Penguins Have Multiple Bounce Back Candidates for 2023-24 Season
The Pittsburgh Penguins will need these players to have a particularly sharp season in 2023-24.
After numerous huge changes this offseason, the upcoming 2023-24 season will be a crucial year for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
Missing the postseason for the first time in over a decade and a half pushed the Penguins to bring in new faces for the front office and on the ice.
The team is looking to contend for a Stanley Cup and become a real competitor in the final years of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.
While those three will do what they can to lead the Penguins right back to the postseason, which of their teammates have a lot more to give than they did in 2022-23?
Which Penguins are perfectly aligned to have a bounce back season and help get the Penguins back where they belong?
Bryan Rust
While Jake Guentzel had a self-proclaimed ‘down’ season, Bryan Rust legitimately struggled during 2022-23.
In 81 games played, Rust only put up 46 total points; that’s 12 fewer points in 21 more games played than the season prior when he posted 58 points in 60 games.
Quite simply, Rust needs to be far better, and he should be better, especially early on.
Guentzel will miss the first handful of games for the 2023-24 season, and while he won’t directly replace him in the lineup, Rust has to step up and help fill the goal scoring that will be missing.
No matter if he is on the first or second line, Rust is the most likely, and arguably most important player to have a bounce back this year.
Tristan Jarry
Dubas and the Penguins are taking a big gamble by extending Tristan Jarry for five years, but the 2023-24 season is the perfect time to prove his worth.
Jarry struggled with injuries during the 2022-23 season, but he, and the rest of the Penguins team, are convinced he won’t see the same setbacks this season.
If he is able to remain healthy, there is no reason Jarry won’t be able to reclaim his spot as one of the top goalies in the NHL.
Even with the injuries, Jarry still put up the best numbers among free agent goalies with a 24-13-7 record and a .909 save percentage.
It’s possible the Penguins got the best goalie that was available this offseason, and it’ll be up to Jarry to show he still has what it takes.
Alex Nedeljkovic
Both Penguins’ goalies will be looking for massive improvements this year as Alex Nedeljkovic looks to prove his worth in the NHL.
The last two years haven’t been kind to Nedeljkovic, but with Casey DeSmith traded away in the Erik Karlsson deal, he is the clear backup for Jarry.
Nedeljkovic might not have the same amount of opportunities as Jarry, but being a stout second option will do the Penguins, and his career wonders.
The Penguins will need top notch performances from most of their lineup if they want to reclaim their glory, but they won’t get anywhere if these three can’t figure it out right away.
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