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Former Penguins LW Carl Hagelin Retires From NHL
Former Penguins LW Carl Hagelin Retires From NHL

Penguins in Perfect Position To Reach Playoffs

The Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs in 2023, but that won't be the case again this season.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are entering the upcoming season in uncharted territory. After missing the playoffs for just the second time during the Sidney Crosby-era, the Penguins are looking to avoid a third missed postseason in 2023-24.

The question remains: have they done enough to return to the postseason? It's been a summer of change, and the results should yield not only a playoff team, but a team that should fight for a top three spot in the Metropolitan Division. 

The Erik Karlsson Effect

The Penguins certainly underachieved last year, but that doesn't mean they were a bad team. They missed the playoffs by just a lone point and were one win away from maintaining their nearly two decade long postseason appearance streak. As disappointing as a 40-win team feels in Pittsburgh, they realistically only need to improve by 2-4 wins to earn a playoff spot this upcoming campaign.

Acquiring a 100-point scoring, multiple Norris trophy winning, future Hall of Fame defender has to improve your team by a handful of wins, right? And it's not just his contributions that could put the Penguins playoff chances over the top, it's his effect on the defensive corps around him.

Erik Karlsson lessens the pressure on Kris Letang and vice versa, easing the demand on the Penguins' two true number one defensemen. He also will elevate the play of fellow Swedish defender and expected partner Marcus Pettersson, giving the team one of their most formidable second pairing in years. 

The Penguins struggled to keep the puck out of their own net last season, and their defensive play in front of Tristan Jarry and company wasn't good enough. While Karlsson isn't known for his defensive skillset, his offensive production and ice-time eating will help allow for players like Pettersson, or P.O. Joseph, or Ryan Graves to play in roles that suit them best. This new depth and lineup of defenders in proper roles should help the team play better team defense and increase their win totals. 

Elite Scoring Remains

The highest scoring forward in the Metropolitan Division during the 2022-23 season was New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes. The second leading scorer in the division was a 35-year-old captain Crosby. Evgeni Malkin was close behind, the fifth highest scoring forward with 83 points.

Aside from the duo of Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad with the New York Rangers, Crosby and Malkin remain the most productive forward duo in the division. Add in the 101 points from Karlsson last season, and the Penguins have three of the six highest scoring players in the Metro. The core of the Pens may mostly be in the twilight of their careers, but their waning years are still elite and keeping pace with the rest of the league. 

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Not only did the Penguins improve on defense entering the 2023-24 season, they added depth at every position. The forwards are vastly improved, with veteran additions like Lars Eller, Matt Nieto, and Noel Acciari highlighting a third and fourth line renovation. Add in other newcomers with NHL experience like Andreas Johnsson, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Rem Pitlick, and there's roughly 10 players battling for the final six forward spots in Pittsburgh.

The same depth was added in goal. After committing long-term to Tristan Jarry, general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has opted to insulate Jarry with NHL veteran backups. Despite shipping out Casey DeSmith as part of the Karlsson trade, the Pens still have three goaltenders with NHL games played. Should Jarry falter or struggle, the tandem of Alex Nedeljkovic and Magnus Hellberg will have a chance to support the team through that. 

All in all, this team is improved considerably over the 90-point squad they were in 2022-23. The Penguins are deeper in all positions and have players capable of filling a variety of different roles throughout the lineup. Projecting this team to win 42-45 games feels very possible given the offseason they've had. And while their status as Stanley Cup contender will remain a mystery, the Penguins will certainly return to the playoffs in 2023-24.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.

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