Breaking down the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of NHL Free Agency.
Updated: Sunday, June 29
Pending free agents
Unrestricted: 18 | Restricted: 6 | See full list
[teamleaders league=”nhl” team=”pit” season=”2013″]
Penguins overview
No top-tier club figures to do more moving and shaking than the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer. Change in the Steel City began when general manager Ray Shero was fired after the Penguins coughed up a 3-1 series lead to the New York Rangers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Former Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford was hired to replace him and Rutherford’s first order of business was to relieve Dan Bylsma of his coaching duties.
That was the easy part. Rutherford is now tasked with the chore of filling out a top-heavy team that has question marks at every position with the exception of No. 1 and 2 centre. The least-taxing fix for Pittsburgh is finding more capable players to execute bottom-six forward roles and keep the team more competitive when Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin aren’t on the ice.
Much more difficult is the question of what to do with Marc-Andre Fleury. The goalie was better in the 2014 playoffs than he’s been in other recent post-seasons, but he’s never come close to replicating the form he showed in leading the team to consecutive Cup finals in 2008 and ’09. Despite what’s said publicly, how much faith can the players really have in him? Pittsburgh is a team that knows it can sleepwalk through the regular season and rack up more than enough points to qualify for the playoffs. The trick is finding a formula that will once again allow this team to compete with the league’s best when it matters most.
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| Click player positions to see depth chart | ||
Areas to address
This is a great summer to be a dependable third-liner looking for work because the Penguins are currently hiring. To be fair, the Penguins were decimated by injuries last year, but there’s no denying the fact this club needs a better support staff. That’s why sniper James Neal’s name pops up now and then in trade rumours, the theory being Pittsburgh may have to sacrifice a star to help round out the rest of the lineup.
And what about those crease questions? Given Fleury is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2015, the Pens could likely find a club willing to give him a one-year trial in a new setting. That would clear the way for some new blood at the most important position.
The Penguins also have a very unsettled blueline, where Matt Niskanen — who led the team’s defencemen in scoring and had great possession numbers — is a pending UFA and Kris Letang is trying to reestablish his elite status after overcoming a stroke last January. If Niskanen leaves, it creates a significant hole on the back end. That said, Olli Maatta had a great rookie year and Derrick Pouliot — the eighth overall pick in 2012 — may be the next young blueliner capable of helping the club.
Possible signing targets
Ryan Miler (G): If Fleury is moved, it would allow Pittsburgh to go all in on a proven No. 1.
Mike Cammalleri (LW): He’s a vet who’d presumably like to play for a contender. He also has a very nice track record in the playoffs.
Brian Boyle (C): A big fourth-line centre who can log valuable minutes on the penalty-kill.
Mike Weaver (D): He’s a solid citizen on the back end and could log third-pair minutes as a valued right-hand shot.
Dan Boyle (D): If Niskanen bolts and they want another puck-mover, Boyle fits the bill.
