashcraft for the Astros. He threw three scoreless innings himself, allowed one hit and a walk and posted four strikeouts.

The Pirates traded Burrows to the Houston Astros in the three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 19, that landed them second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery.

Right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler made his second appearance for the Pirates in the Grapefruit League and threw two innings.

Chandler immediately loaded the bases, walking both third baseman Carlos Correa and first baseman Christian Walker, then giving up a single to center fielder Cam Smith.

He came back and struckout right fielder Taylor Trammell and got left fielder Zach Dezenzo to pop out, but gave up a single to second baseman Brice Matthews and a run to the Astros, before ending the inning with a strikeout.

Chandler also gave up a solo home run to Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, on a slider down in the zone.

He finished his outing with three hits, three walks and two earned runs allowed over 1.1 innings pitched, before left-handed pitcher Derek Diamond got the last two outs of the inning.

Chandler struggled in his first Spring Training start vs. the New York Yankees at LECOM Park in Bradenton on Feb. 23, where he allowed four earned runs over 1.2 innings of work.

Feb 23, 2026; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler (36) throws a pitch during the second inning against the New York Yankees at LECOM Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Pirates will need better showings from Chandler, who should serve as a key piece of their starting rotation in 2026.

Other Important Notes from Pirates Victory

The Pirates added two runs in the top of the sixth inning, as Cook hit a single that scored second baseman Nick Yorke and then Williams singled, scoring Cook to make it a 5-2 ball game.

Cook had just one hit in eight at-bats coming into this game and scored twice in the victory, as he walked before the Cruz home run.

Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna led the Pirates with two hits, a good sign for them, as they’ll rely on him greatly for his power and hitting in 2026.

The Pirates are now 7-2 in the Grapefruit League and tied with the Yankees for the top of the standings.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!

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