Who will earn the final roster spots for the Pittsburgh Penguins?
Training camp is finally here, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have a few roster spots up for grabs with three weeks until the start of the 2022-23 season. While a large portion of the team is returning from last year's roster, some new faces and young risers are in a position to challenge for a spot on the Penguins opening night roster.
1st Line Right Wing
The Penguins have several options for Sidney Crosby's right wing this season. The most likely name to go there is Bryan Rust. Rust has spent most of the past three seasons on Crosby's wing and scored over 20 goals each season. The chemistry is apparent between Rust, Crosby, and left wing Jake Guentzel, and even if he doesn't start there, he will play on this line at some point this season.
Rickard Rakell is the other option for that spot on the top line. Rakell played 18 games on the Penguin's top forward unit, and the trio produced over 60 percent in expected goals share and only allowed one goal at even strength. There was instant chemistry between Rakell and Crosby, which is a large part of why they re-acquired him.
2nd Line Left Wing
Jason Zucker enters training camp as the favorite to play on the left side with Evgeni Malkin. But his extensive injury history and inability to finish chances could put his position in doubt. Zucker's ability to forecheck and play physically will always endear him to the coaching staff, but his 7.8 percent shooting percentage is not enough for a top-six forward.
While Danton Heinen struggled during his brief stint with Malkin last season, he remains a reliable scoring winger for the Penguins with a more accurate shot than Zucker. However, Heinen doesn't have the same defensive upside as Zucker or the third option for this position, Kasperi Kapanen.
Kapanen is coming off the most disappointing season in his career, scoring 11 goals and 32 points. If he plays to his potential, Kapanen is the best option for this spot, but he hasn't reached that level for over a year.
3rd Pair Left Defense
With all the moves the Penguins made on the blue line, there only seems to be one spot available in the starting six, with several players vying for it. Jan Rutta is naturally a right defenseman, but his ability to play the left will come in handy if the Penguins wish to keep Chad Ruhwedel in the lineup.
Otherwise, it will be a three-horse race for that spot between Ty Smith, PO Joseph, and Mark Friedman. Joseph has spent the past three seasons sharpening the edges of his game in preparation for a chance at an everyday spot in the NHL lineup.
Contracts could play a role in this decision as the Penguins still need to shed roughly $1.5 million in salary cap space before the season. Smith is waivers exempt, making it easier to move him between the NHL and AHL levels. While Joseph is not exempt from waivers, the Penguins could choose to send him down before the opening of the waiver period next week.
One or both of these defensemen could outperform Friedman and Ruhwedel in camp, leaving them to play alongside Rutta to begin the season.
4th Line Left Wing
Teddy Blueger and Brock McGinn are penciled into their respective spots from last season, but who will join them on the bottom line? Ryan Poehling enters training camp as the favorite as he looks to revitalize his career with the Penguins. Poehling is a big-bodied power forward with a hard shot and terrific net front scoring ability.
A pair of young Penguins prospects should push Poehling for that spot in camp, Drew O'Connor and Filip Hallander. O'Connor has been thought of highly since signing with the Penguins as a college free agent in 2020. He scored one point under a point per game at the AHL level last season and has an aggressive forechecking ability that would mesh well with Blueger.
Hallander came into last year's training camp looking to take a roster spot. While it wasn't in the cards for him last season, the stars may be aligning for him to do just that this season as he has been leading the way at Penguins rookie camp, scoring two goals against the Bruins in Saturday's prospect challenge game.
13th Forward
While one of Poehling, O'Connor, or Hallander could become the 13th forward if they don't crack the lineup, Penguins management may want those players to remain active and send them down to the AHL to get more work.
That would open the door for players like Radim Zohorna and Alex Nylander to make the opening night roster. Both can play either side, making them options to fill in for an injury to any Penguins forward spot.
There were 57 players invited to Penguins training camp, but only 23 will remain on the roster once the season begins on October 13th.
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