The Pittsburgh Penguins will have Jeff Carter on the ice and in an elevated role to start 2023-24.

As the 2023-24 NHL season approaches, the Pittsburgh Penguins are likely going to once again be the oldest team in the league.

At 38-years-old, Jeff Carter doesn’t help that statistic, but he is likely going to once again have a regular roster spot in the Penguins’ lineup.

Even with Ron Hextall no longer in charge, Carter will be seen on the ice on a regular basis, and higher in the lineup than you may expect.

Many might predict Carter to start the year off on the fourth line, but think about who the Penguins just signed during free agency.

Noel Acciari will arrive in Pittsburgh and likely immediately take over as fourth line center and Matt Nieto is likely going to sit on his right wing.

Lars Eller was brought in and already talked about taking over as the third line center.

You’d think those three names would push Carter right off of the lineup, but head coach Mike Sullivan will likely find a spot for him.

Sullivan found uses for Carter in 2022-23, and even defended the decisions on a few occasions.

That trend will arguably continue, despite Alex Nylander and Andreas Johnsson also fighting for roster spots.

So, where does Carter land? Likely as the third line right wing.

That’s where he sits on Daily Faceoff’s current line combination, and the most likely outcome.

In what could be his final year in the NHL, Carter will have to put together a strong start to the season, or Sullivan will have to pull him from the lineup.

Sullivan can’t be patient with Carter this year, the Penguins have too many options sitting around to let an anchor hold them back.

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