With the busy part of the NHL offseason winding down and the focus seemingly being put on training camps around the league, the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to find themselves in a spot where they are trying to “re-tool”, while keeping hope for a last chance for their aging core of Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin to have a chance at the Stanley Cup Playoffs. General manager (GM) Kyle Dubas made a handful of moves, including hiring new head coach Dan Muse, looking toward the future. After another busy offseason for the Penguins organization, what are a few predictions for the team on the ice?
Rutger McGroarty & Ville Koivunen Top 40 Points Each
After making their NHL debuts last season, with Rutger McGroarty earning a spot in the opening night lineup before being sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL), and making his way back toward the end of the season, both he and Ville Koivunen are expected to compete not just for a spot in the lineup to start the 2025-26 season, but could push for top-six minutes as well. For McGroarty, coming into camp with more confidence after a strong campaign at the AHL level and a strong finish with the Penguins should help him find his way to a more prominent role in the lineup. To go along with that is the fact that he is playing for a coach he has a history with. Muse coached McGroarty at the United States National Team Developmental Program (USNTDP) and is known for his development of younger players. McGroarty’s all-around play and offensive skillset are hopeful to translate to a full season at the NHL level this season.
Related: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Top 15 Prospects: 2025-26 Preseason Edition
Koivunen stood out when he made his way to the Penguins’ lineup. He seemingly built strong chemistry with Crosby and looked right at home in the NHL toward the end of last season. He has the type of offensive game that can help him become either a playmaker or a goal scorer whenever he has the puck on his stick. The hope is that both he and McGroarty can bring a spark to the forward grouping, and there is strong reason to believe that they can. Both players reaching the 40-point plateau is not out of the question if things go as hoped.
Tristan Jarry’s Play in Net Gets Better… But the Numbers Do Not Show It
One of the biggest downfalls the Penguins have had over the past few seasons is the play in between the pipes. Tristan Jarry signed a long-term extension a few offseasons ago, but has struggled to find his consistency. He spent time with Wilkes-Barre Scranton (12 games) before being brought back up to the big club for the last month-plus of the season. He did show flashes of being the netminder the Penguins signed to the extension, but still struggled with his play at times. He is going to be looking to get himself fully back on track heading into this season, especially with prospects like Arturs Silovs, Joel Blomqvist, and Sergei Murashov all potentially knocking on the door to take his job.
Jarry’s play and numbers last season were not 100% on him, as the Penguins’ team defense in front of him certainly did not help his case. I fully expect him to rise to the occasion to prove he is the goaltender that the organization expects him to be, but the issue will be that the defense is still not the greatest. There were a few moves made by Dubas for the backend of the ice, including adding Connor Clifton (trade with the Buffalo Sabres) and Parker Wotherspoon (free agency), but it is not expected to drastically change the entire defensive play. Overall, I predict Jarry to have a solid season in the net, but the statistics at face value will be misleading for him in a negative manner.
Veterans Continue to Be Moved Ahead of the Trade Deadline
If things do not trend in the right direction for the Penguins, meaning they are on the outside looking in at the playoffs, which is a good possibility, they do have a few players on the current roster who playoff teams could look to add. Players like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha, Erik Karlsson, and even potentially Jarry are all players who could be moved if the season slips away for the team. With the organization looking toward the future and having players that are assets to other teams, Dubas could very easily continue to add future assets for his organization. Whether it comes in the form of more draft picks or younger players, he has shown he is not afraid to make a move to help build the future. I fully expect at least two of the aforementioned players to be traded out of Pittsburgh by the time the trade deadline has come and gone this upcoming season.
Playoffs Are Missed For a Fourth Straight Season & Penguins Are a Lottery Team
The way the roster is constructed currently, the Penguins are more likely than not to once again miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs and be a lottery team. After missing out on moving up in last year’s lottery, having more of a chance at a player like Gavin McKenna or stud defenseman Keaton Verhoeff could be in the realm of possibility. While missing the playoffs again would sting for fans and the organization, having the chance to add a player like the two mentioned, who can become major pieces for the future, would be a huge step in the direction of once again becoming a playoff contender (albeit maybe a few seasons away).
2025-26 Season Outlook May Not Be the Greatest
Things may not end up the greatest for the Penguins and their fans when it comes to team success this upcoming season, but players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, amongst others, are sure to give the fans exciting moments throughout the season. If things do not end up going favorably for the organization, they still have the future to look at, with players like McGroarty, Koivunen, and Murashov, amongst others, to look at as well.
