NEWARK, N.J. (AP) 鈥� For the first time in four years, it will soon be a great day for playoff hockey in Pittsburgh.
The Penguins clinched a playoff spot Thursday night , ending their postseason drought that lasted three seasons. They had made 16 postseason appearances in a row before that, last missing in Sidney Crosby’s rookie year in 2005-06, with that stretch including three Stanley Cup titles.
“That鈥檚 why you play 鈥� that鈥檚 the best time of year,” Crosby said. 鈥淚 know how hard it is. I think I understand that. We had some tough ones where it came down to the last day and didn鈥檛 get in, and you don鈥檛 ever know. But I thought right from camp, we鈥檝e had those intentions and had that belief.”
It was an up-and-down season that included an eight-game skid in December and a pair of six-game winning streaks later in the winter. Far from assured a place in the field in late March when the Eastern Conference race was a crowded mess, they’ve won five of six games since March 30 to get in.
鈥淎 couple weeks ago (we realized) it鈥檚 really in our hands (because we) play a lot of the teams in it,鈥� defenseman Connor Clifton said. 鈥淲e figured it was going to work itself out, and first and foremost it鈥檚 about us and getting points and we鈥檝e done that, so it鈥檚 been good.鈥�
It has also been a surprise. Pittsburgh was a 6-1 long shot to qualify before the puck dropped on opening night, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. This looked like one last kick at it together for an aging core of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, who at 20 seasons together are the in North American professional sports.
Instead, has made general manager Kyle Dubas look brilliant from relative anonymity: five years as an assistant under Peter Laviolette with Nashville and the New York Rangers. was not an easy task, but Muse aced the test in his first chance to run an NHL bench.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been great: Calm there behind the bench, and he鈥檚 just a really personable guy, easy to talk to away from the rink,鈥� forward Justin Brazeau said. “Any time you create that atmosphere in here, it鈥檚 not too tense or anything like that. I think guys are just willing to go out there and play free.鈥�
Center Ben Kindel, picked 11th in the draft last year, made the team at 18. Defenseman Erik Karlsson thrived at 35. Crosby was a point-a-game player for a 21st consecutive season, even if it was interrupted by that knocked him out of the Olympics.
鈥淚t takes everybody,鈥� Crosby said. “Everybody has had a part in this. Obviously it鈥檚 a team game, but especially with this group: With the injuries and all the different guys in and out, everybody鈥檚 contributed to us getting there.鈥�
Muse, like Crosby, saw evidence in training camp that this was a playoff-caliber team.
鈥淚 just saw the competitive nature of the group,鈥� Muse said. “There鈥檚 ebbs and flows in every season, but I think this group has just continued to grow. Enjoy it for a little bit, a minute, and then it鈥檚 just continuing that preparation. It鈥檚 a big step for the group. I鈥檓 really proud of these guys, happy for these guys, the staff, everybody involved. The players have done a great job with it throughout the year. We talked about earning things at the beginning of the year. This group earned it.鈥�
___
AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
___
AP NHL:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
