For much of the time since Jim Rutherford stepped down as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey ops, the bottom six forwards have struggled to find their form. Head coach Mike Sullivan and former general manager Ron Hextall tried every possible combination under the sun. However, the solutions were only temporary. Kasperi Kapanen and Rickard Rakell were the most stable presences at the bottom of the lineup, but no one was able to effectively move down so that those other than the big names could be successful.
Kyle Dubas has already upgraded the Penguins in many areas, and his recent signings of Noel Acciari and Lars Eller will only complement an already-loaded bottom six. He brought in four new faces in free agency; Matt Nieto from the Colorado Avalanche, and Vinnie Hinostroza from the Buffalo Sabres arrived in addition to Acciari and Eller. Their pedigrees and previous experience as anchors of a team’s third and fourth lines will drastically improve the Penguins’ woeful bottom six.
Eller Brings Championship History to Penguins
Eller is most likely best known for his time with the Montréal Canadiens, but he does bring deep playoff experience to the Penguins. While with the Habs, his single best performance came in the 2013-14 season and the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the first round, he averaged a point per game as the Canadiens dispatched the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he helped them reach the Eastern Conference Final. As a result of his excellent playoff performance, he was rewarded with a new contract.
Related: Penguins’ New-Look Bottom-Six a Big Upgrade Over 2022-23
He was traded to the Washington Capitals at the 2016 NHL Draft and went on to become arguably their best shutdown forward, ultimately scoring the Cup-clinching goal in Game 6 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and notching seven goals and 18 points in 24 playoff games.
He built up a reputation as one of the Capitals’ best players not named Alexander Ovechkin or Nicklas Backström, as he recorded a career-high 39 points in 2019-20, just two seasons after a career-high in goals en route to the championship. Although his production dropped since the Capitals’ Stanley Cup winning season and his health has been somewhat inconsistent, he remains a strong option for the Penguins’ bottom six, especially since he arrives on a two-year, $2.45 million deal.
Acciari Is the Perfect Fit for New-Look Penguins
When Dubas first acquired Acciari at last season’s deadline, he knew exactly what he was getting. Although forward Ryan O’Reilly was the marquee attraction in that deal, Acciari was arguably the more consistent player. He brought with him a reputation as one of the most tenacious checkers in the game, cultivating it from his college days to his current pro status. He became the team’s best shot blocker and stepped up when O’Reilly went down with a broken finger (from ‘Meet Maple Leafs forward Noel Acciari: A ‘special guy’ off the ice, a ‘wrecking ball’ on it,’ The Athletic, 7/7/23).
Acciari shined brightest in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Maple Leafs advanced past the first round for the first time since 2004. He began the postseason as a player poised to contribute a great deal, and he helped shut down the Lightning’s big guns, limiting players like Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov to 10 combined points in six games. He also added two goals en route to the first-round upset. His history with Dubas no doubt attracted him to the Penguins, and he will be a welcome addition to the new core.
Eller and Acciari both bring hard-nosed play and championship experience to the Penguins’ new-look bottom six, as both have played in the Stanley Cup Final. Although Acciari ultimately lost the Cup as a member of the Boston Bruins, his reputation was what made him Dubas’ top target on both the trade market and in free agency. The two will serve as excellent complements to Hinostroza and Nieto, and the Penguins’ bottom six will drastically improve the team’s fortunes in 2023-24.
