Inside look at Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 31 teams throughout August. Today, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't feel the need to overhaul their roster heading into this season after failing to win a third straight Stanley Cup championship.
Instead, the Penguins, who lost to the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Second Round, added a few players to bolster their defense and to solidify their bottom six forwards. The rest of the lineup will mostly consist of familiar faces from when Pittsburgh won the championship in 2016-17.
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"You have to evaluate everything and turn the page at some point, and get ready for next year," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "You don't want to have long summers, but when you do get them, you have to make sure that you make the most of them."
As has been the case for more than a decade, the Penguins offense will be led by one of the best one-two center combinations in the NHL. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will anchor the top two lines, although Crosby's line will have an adjustment after Conor Sheary was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on June 27.
Daniel Sprong, a 21-year-old forward, should have his opportunity to become a full-time contributor next to Crosby and left wing Jake Guentzel. During two NHL stints (18 games in 2015-16 and eight games last season), Sprong has five points (four goals, one assist). He had 65 points (32 goals, 33 assists) in 65 games last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
"He had the ability, at times, to come in and play an offensive role on our team," Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said. "But he needed to work on his all-around game. He did that."
To improve the defense, Pittsburgh traded defenseman Matt Hunwick and Sheary to Buffalo, opening up enough NHL salary cap space to sign Jack Johnson to a five-year, $16.25 million contract (average annual value $3.25 million).
The 31-year-old defenseman had a subpar 2017-18 season but expects to rebound after scoring 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 77 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets and being a healthy scratch late in the regular season and throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason," Johnson said. "Not coming to an extension in Columbus just led me to this opportunity."
Kris Letang, who will attempt to recover from a relatively disappointing season when he scored 51 points but suffered from defensive lapses, has chemistry with partner Brian Dumoulin, and Olli Maatta seemed to jell with Justin Schultz on the second pair. That could leave Johnson starting his Penguins career with Jamie Oleksiak.
Chad Ruhwedel, a regular on the third pair last postseason, should be the seventh defenseman. So if Johnson returns to his 2016-17 form, Pittsburgh will have strengthened its depth.
Matt Cullen, a 41-year-old forward who won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, was the other noteworthy signing on July 1. With a one-year, $650,000 contract, he likely will return to Pittsburgh's bottom six forwards after having 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 79 games with the Minnesota Wild last season.

Cullen could be the fourth-line center with either Derick Brassard or Riley Sheahan moving to wing, or Cullen could play wing with the other two remaining the third- and fourth-line centers.
"We're comfortable that [Cullen] can still help our team," Rutherford said. "We also feel that with the character of Jack Johnson and Matt Cullen going back into that room, we're going to get some of that [leadership] back."
The rest of the roster should look familiar.
Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist should again play a majority of the season at either second- or third-line right wing, and Carl Hagelin could remain the second-line left wing. Matt Murray will be the undisputed starting goaltender for a second consecutive season with either Tristan Jarry or Casey DeSmith backing up.
Losing to the Capitals in the playoffs didn't make the Penguins rethink how they operate. They believe they have the tools to win a third championship in four seasons.
"We're a good team, and we will be a good team going forward," Rutherford said. "We'll have a chance to win again. We have the nucleus to do that."