The Pittsburgh Penguins must make changes to their defense this summer. PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t played hockey in well over a month, meaning their offseason is in full swing. The search for new coaches at the AHL level and an assistant for the NHL club has kicked off, and small signings have started to trickle in. Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas represented Team Canada in their front office for the 2024 IIHF World Championship but is returning home without a medal. Following his fourth-place finish, Dubas can now get to work on the remainder of the Penguins' lengthy offseason checklist. What areas do the Penguins need to focus on heading into the 2024-25 season, and what are some of the most significant objectives this summer? EXTENDING SIDNEY CROSBY Finding a new deal for captain Sidney Crosby might not be a top priority for the front office, but it’s important that it gets done. Not only to lock up one of the NHL’s greatest players of all time but also to end any ridiculous claims that he may get traded one day. Crosby will be a Penguin for life, and no amount of speculation from certain outlets will change that. Crosby’s current deal still has a season left, but early projections expect a three-year extension to be signed. TRIM THE FAT Not that these aren’t good players, but specific faces just didn’t fit in Pittsburgh. A huge goal for the Penguins this offseason will be to lose certain names that held them back all year long. Forward Reilly Smith and Ryan Graves come to mind right away for many. Smith had a decent start to the season but quickly fell off a cliff and never found consistent production. It’s likely Smith doesn’t return for a second season in Pittsburgh, especially after he never warmed to the idea in the first place. Graves will be much more challenging to move, but an attempt must be made. Dubas expects a lot more out of Graves in his second season with the Penguins, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he doesn’t get that chance. GET YOUNGER Finding and implementing useful youth options isn’t easy, especially for a team like the Penguins. Their best players are well over 30, and their prospect pool has been depleted over the years. Dubas has made it a goal to make the Penguins a younger team. Expect names like Sam Poulin, Jack St. Ivany, and Valtteri Puustinen to be regular NHLers all season; maybe young prospects like Brayden Yager and Owen Pickering will get good cracks at the roster. MAKE GOALTENDING PLAN Finding consistent scoring has been a struggle in Pittsburgh since Marc-Andre Fleury left in 2017. There is an obvious direction to take this time, but it’s a matter of deciding if the time is right. Goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist had a fantastic 2023-24 with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and could soon be ready for the NHL. Do the Penguins believe he’ll be prepared for this upcoming season? Or does he need more time to grow as a professional? Tristan Jarry will likely stay the starter for another year, but what happens behind him? Alex Nedeljkovic is likely walking to free agency, opening up that second spot for someone to take. FIND SCORING DEPTH The Penguins bottom six was once again held back by a lack of offense. Sure, their main focus is to keep the puck out of their own net, but to win in the NHL, you need at least some sort of offense from your depth. Lars Eller did a solid job in his role but can’t be the only one. The Penguins need to go out and find another scorer who can bolster offense in the bottom two lines. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Penguins Defensemen Win Medal at World Championship [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-erik-karlsson-marcus-pettersson-medal-world-championship] Penguins Legend Inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-jaromir-jagr-inducted-iihf-hall-fame] Three Free Agent Targets for Penguins Bottom Six [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/free-agent-targets-pittsburgh-penguins-bottom-six] Penguins Prospect Impresses in Memorial Cup Debut [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-brayden-yager-impresses-memorial-cup-debut] Penguins Lose AHL Goalie to Swiss League [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-lose-ludovic-waeber-swiss-league] * undefined
