Everyone knows the Pittsburgh Penguins have been a top team in the NHL for years, but this season, they seem to be struggling in more than one way.

In the last 10 games, their record is 5-4-1. For most teams, this would not be bad. Some would even be happy with this. But the Penguins are not a mediocre team.

One contributing factor to their lack of wins is that goaltender Matt Murray has had a concussion since Feb. 24.

Although Murray is listed as an option to play, no one wants to take any chances.

As of March 19, almost a month later, Head Coach Mike Sullivan was saying, “We’ll see how he responds and tomorrow we’ll make a decision.”

It is clear to see that the team plays differently without Murray, but his healthiness is one aspect that no one want to risk.

Beyond that, the Penguins simply do not look like the team that has won the last two Stanley Cup championships.   

A lot of talk has also been about Sidney Crosby’s current season. By just looking at his stats, he has only 23 goals this season.

Most people who are not Penguins fans argue that Crosby is going downhill. Although it may seem like this is true, he has not had much talent to work with compared to what he has had in the past.

However, Crosby does have the most assists on the team, with a total of 54.

Two seasons ago, some may remember how the Penguins struggled to clinch a spot in the playoffs. They did have a coaching problem, and Sullivan was able to turn the team around and lead them to a Stanley Cup victory for the first time since 2009.

The most that Penguins fans can hope for in the future is that the Penguins can come together to fix their mistakes, leading them to a third straight Stanley Cup championship title.