Hockey is officially back and the Pittsburgh Penguins are preparing for what they hope will be a comeback season. After missing the playoffs for the last two seasons in a row, the Penguins seem determined to go on one more deep run before the core retires. This season, Pittsburgh has some decisions to make when it comes to the forward group, and several of their young prospects are playing like they have something to prove.
Who Is Standing Out?
Pittsburgh has not had much luck in the preseason so far in terms of wins. However, they have had some standout performances from their young prospects. Jesse Puljujarvi has been doing a good job of making sure he does not get overlooked for a permanent roster spot. He had a hat trick against the Buffalo Sabres in the Penguins’ 7-3 loss on Sept. 21.
Puljujarvi’s first goal came on the man advantage when he redirected a pass from Ville Koivunen right in front of the net. This was encouraging to see for a couple of different reasons. Pittsburgh struggled on the power play last season, and that is something they will be looking to improve upon this season. In the game against Buffalo, they moved the puck well on the power play and had a strong net-front presence, which is something they need to carry over to the regular season.
Puljujarvi’s second goal showcased his speed and skating ability, which was somewhat of a question coming into training camp. It also came on the power play when he came flying up the right wing and got to the front of the net to bury the goal. This time last season, he was still rehabbing from double hip surgery and that type of goal would not have been possible. Now that he is healthy and has had a full offseason to train, the Penguins can really assess his progress.
Last season, Puljujarvi joined the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on a tryout contract and played in 13 games, scoring four goals and adding five assists. In February, Pittsburgh signed him to a two-year contract and he played in 22 games with the NHL Penguins. He scored three goals and had one assist, which is not ideal for a bottom-six player, but his injuries played a huge role in his low production.
Puljujarvi has a good release and a laser of a shot. He also plays a very physical game with good forechecking skills and is active in the defensive zone. There is no doubt he is giving the coaching staff something to think about; however, he is contending with some pretty stiff competition. As of now, nothing is a sure thing, but the chances of players such as Rutger McGroarty and Noel Acciari making the roster out of camp are very high.
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That does not leave many open slots and Valtteri Puustinen is definitely looking for one of them. He played in 52 games with the Penguins last season and scored five goals while adding 15 assists. He has good offensive instincts but will need to up his game during the preseason if he wants a roster spot. He needs to start finishing plays and scoring goals if he wants to stand out.
Who Will Be on the Ice for Opening Night?
The Penguins regular season begins Wednesday, Oct. 9 against the New York Rangers. There are still a lot of decisions that need to be made in the next couple weeks including who will round out the forward group. Depth scoring has been a huge issue in Pittsburgh for the last couple of seasons and they have to correct it if they want to return to the postseason.
