Bemstrom Should Bring Offensive Dimension to Help Penguins

Emil Bemstrom was “in a little bit of shock” on Thursday night after discovering he’d been traded to the Penguins from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Alex Nylander and a 2026 conditional draft pick.

After getting all of Friday to let the news sink in, the 24-year-old forward practiced with his new team on Saturday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex ahead of Sunday’s afternoon matchup with the Flyers.

“I'm just super excited to be here and be a part of this great organization,” Bemstrom said. “It's a great opportunity for me here now, and just got to prove myself, you know? Hopefully I get the opportunity to show that. So, just go from there.”

Bemstrom slotted in at right wing alongside Lars Eller and Reilly Smith on Pittsburgh’s third line. Having a veteran centerman should help ease Bemstrom’s transition to the Penguins.

“I think the coaches will go over a lot of the X’s and O’s with him,” Eller said. “As a linemate, for me, I’ll try to make him feel comfortable and feel part of the team, so new guys can come in and be themselves. I think that’s the key to get the most out of everybody.

“Hopefully, he can help us. He’s played in the NHL for a bit, he’s familiar with the pace of the game and all that. So, hopefully we can build some chemistry for tomorrow and utilize his skills and his assets, and make it a good line.”

Bemstrom has spent parts of five seasons in the NHL, all with Columbus, who took him in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft. In 204 career regular-season games, he’s picked up 31 goals, 38 assists and 69 points. His best season came in 2022-23 where he set career highs in assists (15) and points (22) in 55 games.

Pittsburgh’s power play, which has dealt with its fair share of struggles this season, tallied a crucial goal in the team’s 4-1 win over the Canadiens on Thursday. Bryan Rust scored while playing on a unit with Erik Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Eller. Today, Bemstrom replaced Matthew Phillips on the other unit, skating with Kris Letang, Jeff Carter, Evgeni Malkin, and Reilly Smith.

Despite being in a new jersey alongside new personnel, being on the power play is nothing new for the Swede.

“I've been there almost my whole life,” Bemstrom said. “It will be fun to try that here.”

Head Coach Mike Sullivan believes the newest Penguin addition can help the team continue to find more success in that area as they fight to make the playoffs.

“He has a really good shot, that’s one of his biggest strengths,” Sullivan said. “We are trying to encourage some of our power-play groups to shoot the puck a little bit more. That’s an opportunity for him to help us in that regard.”

That being said, Bemstrom was brought in to be more than just a powerplay specialist. The winger values the two-way aspect to his game, and wants to contribute at both ends of the ice for the Penguins, something Sullivan also agrees with.

“But 5-on-5 also, I think he has good mobility. He skates well,” Sullivan said. “And regardless of where we fit him in the lineup, or put him on a certain line, I think he's going to bring an offensive dimension to help us.”

This is the workflow the Penguins used…

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

O'Connor-Malkin-Puustinen

Smith-Eller-Bemstrom (Phillips)

Harkins-Acciari-Carter

Joseph-Letang

Pettersson-Karlsson

Puljujarvi rotated with Graves, Ruhwedel, and Ludvig.

In addition to Bemstrom joining the third line, Valtteri Puustinen jumped to Evgeni Malkin’s line. Puustinen saw some shifts there last game, and had the primary assist on Drew O’Connor’s goal against the Canadiens.

“He’s a really good player,” O’Connor said after Thursday’s win. “I’m pretty familiar with his game just from the last few years, I played on his line a lot in Wilkes-Barre actually. He sees the ice really well, he’s patient with the puck. He makes really good plays, it’s fun playing with him.”

Puustinen has one goal and one assist in his three games back in Pittsburgh since his recall from Wilkes-Barre Scranton.