Quite a few major names on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster should see steps forward in 2023-24.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a lot riding on the upcoming 2023-24 season; a new front office and revamped lineup should put them in line to return to the postseason.

While making it back to the postseason will efforts from the whole team, there are a few key faces in the Penguins lineup that are projected to take huge steps forward.

If each of these players can reach the potential the NHL is predicting, the Penguins should have no problem finding their way back in the running for the Stanley Cup.

The NHL projects that Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, and Kris Letang will all see increases in total points on the season.

While newcomer Erik Karlsson will likely have an expected decline, he’s still projected to produce at an outstanding amount offensively.

Sidney Crosby

Even if Crosby is an aging veteran in the league, he still stands out as one of the best players in the game.

Crosby wants nothing more than to see his team win and should be hungrier than ever in 2023-24.

NHL.com believes Crosby will eclipse the century mark for the seventh time in his career with a 102-point season.

Evgeni Malkin

Much like Crosby, Malkin will likely have a similar hunger for winning after missing the postseason for the first time in his career.

If Malkin can once again produce a clean bill of health for the upcoming season, he shouldn’t have any issues finding an increase in production.

It may not be touching his former glory, but if the Penguins can get 87 points out of Malkin, that will be a great success.

Jake Guentzel

Despite being scheduled to miss the start of the 2023-24 season, Guentzel is still expected to have a bounce back year.

Not that Guentzel was bad during the 2022-23 season, but he described it as a ‘down’ year and will be looking to reverse the course.

Especially in a contract year, you can expect big things, and maybe another 40-goal season out of Guentzel; NHL.com slates him at 79 total points.

Kris Letang

2022-23 was a rough year for Letang, but he still managed to perform as the Penguins’ best defenseman.

Adding Karlsson will help Letang in multiple facets, but the biggest piece to a good year for Letang will be staying healthy.

If Letang stay unhurt for the whole season, a 62-point year can absolutely be in the cards.

Erik Karlsson

Sure, Karlsson won’t be able to match a 101-point season again, but that doesn’t mean who won’t produce at a high level.

Even from the blue line, Karlsson will bring loads of offense and considering his $10 million salary cap hit, he is expected to do great things.

The NHL thinks 86 points is a good number to project as the reigning Norris Trophy winner joins a club counting on him to help them get back to where they belong.

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