When the 2022-23 season ended, it turned out to be one of disappointment for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were unable to extend their streak of 16 straight playoff appearances that one more year. They found themselves out of the running by one point in the standings behind the Florida Panthers and tied with the young, up-and-coming Buffalo Sabres.
What followed, of course, was an eventful offseason, which saw former general manager (GM) Ron Hextall fired and then replaced with Kyle Dubas, plenty of roster turnover, like the acquisition of free agent forward Reilly Smith, and finally the much-celebrated trade acquisition of reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson.
Though last season was frustrating for the Penguins and for Dubas in his final year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the pieces seem to be in place now to make some noise in 2023-24. In the spirit of optimism, let’s take a look at what could happen for those pieces in the best-case scenarios for the Penguins in the season ahead.
Crosby and Malkin Come Through Big
Last season was a rarity: both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin played the full 82-game schedule, and it was only the fourth time the pair played at least 77 games in the same year. Normally, with the team’s top two centers healthy and productive, it meant good things for the Penguins. Last season, however, it wasn’t enough.
This season, they both have that much more incentive to bring their A-game. Merely putting up solid production in the regular season just won’t do. Crosby and Malkin want to win one more Cup with the core. If they can stay healthy, we know what kinds of numbers they can put up. And if they can continue to produce, they should be able to lift the rest of the team with them.
Related: Penguins’ Season Preview: Dubas’ Forward Group Has Improved
Recently Mike Cranwell wrote that under optimum conditions, the Penguins dynamic duo could threaten 100 points apiece. That would be eye-popping, to say the least, but even in the spirit of this article, it would still seem a bit much. However, with the additions of Erik Karlsson, especially on the power play, and Smith, not to mention a potential bounce back from Bryan Rust, Crosby and Malkin, could see their totals at least in the 90s. And as their top pair goes, the rest of the team will follow.
Karlsson and Letang Thrive Together
Speaking of Karlsson, much has rightly been made of his arrival in Pittsburgh. He brings his dynamic skating, his deft passing and shooting, and his overall ability to energize an offense. Last season was peak performance, yielding the much-heralded first 100-point season for a defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1991-92. But can he coexist with Kris Letang?
As much as Karlsson’s health prevented him from performing during the first several years when he was a San Jose Shark, there have been suggestions that he chafed playing with Brent Burns, another dominant, right-hand shooting defenseman. It is worth wondering whether the right-hand shooting Letang will cause similar issues for Karlsson.
Related: Pittsburgh Penguins Season Preview: Defense and Goaltending
However, should the two find balance, they would make a deadly 1A/1B threat, especially on the power play. If that happens, combined with the aforementioned forwards’ production, look out. Keep in mind that they both need strong partners, but with Marcus Pettersson and Ryan Graves on board, the Penguins have a solid top four on the blue line.
Goaltending Stabilizes
With both the offense and defense humming in front of them, it would behoove the goaltending tandem of Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic to elevate their games in a similar fashion. Both of them can. They have shown it before.
It is often discussed that this could be the Penguins’ Achilles heel, whether it’s Jarry’s health or inconsistent play, or if Nedeljkovic can play like some version of himself that appeared when he was a rookie with the Carolina Hurricanes. If, however, they can play to their best potential, if they can shave off at least 25 from the 264 goals the Penguins allowed in 2022-23, the team would not only claw their way back into the playoffs, but challenge rivals like the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Hurricanes.
The Penguins Win the Stanley Cup
I know how easy it is to scoff at the notion of the Penguins bouncing back and winning it all this season. Believe me, I’m having trouble buying it as I write this. But I am also not the first person to suggest that they can do it.
And why couldn’t they? Unlike the Sabres, whose best-case scenario might be to end their 12-season playoff drought, the Penguins already had a strong core to build around. With the moves they’ve made and the pieces they’ve picked up, this is a Penguins team built for only one thing: one more for the core.
If the team can stay healthy, if Crosby, Malkin, and Karlsson can post numbers even close to what they did last season, and if the goaltending holds up, there shouldn’t be any reason for coach Mike Sullivan to guide the roster Dubas has provided him to another Cup victory. One More for the Core: that should be this team’s rallying cry.
