they're 1 point from a wildcard spot
Context is important here though, because the Penguins have played 14 games and sit at 12pts with 3 regulation wins and 5 total wins. Do you really see them making it? I don't, the way I see it, Detroit is likely going to drop down to 10th or 11th and battle it out with CBJ for that, Ottawa I think will make a huge push because they need to keep Brady Tkachuk happy and the move of adding Ullmark only to piss away Chychrun for nothing would piss me off if I am Brady, he's got only so much time left in his prime years and waiting out promise after promise before he says f*** this.
Lol at some of these situations though...Sens owner hires his mate in Staios who is highly unqualified for the job, Habs ownership and GM love MSL for some reason - I guess they want to hoard high picks and talk up potential while realizing none of it, Sabres hiring Ruff for Round 2 and he's lost af, Isles ownership trusting Lou to do anything good is hilarious and I feel like the Isles knew Lou would join them after the Leafs because his son was already there and his lackey from NJ too which is a little shady but f*** the Isles. Pens ownership and their hard on for Sully noted.
Just to show how it actually looks...
8th - Detroit: 12GP 6-5-1, 13pts - Likely a 9th-10th place team, they suck.
9th - Bruins: 14GP 6-7-1, 13pts - They will definitely hit their stride, they're way too good to sit around this low for long
10th - Senators: 12GP 6-6-0, 12pts
Sens and Wings have 2 games in hand to the Pens, Bruins have 1 more point than the Pens but are a far better team and will definitely figure their shit out and go on a run - likely some rust from Swayman missing cap, Marchand and his injury taking time to get back on track with his game, losing a lot of depth and figuring out the line-up but they will likely move up quickly by December.
From 12-16: Flyers, Habs, Jackets, Sabres, Isles...
This is the company the Penguins will keep until they fire Sullivan. Because unlike Sullivan, those teams have a bright future and could turn it around far quicker than the Penguins can because Sullivan will always refuse to do the right thing with his roster and youth, those other teams have a lot more young talent and can figure it out sooner. Sabres could be fine if Ruff just resigns and ownership fires Adams and quickly makes some moves before the end of November to get the right blokes in place, because that's a roster that should be better, but the rest? Isles will never do the right things under Lou to be better, he barely gave Roy any help this year and he's f***ed with injuries and they still refuse to call up Jefferies and instead called up Fasching and Engvall, Sullivan would think that's a good move too I bet. Isles are such a Sullivan team, like if Sullivan was a GM it'd be the Islanders that he assembles, Lou is what Sullivan would be as a GM.
I don't get why MSL is still a coach, rushing prospects is a thing but it's also one for coaches, MSL has zero AHL coaching experience and his only real coaching experience is coaching his lads in U13 leagues. Habs will hire an American GM and be fine with that, but then this need for a francophone coach is dumb, I get it, coaches will end up trying to learn just because the dipshit media there will whine if he doesn't, but wtf are they doing? They're not tanking properly if that's their goal and hoarding prospects to keep MSL for a 4th year after he took over from Ducharme...its like they refuse to see how much time they're wasting.