Veteran defenseman Mark Pysyk is a dark horse candidate to make the Pittsburg Penguins' opening night lineup.

One thing that is a certainty this season for the Pittsburgh Penguins is they will enter camp with plenty of options for head coach Mike Sullivan to choose from. That trend continued when the Penguins announced a slew of veterans will attend training camp on professional tryout contracts (PTO).

Most notable amongst the three players is defenseman Mark Pysyk, who could provide an underrated boost to the team's third pairing. 

Comeback Chance 

A single season ago, Pysyk was a known commodity; a former first round pick, Pysyk amassed over 500 NHL games, and was a solid third pairing defender who could also play on the penalty kill. His career took a major hit last summer, however, as a torn achilles suffered in July of 2022 kept him out of the entire 2022-23 season. It was a difficult road back, as he reportedly suffered a setback while rehabbing, sealing the deal on a complete season missed. 

Entering the 2023-24 season, Pysyk is primed for a career resurgence. He is, by all accounts, healthy. He's only 31-year-old, has a career average of 17 minutes of ice time per game, and is used to starting his shifts in the defensive zone. His reliability and consistency, provided he is at full health, would be a welcomed addition to the bottom pairing of the Penguins.

Partner for PO?

The top four defenseman of the Penguins are concretely set with Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Marcus Petterson, and Ryan Graves. The final pairing is completely up for grabs. The consensus pick for the left side if youngster P.O. Joseph, the 24-year-old fresh off of his first full season in the NHL. A player like Mark Pysyk could be the perfect stabilizing partner for Joseph. 

Joseph is a puck mover by nature. He has a smooth stride, a smart instinct, and looks his best joining the attack. To complement that style, he needs a partner just like Pysyk. He needs a defender who makes a living as a stay at home player and can hold the line whenever Joseph pushes the pace or joins the rush. 

Pairing Joseph with a veteran could be a valuable way to help him take the next step in his progression. He's showed flashes over his brief career, but he needs to find a level of consistency to elevate himself to a top four defender. Playing alongside someone dependable like Pysyk could be the perfect solution for Joseph to move forward. 

The Penguins are creating an element of competition entering training camp this season that they have lacked in year's past. There are roughly 4-5 roster spots up for grabs, and nearly triple that amount of players with NHL experience or skills battling for those positions.

The defensive battle is no different, and Pysyk will have to prove he is not only healthy, but find a way to stand out to earn a contract. Attaching himself to Joseph and giving the team a glimpse at their most stable third defensive pairing in several seasons would be a carve out a straight path from PTO to NHL contract. 

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