The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a summer of change. After missing the playoffs last year for the first time in 16 seasons, they chose to part ways with general manager Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke. On June 1, Fenway Sports Group hired Kyle Dubas as the Penguins’ new president of hockey operations. Since then, he has been hard at work strengthening the team’s roster as they look to climb back into the playoffs this season. Pittsburgh has a lot to prove this year, however, there are some members of the team with more to prove than others.
Bryan Rust
The Penguins had high expectations for forward Bryan Rust heading into last season, but he never fully hit his stride. During the 2021-22 season, he was almost a point-per-game player, so the team rewarded him with a new six-year contract at the end of last season. Last year he played in 81 games and scored 20 goals and 26 assists for a total of 46 points. His shooting percentage took a major hit but it was not due to lack of effort. His biggest struggle was finishing and it showed in his final goal count.
Rust’s contract extension came with an average annual value (AAV) of $5.125 million. When Pittsburgh signed him to that extension, they had certain expectations in mind and unfortunately, he did not live up to those expectations. At 31 years of age, he is approaching the end of his prime, and there is no doubt he will be under a lot of pressure in 2023-24 to stay healthy and be a big contributor on offense.
Tristan Jarry
On July 1, Tristan Jarry signed a five-year contract extension worth $26.875 million. There is merit to the argument that Dubas did not have much of a choice but to re-sign Jarry as there were not a lot of goaltending options available in free agency. However, the length of the deal raised a few eyebrows.
It is no secret that the Penguins starting goaltender has struggled to stay healthy for the better part of two years. He also doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to the postseason, with a 2-6 record in his eight playoff appearances. Whatever hope Pittsburgh has of chasing another Stanley Cup will largely depend on Jarry being at the top of his game.
Penguins’ Core
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have been the pillars of the Penguins franchise for almost two decades. Last season, Malkin played in all 82 games and put up a total of 83 points. Crosby also stayed healthy all season and had a total of 93 points. Despite having a stroke and losing his father, Letang played in 64 games and scored a total of 41 points.
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All of the work that Dubas has put in over the offseason hinges on the core staying healthy and playing at their highest level. With the league only continuing to get younger and faster around them, these three players will have their work cut out for them over their remaining years in Pittsburgh.
Mike Sullivan
There is no denying that Mike Sullivan is a good coach. However, he is fresh off of his worst season in Pittsburgh with a 40-31-11 record. He made more than a few questionable decisions last year that have left him in the hot seat going into this season. With a three-year contract extension that does not kick in until the end of the 2023-24 season, his job is safe for now. However, simply making the playoffs this season may not be enough. The Penguins have also not won a playoff series in the past five seasons and it definitely feels like it is do-or-die time for the head coach.
Win or Bust
The tension will be high in Pittsburgh all season. The core only has a few years left until age will start to take a toll. The Penguins must have their foot on the gas all year. Dubas has put the pieces in place and now they will have to prove that they can still compete for a championship.
