As we go into the final week of the season there are two teams in the East, organizations we have always looked at as playoff teams, stumbling into the post season and still in danger of dropping out.

The Pens and the Wings are both running mirrored seasons this season and many changes may be in their future. One change may be coming to first year Pens Coach Mike Johnston. It has been a rough year for Johnston in Pittsburgh because the many injuries has affected his ability to get the Penguins to play in his system. At times the Penguins have looked very good, while other times the Penguins struggled to get any kind of offense going in Johnston's puck control scheme.

So it is hard to criticize Johnston and probably unfair to lay the blame at his feet right now, but this is the NHL and should his team not make the playoffs, it's hard to imagine he's safe.

System aside, and injuries aside, the core Penguins problems are very real. This is a team who has a reputation for not be able to win big games, and what's worse being intimidated in big games. Losing all four games to the Philadelphia Flyers this year is just part of the problem.

Toughness aside, Johnston had to settle down the goaltending situation in Pittsburgh. Until recently you could argue he did just that, and Marc Andre Fleury was having a great season...his confidence riding high... but then recent struggles found him on the bench at the worst possible time of the year, while Greis stepped up and played good hockey....

Now I know many will not agree with me that Mark Andre Fleury HAS to be in goal yesterday against the Flyers. Many will say it's the second of a back to back, Fleury has struggled against the Flyers in the past, hasn't played well lately, etc. All that is true. However this is Fleury's team...and not playing against the Flyers in an absolute must win sends the wrong message coming into the playoffs... Playoffs you could still miss.



Meanwhile, the rumors persist that Mike Babcock could be looking for a new challenge this summer. There are plenty of teams who will throw plenty of money at Babcock... But few teams have the interesting sort of challenge that comes along with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby and Babcock have already won together at the World Level. Babcock is OUTSTANDING at dealing with goalies.

We will discuss this and more on today's Hockeybuzzcast: