Mark Madden: Penguins are rebuilding the right way

The Pittsburgh Penguins are going to be OK.

Just not this year. They’re not a playoff team, even though the Eastern Conference looks terrible.

But they have a potential star defenseman in Harrison Brunicke. He’s 19.

They have a potential star goalie in 21-year-old Sergei Murashov. (He’s with the Penguins’ affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, out of harm’s way for now.)

They have a potential Jake Guentzel in winger Ville Koivunen. He’s 22.

Forward Ben Kindel, the 11th choice in this year’s NHL Draft, impressed so much in training camp that he’s starting the season in Pittsburgh. He’s 18.

I’ve been going to Penguins games since I was 6. Since 1967-68. Year 1.

I’ve seen far worse than this, not least the tank job for Mario Lemieux in 1983-84. I know what “no hope” looks like, and it doesn’t look like this.

The locker room feels young, making me feel old. That’s good. That’s the idea.

It won’t make Sidney Crosby feel old. He definitely will feed off that youthful vibe. Hopefully, the other veterans will, too.

Rebuilding isn’t merely about swapping old guys for young guys or replacing bad talent with good.

Rebuilding is about a new culture, respecting veterans but letting kids take over the locker room. It’s about rebuilding energy, about turning pages.

The youngsters mentioned will help with that. More are on the way: Forwards Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes will see time in Pittsburgh. So will defenseman Owen Pickering.

The Penguins figure to have more than $50 million in salary cap space after this season.

What you want to see is underway. Let it play out. It has to be organic.

There’s a plan. It doesn’t involve naked greed or never thinking beyond the next game.

It might not work. But I bet it does.

Right now, the Penguins are stuck in the middle. So is Crosby.

If the Penguins start to bottom out, trade talk concerning the captain will regenerate. (The Canadian hockey media want him out of Pittsburgh so bad.)

I’m not sure how Crosby will feel if Rickard Rakell and/or Bryan Rust get traded, which must happen.

The most important thing the Penguins can do this season is get a top-five pick in the next NHL Draft and select from the star-caliber talents available at forward. There are no half-measures, just like 1983-84 when finishing last to get Lemieux was the only imperative.

But I believe Crosby when he says his intent is to stay.

I know Crosby will never let Pittsburgh down. Whatever he ultimately does (whenever he does it) will be the right thing.

I know Crosby’s going to get a point per game for a 21st straight season. He and Koivunen will grow into a deadly combination.

Home attendance will probably be down. That stinks.

My other favorite team, Liverpool FC, won the English Premier League last season but is currently on a three-game losing streak and sits second in the table.

But the supporters will fervently stick by the team no matter what.

As legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly said, “If you can’t support us when we lose or draw, don’t support us when we win.”

The worm will turn for the Penguins. It might not be that far away.

If you want to be a fan then, earn it now.