The Pittsburgh Penguins were in need of a change on their top defensive unit and Marcus Pettersson stepped right up.
PITTSBURGH - For a number of years, Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin were stapled as the top defensive pair for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It’s a duo that helped the Penguins win a pair of Stanley Cups and had a great balance of offense and defense on the blue line.
Ever since a lower-body injury during the 2019-20 season, Dumoulin hasn’t had the same level of defensive ability.
After waiting long enough, and a number of defensive mishaps, head coach Mike Sullivan finally pulled Dumoulin from the first line.
Thanks to his much improved play early in the season, Marcus Pettersson was given the promotion to play alongside Letang on the first line.
It’s been a handful of games so far and Pettersson hasn’t shown any signs of taking steps back despite the increase in responsibility and ice time.
“We’ve been doing well so far,” Pettersson said. “A bit of a feeling out process, but he’s a special player to play with.”
If you share a line with Letang it’s usually a good idea to be aware of his presence; Letang isn’t afraid to activate and play as a pseudo forward.
“You know how aggressive he likes to be in the O-zone and filling in,” Pettersson said. “Just being aware when he fills in.”
Being aware of Letang’s habits is something that Dumoulin excelled in; Pettersson has been able to manage fairly well in his own right.
On the season, Pettersson has a plus-7 rating and picked up 10 assists along the way.
It’s been a turnaround of a year for Pettersson after being rumored on the trade block for a couple of seasons and some inconsistent play.
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