What Remains on the Penguins Offseason Checklist?
Kyle Dubas has checked off a lot of boxes on the Pittsburgh Penguins offseason checklist, but what's left?
Heading into the 2023 NHL offseason, there were multiple areas, positions, and personnel that needed to be addressed throughout the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
After missing the postseason for the first time in 16 years, the Penguins needed to see massive changes.
Once Ron Hextall was given his walking papers, there was immediately a list of items and objectives for a new regime to make decisions on.
With Kyle Dubas at the helm, the Penguins have made their way through the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency.
While quite a few notes on the checklist have been crossed off, there are still a few that remain.
What are some of the big areas of concern that Dubas and the Penguins need to organize in the near future?
Mikael Granlund
The first buyout window across the NHL has come and gone and Mikael Granlund is still on the Penguins’ roster.
A buyout seemed all but certain for Granlund when the 2022-23 season came to an end; he struggled following is arrival in Pittsburgh and the immediate savings seemed too good for the Penguins to pass up.
Dubas said he doesn’t like utilizing a buyout options on players, and looks at them as a last resort; he believes there are more creative ways to drop an unnecessary contract from a team.
While Dubas later said Granlund has the chance to be an important part of the roster, there is still a chance he finds a new home this summer.
Granlund makes $5 million against the salary cap for another two years; unless Dubas knows Granlund can start playing like a $5 million player, he needs to find a way out of the contract.
Jeff Petry
Another popular buyout option, Jeff Petry also remains on the Penguins roster, but it might not be for long.
Around the draft, it was reported that Dubas and the Penguins were dangling Petry out for a trade and there may have been some interested teams.
While the it wouldn’t be an awful idea keeping Petry on the roster, the Penguins might be better suited with Erik Karlsson in that position.
Petry just didn’t live up to what was expected in his first season with the Penguins and quicker, more sure improvements need to be made.
Third-Line Center
Despite signing a few names that bolster the center position, the Penguins still lack a true, third-line center.
Lars Eller and Noel Acciari standout as the incoming options, but they still don’t sit quite right as third-line guys.
Eller is a defensive minded forward who is losing his offensive touch while Acciari just doesn’t fit that bill.
Those additions could be useful for the Penguins but they just don’t scratch that itch of a trademark third-line center.
Granlund is still around and could take that spot, but like mentioned before, he needs to start playing like a $5 million player.
Jeff Carter is also sticking around, but everyone knows he just can’t see third-line minutes anymore.
The options are there for the Penguins, but none of them really pack that much punch.
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