There may be hope for one more playoff run despite looming rebuild
After missing the postseason in two consecutive campaigns, hope is in short supply for Pittsburgh Penguins fans.
With general manager Kyle Dubas collecting as much draft capital and as many prospects as he can, the Penguins appear to be facing a rebuild. This is an inevitable yet harsh reality for Sidney Crosby-era fans who saw 16 consecutive postseason berths, four Stanley Cup Final appearances, and three Stanley Cups within those 16 seasons.
But in spite of an aging core, a looming rebuild, and dire circumstances, there may be a few things to look forward to in 2024-25 - and even reason to be cautiously optimistic.
1. There will be a new voice for defense and the power play
David Quinn, former San Jose Sharks and New York Rangers head coach, was brought on by Dubas and the Penguins on June 12 to oversee both the defense and the power play.
And given Quinn's history with defensemen, this should be a good thing. Quinn coached two defensemen - Adam Fox with the Rangers in 2020-21 and Erik Karlsson, now a Penguin, with the Sharks in 2022-23 - on their way to Norris Trophies. Both defensemen were steady producers on the power play, as 23 of Fox's 47 points and 27 of Karlsson's 101 points came with the man-advantage.
With Quinn overseeing the power play, perhaps he can help unlock Karlsson's ability to activate and become a larger contributor. And - at the very least - the power play will have a new coach and a new voice, which probably won't be a bad thing.
2. Dubas is still looking to add younger talent
As we mentioned Saturday, Kyle Dubas has gone on record saying that he would still be open to adding young talent to the roster:
The Penguins have the assets to both build through the draft and use as leverage in a trade for a good, young player who can help them now and going forward. They currently have $3.52 million remaining in cap space to work with, so don't be surprised if the Penguins use that space - as well as ship out another contract - to acquire a talented younger player with some term.
3. They barely missed the playoffs - and went on a heck of a run
Yes, a miss is a miss - and the Penguins have missed the playoffs twice in a row, even if both of their misses were marginal (they missed by one point in 2022-23 and three points in 2023-24).
However, how they missed matters. It's been discussed, at length, how much their power play has been a detriment to potential standings points, and even a slight improvement could alter their fortunes.
But it also can't be overlooked how the Penguins closed out the 2023-24 season. They went on an improbable 8-1-2 run to catapult their way into the thick of the race before losing to the New York Islanders in a meaningless final game of the season. Hopefully, they can use that momentum to make a push earlier on in the 2024-25 season.
4. They have insurance between the pipes
The decision to bring back goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on a two-year, $5 million deal was puzzling to some and brought up legitimate questions surrounding the future of starting goaltender Tristan Jarry, who is entering year two of a five-year, $26.9 million contract:
But regardless of what goes down with Jarry, the Penguins have some insurance in goaltending prospect Joel Blomqvist, who was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Blomqvist, named to the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, went 25-12-6 with a 2.16 GAA and .921 SV% last season with AHL affiliate Wilkes Barre-Scranton.
Given the inconsistencies both Jarry and Nedeljkovic have displayed at times, having Blomqvist around helps shore up their goaltending situation and gives them trade options.
5. Sidney Crosby will still be doing Sidney Crosby things
Crosby enjoyed yet another spectacular season in 2023-24, as he plateaued 1,000 career assists, tied Wayne Gretzky's point-per-game seasons record at 19, and entered the top-10 all-time in scoring.
His 94 points led the way for the Penguins yet again, and he was responsible for a staggering amount of the team's overall offense: Crosby factored in on over 37 percent of the team's scoring, a 61.9 on-ice expected goals share (xGF%), and 1.47 xG/60.
He has been the most essential piece of the Penguins since his arrival in 2005. His remarkable consistency - and, apparently, his outpacing of Father Time - suggest that he will continue to do everything he can to will his team back into contention despite the odds.