The Pittsburgh Penguins are once again watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs from their living rooms after missing the postseason for the second year in a row. Pittsburgh showed glimpses of potential throughout the season, especially in the last six weeks, but they were never able to put a full team performance together on a consistent basis. A huge contributing factor to the Penguins’ lack of success in the past couple of seasons is depth scoring. Putting together a strong bottom six is at the top of the to-do list this summer, and they have already started working towards that end.
Valtteri Puustinen
The Penguins re-signed Valtteri Puustinen to a two-year deal worth $775,000 on May 10. He started the season in Wilkes-Barre where he played in 24 games scoring five goals and eight assists. He was easily the best player who came out of Wilkes-Barre this season. In 52 games played with Pittsburgh, he scored five goals and had 15 assists making him the highest producer out of all the rookies.
Puustinen spent time on the second and third line this season, but he seemed to play better on the third line with Lars Eller. He has the ability to drive possession consistently and has one of the best releases on the team. He also has the ability to create high-danger scoring chances and when given space he has an amazing one-timer. His speed makes him dangerous in his own zone, and he’s good at getting to the net. His high hockey IQ makes him really good at reading the ice and making quick adjustments when necessary.
Another offseason priority for Pittsburgh should be finding a solid third-line center who can create more offense for Puustinen. He has the potential to score double-digit goals next season if given the right help. He has already proven he can compete at the NHL level, and the Penguins will more than likely give him a full-time spot in the lineup to start the season. The biggest question surrounding him going into next season will be whether or not he can survive an 82-game schedule.
Can the Penguins Go on a Run Next Season?
There are a few different things to focus on over the offseason but building a strong bottom six has to be a priority. If the last two seasons have taught the Penguins anything it’s that the top two lines simply cannot do it all.
Puustinen will be a good addition to the depth scoring if he can continue to improve his game over the summer. This season he had little to no expectations on him, but next season he will be held to a higher standard. He has to prove he can perform at the NHL level for a full season, which for a bottom-six winger means at least 10-13 goals. He also needs to show he can be a top-six option in case he is needed to fill in due to injuries.
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General manager Kyle Dubas has been very clear about his intentions to make Pittsburgh a younger, faster team. Puustinen will help with that plan, however, this season Sidney Crosby and the rest of the core proved they can still compete at a high level. Last summer, Dubas put together a defensive bottom-six thinking that the top two lines could carry the offensive load. Hopefully, he has learned from this mistake and will be making some much-needed adjustments this time. There is no question that Pittsburgh could squeeze one more run out of the aging core, but they must put in the work this summer.
