Penguins Evgeni Malkin Comments on Team's Struggles

The Pittsburgh Penguins are only 11 games into the 2022-23 season, but it's already been a story of two seasons. After starting out like a house on fire, the Penguins have struggled of late, winless in their past six games.

Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin knows one way to turn things around...play better. It starts with him and the veteran leaders on the team and #71 wasn't shy when it came to calling everyone out to take their game to the next level:

Everyone is looking to us, the leaders, for sure. I can play better. We can play better. We aren't playing perfect. I had a couple of turnovers in this game. Play smart. Play right. Try and be a leader. It's not easy right now. It's a tough situation. It's time to deal with this team. It’s tough. When you're lost, you need to support each other, help each other. ... Why not win the next six games in a row?

The 36-year-old Malkin has 12 points so far this season and finally is starting to look like his old healthy self. Recently Sidney Crosby's production has dipped and without Jake Guentzel in the lineup, the forward group seems off. It also doesn't help the situation when both Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith have been so-so to start the season. The Penguins sit 4-5-2 and take on the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.