In 2024, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be looking to bounce back after an icy two seasons in the ‘Burgh.
For the past two seasons, the Penguins have been on a downward spiral. During the 2022-2023 season, they totaled 91 points on 40 wins. They went in to the last two games of the season – fixtures against two of the bottom three teams in the league, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets – in prime position to sneak into the last Metropolitan wildcard spot. However, they lost both games — the latter in overtime. This was the first time in 18 years that the NHL playoffs would be without the Pens.
The front office always intended for the 2023-2024 season to be one of rebuilding. Fan-favorite center Jake Guentzel was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes midseason, and the Penguins finished the season with their worst record during a full-length NHL season since Sidney Crosby was a rookie.
This season, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be looking to transform their rebuild into rebirth. During the offseason, they made some notable signings, such as Matt Grzelcyk, defenseman; Sebastian Aho (the Swede one, not the Finnish one) who’s another defenseman; and top-ranked, United States’ born, draftee Rutger McGroarty. The Penguins also extended Captain Sidney Crosby through 2027, making it clear he intends to remain in Pittsburgh for the rest of his career.
One thing standing in the way of Pittsburgh’s return to the postseason is their age. They have the second oldest roster on average in the league, only behind the Edmonton Oilers. Older players such as Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin have started to face criticism from fans for decreased influence on the ice and a litany of errors, such as when Letang played a no-look, backwards pass to Malkin on an empty net, resulting in an own goal against the then-Arizona Coyotes.
However, there are also reasons for Pittsburgh fans to be optimistic this season. The Penguins hired a new assistant coach, David Quinn, to oversee special teams after finishing 30th in the NHL on the powerplay last season. Additionally, the Metropolitan Division will be open this season. The Rangers and Hurricanes have both established themselves as powerhouses, but over the past two seasons, the Penguins have been level with the Islanders, Capitals, and Flyers. The Penguins ranked 16th in strength of schedule, so if they stay sharp, a postseason appearance is a serious possibility.
You can expect Crosby to still be the Penguins’ main contributor this season, along with assistant captain Evgeni Malkin. Despite their age, the pair tallied 94 points and 67 points respectively and played in every game. Bryan Rust was also a huge force when health last season, recording 56 points in just 62 games. Erik Karlsson, who arrived in Pittsburgh last season, was the team’s 3rd highest producer as well as the highest scoring defenseman with 11 goals and 45 assists.
Another main narrative this season will be the battle between Alex Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry to establish themselves as the go-to netminder for Pittsburgh. The pair had near identical save percentages last season, but advanced analytics lean slightly towards Jarry as the better goaltender. Jarry started 15 more games than Nedeljkovic; however, Nedeljkovic was the starter for the last month of the season when the Penguins were trying to make a playoff push. Nedeljkovic may be at a disadvantage in the battle for the net, though, because he’ll be starting the season on Injured Reserve.
Ultimately, this year will be a crucial one for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Their main cohort isn’t getting any younger, and the quest for a return to the playoffs will be a long, uphill battle for the Penguins.
