By all measures, the 2025-26 NHL season went far better for the Pittsburgh Penguins than most would have ever assumed. Despite being widely projected to be one of the worst clubs in the NHL, the Penguins not only finished third overall in their division, but ultimately qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Despite the disappointing playoff loss to the in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers, Penguins fans are looking back fondly upon the season and hoping that next season, they’ll be able to make a second straight trip to the playoffs.
However,the Penguins, who have been led by general manager Kyle Dubas since the summer of 2023, still lack a few critical pieces.
Kyle Dubas Reveals What The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Lacking
Speaking to the media, Dubas laid out what he believes that the club is currently missing, which include players in their “later 20s” that are “difference makers”.
“I think in terms of where we’re at right now, we have obviously excellent veteran players that set the tone and carry the standard for the group,” Dubas said. “And this year, we started to see the beginnings of a group of players, one of whom is in his teens, but others in their early 20s or mid-20s that either are our own prospects or were acquired in trade that we feel can be a part of this as we move ahead for the long term.”
“And where we lack, if you’ve got the one group here, the veterans, and the other, the very young players, it’s just that bridge across in the middle, or we’re going to have to continue to amass more and more of our own young players, whether it’s through development, trade, draft, etcetera, which we’ll do that naturally. But I think what we really lack are those players in their later 20s that are really true difference makers, or mid-20s to late 20s that are difference makers.”
Kyle Dubas Touted The Appeal Of Playing In Pittsburgh
Dubas not only believes that Pittsburgh is a desirable place to play, but that the Penguins have a good organizational culture that could prove alluring to players looking to make their decisions in free agency.
“And I think if you’re one of those players that’s a free agent or your situation and your spot is not going well and you have some control, you could look at us and see very clearly you’re going to be supported by a great coaching staff that gets the most out of players, but you also have young players that are going to push from behind and older players that are going to set the tone,” he said. “So I think Pittsburgh, for all that it is as a city, a sports city, is a great place to play, great place to grow and have a family. But also I think in terms of the sporting side for us on the hockey side, it should be one of, if not the most appealing places to any player that has a choice in those matters. And we’ll investigate all those as we go into the summer.”
Kyle Dubas Exposes What Penguins Are Lacking