Pittsburgh Penguins 2023-24 NHL Season Preview
It’s time to preview the oldest team in the league. That’s right. The Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 16 years and are currently the oldest team in the league. Was last year a fluke or have the Penguins failed to realize that it’s time to rebuild? Let’s preview the team heading into the 2023-24 NHL Season!
Line Combination (Combinations Obtained via DailyFaceoff.com)
Not included in the pictures are the two goalies: Tristan Jarry & Alex Nedeljkovic.
The Penguins have changed some pieces around but the Crosby, Malkin, and Letang core remains in place. It’s a good team but the same problems remain. The bottom six forwards killed them a season ago. Will those guys produce more this year? That’s what’s going to make the difference.
New Faces
Kyle Dubas did alter this roster in a big way. The three notable additions include Erik Karlsson, Reilly Smith, and Ryan Graves. Matt Nieto and Noel Acciari were also brought in to be that sand paper and kill penalties.
Three Players To Watch
- Sidney Crosby
How many more elite years does Sid the Kid have left? That’s the real question. Crosby will head into his age 36 season but still posted 93 points and played a fully healthy season. Will the Penguins get that again?
- Jake Guentzel
The best goal-scoring winger needs a new contract. The good news is Guentzel has expressed a desire to stay. He’s also coming off ankle surgery. The Penguins are going to need him to be a 40 goal scorer again to get back into the playoffs.
- Kris Letang
How will Letang adjust to the addition of Karlsson? Letang has been running this Penguins powerplay forever. Pittsburgh plans on having them both run the top unit for now. Is that going to work? The last time Karlsson played with Brent Burns it failed. Just wasn’t enough oxygen for both guys. It’s a fascinating situation that I can’t wait to watch unfold.
Biggest Riser
I don’t have a good answer here. Mainly because Pittsburgh doesn’t have a ton of young talent. I’ll go with Ryan Graves who will head into his age 28 season. Graves was a +40 back in 2019 with Colorado. Last year he was +34 with New Jersey. Graves is a plus defender that can skate and move the puck. A lot of those dumb mental errors have gone away. If Graves steps in and fixes this blue line, that could go a long way towards getting this team back in the playoffs.
Biggest Faller
Jeff Carter blows. He’s the one stain left from the Ron Hextall era. Mostly because they can’t get rid of him. Nobody wants the guy anymore. Used to be a great player but now he’s totally washed up. Carter went from being a top end center to a 4th liner. Carter, 38, was a -16 last year and is aging in dog years. I’d expect this to be his final season.
The Biggest Question Is…
It’s pretty simple. How long can the old guys keep producing? Both Crosby and Malkin were fully healthy last year. Injuries are unpredictable but this team could crumble at any moment. They could also have last dance vibes. Especially if Karlsson comes in and pops 100 points again.
Verdict
I have Pittsburgh outside of the playoffs but they should be in the mix to get in. I just can’t put them in based on how weak the bottom six is. Hextall killed this team giving away guys like Jared McCann and Brandon Tanev. Tristan Jarry is also never healthy and can’t be counted on. If he goes down for fifth year in a row, what the hell are they going to do?
Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch
Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube
Check out the Vendetta Shop
Click here for more NHL content
