Lineup Analysis: What to Know Heading into 2022.23

When describing the team identity of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby would start with the word speed.
"And you can say the word experience," the captain added with a knowing grin. "That's another word that's been used a little bit more."

As head coach Mike Sullivan likes to say, they may be getting older, but they're not old. With Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang signed to long-term extensions, the Penguins boast the best core in the National Hockey League, entering their historic 17th season together. And they're healthy, hungry and ready to lead this team.
"I think that regardless of age, it's a motivated group," Crosby said. "And we're all really proud and excited for the opportunity to compete again this year and hopefully, go further than we did the last little while, for sure."
The Penguins believe they have what it takes to do just that, as general manager Ron Hextall did a tremendous job of keeping the roster mostly intact.
They finalized that roster on Monday
, and we took a look at each position - and all of the individuals - ahead of the season opener on Thursday versus Arizona at PPG Paints Arena.

FORWARDS - OVERALL LOOK

The Penguins had to start last year without the two-headed monster, as Crosby and Malkin were recovering from offseason surgeries. It's been huge for them to get a full training camp for the first time in a long time, from both an individual and team perspective.
"It's great," Jeff Carter said. "Those two and Tanger drive this team, right? With one or two or whatever not in the lineup, it totally changes things. It's good to have everybody and be able to work on certain situations that they're going to be in, and whatnot. They've all looked good this preseason, so hopefully we can hit the ground running here."
This group is based on puck pursuit and forecheck - essentially putting relentless pressure on an opposing team. And when the Penguins talk about speed, it's not necessarily centered around being fleet of foot, it's about processing the game fast.
"I think when you look at the core players that we have, first and foremost, they're all good skaters. So, they're not slow by any stretch," Sullivan said. "But they think the game on such a high level that they can create speed different ways with their anticipation skills, their puck skills and their ability to change the point of attack."
There's nothing better than team speed, and it's a collective effort that requires everyone to be on the same page. And Sullivan feels when they do that, the Penguins have the ability to play as fast as any team in the league.
Here are the projected opening-night forward combinations…
Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
Zucker-Malkin-Rust
Heinen-Carter-Kapanen
McGinn-Blueger-Archibald
(Poehling)

FORWARDS - INDIVIDUAL LOOKS

SIDNEY CROSBY
It's actually surreal how the captain truly shows no signs of slowing down at 35 years old. From an on-ice standpoint, he looks like his usual dominant self. From an off-ice standpoint, now that a summer of uncertainty is in the past, it feels like the captain is hungrier than ever to lead the Penguins to another championship. "I just want to win," he said. "It's not necessarily about the Cinderella story. It's about winning hockey games."
JAKE GUENTZEL
After being held to one goal in six games against the New York Islanders in the 2021 playoffs, Guentzel felt like he let a lot of people down, saying he had to find a better way to produce and do his job. He went on to have his second career 40-goal season and scored eight times in seven games during Round 1 against the New York Rangers, and the Penguins feel like he's poised to build on where he left off. "That's a challenge that internally, he has for himself," associate coach Todd Reirden said of the 28-year-old winger, who became a first-time father this offseason.
RICKARD RAKELL
He left a great impression after being acquired from Anaheim at last year's trade deadline, and signed a six-year contract extension in the offseason because
he felt like it was an incredible opportunity
. Now that Rakell is able to get his feet under him, "it will be fun to see what he can do all year long," Letang said. "Such a talented player, good goal scorer." The 29-year-old is already looking like a solid fit with Crosby and Guentzel, with Sullivan praising his tight-area skills and ability to make something out of nothing. "I think when he brings that dimension, he just adds another level to that to that line that he plays on," Sullivan said.
EVGENI MALKIN
Despite not making his season debut until Jan. 11 following major knee surgery, he still managed to pile up 20 goals and 42 points in just 41 games. Now that Malkin's contract situation is resolved and he's coming off a productive summer of training, his teammates, coaches and management have been struck at how the 36-year-old superstar is already in beast mode. "He looks strong, he looks in shape, he looks ready," Bryan Rust said. "I think obviously, it was a tough situation for him last year. He's come in after a good hard summer, and he might have a little bit of a bigger chip on his shoulder to kind of prove that he's still got it and he can still be a really elite player in this league."
JASON ZUCKER
He had some absolutely terrible injury luck last season, which had such a snowball effect on his ability to contribute. So the 30-year-old winger has hit the reset button coming into this season, saying it's just about getting back to his game. When Zucker is at his best, he's a straight-ahead guy who's good on the forecheck and in the battle areas, and also brings some scoring touch. Zucker, who tallied three times in five preseason outings, has hit the 20-goal mark four times in his career and the 30-goal mark once. He could be an X-factor for the Penguins if he's able to stay healthy and find consistency.
BRYAN RUST
Both Hextall and Sullivan described the winger as "the prototypical Pittsburgh Penguin" after
he inked a long-term extension
that will likely keep him here for the entirety of his career. It's been amazing to watch how Rust continues evolving his game, and while 'the sky is the limit' can be a cliché phrase, it really seems to apply to the 30-year-old winger. "I think throughout my career, I've always wanted to take the next step, whether it was just trying to get into the league; to becoming a regular; to becoming a top-six guy; to hopefully becoming one of the better forwards on the team or in the league," Rust said. "I think there's always goals, there's always aspirations, and there's always something else to try and strive for."
JEFF CARTER
The veteran forward has said that being traded to Pittsburgh probably prolonged his career a few more years, as playing here has given him a boost. The 37-year-old is just a good pro and quiet leader who takes care of himself and trains the right way to give himself every opportunity to have success. He's coming off a season where he scored 19 goals in 76 games, and this year, he won't have to start off as the No. 1 center and handle a larger role. The Penguins will try to deploy the versatile Carter in a way that makes the most sense on any given night.
KASPERI KAPANEN
He is hoping to respond from a bit of a down year, where he finished with 11 goals and 32 points in 79 games while experiencing a few lengthy slumps. The Penguins believe that the winger, who turned 26 two days after signing a two-year contract extension in July, is capable of more. They know he can play the type of game that the Penguins are trying to play, as they've seen glimpses of it since acquiring him from Toronto in the summer of 2020. Putting him alongside his friend and mentor Carter may help in that regard.Full story here.
DANTON HEINEN
He scored a career-high 18 goals in his first season with Pittsburgh, surpassing his previous best set with Boston as a rookie. The Penguins felt like he fit in really well with the team last year, and brought him back on a one-year deal. He's still young, having turned 27 in July, and very versatile. That's one of his greatest values, as the Penguins can play him up and down and around the lineup, in both the top-six and the bottom-six and on either wing. He's had a strong training camp to this point, and can hopefully start off the same way he did last year with goals in his first three.
TEDDY BLUEGER
He's built a reputation for being one of the hardest workers on the team, often staying on the ice longer than anyone else to practice different facets of the game, which has allowed him to keep improving as he progresses along in his career. "I think Teddy Blueger gets better and better with every year that he's been here," Sullivan said of the 28-year-old forward, who is entering his fifth full NHL season. The team just has so much trust in Blueger, especially defensively, as he's a cerebral and conscientious player that can handle any assignment against any player and is a huge part of the penalty kill. They also think his offensive game is underrated, and that Blueger has the ability to help them out there. We'll see if he is good to go for opening night after dealing with an upper-body injury during training camp.
RYAN POEHLING
If Blueger isn't ready, Poehling will get the call as the fourth-line center. He came over with Petry in the trade with Montreal, as Hextall has always liked the Minnesota native out of St. Cloud State, dating back to his draft year in 2017. At just 23 years old, there's still a lot of room for growth in Poehling's game. He's a cerebral two-way player who can fill in down the middle and on the wing, and also kill penalties.
BROCK MCGINN
Looking back, he wasn't quite the same after an upper-body injury that kept him out of the lineup longer-term towards the end of the season. McGinn said that he put in the work this summer to try and be at his best right away, and said he feels ready. The 28-year-old is one of those glue guys that makes the Penguins hard to play against, and does so many of the little things that add up to winning hockey games, whether it's blocking shots or executing wall plays. He's quietly a big part of the bottom-six.
JOSH ARCHIBALD
The Penguins have a lot of familiarity with his game, as the organization drafted him in 2011 and he won a Stanley Cup here in 2017 before departing to spend the past five seasons with Arizona and Edmonton. They brought Archibald back on a one-year contract this season because he can help the Penguins build and sustain momentum with the way that he plays. He's a tenacious energy guy who skates well, brings a ton of speed and has a physical edge. Off the ice, he has great relationships with members of the younger core, particularly Guentzel, as the two of them were college teammates at Nebraska-Omaha and have remained good friends ever since.

DEFENSE - OVERALL LOOK

I wrote this summer
about how the Penguins wanted to get a little bit heavier on the back end and improve their transition game. Although that meant parting ways with Mike Matheson and John Marino, the Penguins were happy with the group they assembled heading into training camp, with nine NHL-caliber defensemen in the mix.
With Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, Jeff Petry, Jan Rutta and Marcus Pettersson penciled in for Pittsburgh, that meant four players were essentially battling for that last spot. So the Penguinshave known for a long time that difficult decisions awaited them as they looked to become cap-compliant.
Right now, they are sticking with seven defensemen, with Chad Ruhwedel and P.O Joseph staying here and Ty Smith and Mark Friedman re-assigned to WBS for the time being. But Sullivan has continued to emphasize that most rosters are always evolving.
"And just because decisions are made in the short term - and certain players get sent to Wilkes-Barre, for example - that doesn't mean that they're out of the conversation for playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins at any particular point in time," the Penguins head coach said. "All of these guys are in the conversation, and I think that's the important takeaway."
Penguins associate coach Todd Reirden, who runs the defense, said he's comfortable putting any combination of those nine players on the ice at any point in time, which is a luxury most teams don't have. Right now, the top four looks like this, with the third pairing to be determined as Smith skated alongside Rutta for most of camp:
Letang-Dumoulin
Pettersson-Petry
"We have guys that can move the puck. We have big bodies," Letang said. "Jeff brings a physical element to it, Jan also. We got bigger. We have guys that have different aspects that we didn't have. Like a guy like Rutts that is a really good defender and plays well on the PK, that's something we didn't have, so I think he should be a guy that brings a different dimension."

DEFENSE - INDIVIDUAL LOOKS

KRIS LETANG
When he
signed a six-year contract extension
at age 35, no one really blinked an eye, which is a testament to his fitness level. "It's off the charts," Sullivan said. "There are some nights when we're behind the bench where we feel like we can't give him enough ice time. He means so much to the hockey team. He's a difficult player to replace. His game has never been better in my time here. He's an elite defenseman."
BRIAN DUMOULIN
He had a relatively inconsistent season that ended with an injury, as Dumoulin was hurt in Game 1 and got sidelined for the remainder of the series. The 31-year-old is looking to get back to his game, which is being a stabilizing force on that top pairing alongside longtime partner Letang. "We got to have that chemistry right from the start. We got to perform for this team," Dumoulin said. "Obviously, it's an important part of the fabric of our defensive corps. If we can lead by example, especially early on, hopefully it eases up some of the pressure off the other people on the back end."
JEFF PETRY
The veteran is the type of player you win with, and that's why the Penguins traded for him. Petry is a legitimate No. 2/3 defenseman in this league and is just so incredibly steady across all 200 feet of the ice. The 6-foot-3 blueliner is strong and athletic, and will be able to clear the net-front; transition the puck well with his mobility; and chip in offensively, both at even strength and on the second power-play unit. Petry is plenty motivated to win his first Stanley Cup and is in a much better place mentally off the ice being closer to home, so it'll be exciting to see how that all translates on the ice. Get to know more about the 34-year-old here.
MARCUS PETTERSSON
He is a good two-way defenseman who uses his long reach to defend well, and can also help drive some offense. "He's one of those guys that I think is pretty good at every aspect of his game, and that's what he's done for us since he's been a Penguin," Sullivan said. The 26-year-old has now played in 245 NHL games across four-plus seasons with Pittsburgh, and the challenge for him this year - at least to start - will center around being a reliable and dependable guy who can handle a top-four role.
JAN RUTTA
I love what Letang had to say about the 32-year-old Czech: "He's a guy that is willing to go to war out there." Rutta is a defensive defenseman who blocks shots, plays physical and kill penalties. And not only does he make the Penguins tougher to play against - Rutta also brings a championship mentality, appearing in three straight Stanley Cup Finals with Tampa Bay and winning twice. Full story here.
P.O JOSEPH
It's an exciting time for the 23-year-old as he looks to take the next step in his career. Both management and the coaching staff believe Joseph is ready to really push for more time at the NHL level after three professional seasons spent mostly in Wilkes-Barre. They feel like he continues to grow and develop, and "I think when P.O's at his very best, he's a solid two-way defenseman," Sullivan said. "He has the ability to help us get out of our end. He uses his mobility and his stick skills to defend, and he's got decent offensive instincts."
CHAD RUHWEDEL
After first signing with the Penguins back in the summer of 2016, Ruhwedel had spent a lot of time as Pittsburgh's seventh defenseman. Last year, he got a big opportunity and ran with it, earning consistent playing time and appearing in a career-high 78 games - smashing his previous personal best of 44. Whatever his role ends up being this year, there's no question that Ruhwedel will handle it like the consummate professional that he is. "Chad just controls what he can," Sullivan said. "There's a certain trustworthiness and reliability to his game. He's played some really good hockey for us in the time that he's been here. He's been a big part of this group and the success that it's enjoyed."

IN WBS TO START:

TY SMITH
The Penguins were really excited about adding the 22-year-old to the mix, as he adds a different dimension to their D corps with his ability to operate on the blue line and power-play prowess. He's a gifted young player with a lot of upside who has shown flashes of brilliance in terms of what he's capable of, and the Penguins are hoping he can build on his phenomenal rookie season, learn from his inconsistent sophomore season, and continue to become a better player. "Our message to him was just because a decision like this was made right now, doesn't mean it's etched in stone, and performance matters, just like it does with all of our players," Sullivan said. "What's important from his standpoint is that he controls what's within his control."
MARK FRIEDMAN
The 26-year-old has a truly one-of-a-kind personality and is a constant source of entertainment off the ice. He can be pretty entertaining on the ice as well when he gets under opposing players' skin, but away from that, Friedman is a talented blueliner with great mobility and has played really well in the opportunities he's gotten.

GOALIES - OVERALL LOOK

It's still hard to fathom the unbelievably bad luck the Penguins had at this position when it came to injuries last season. Starting goaltender Tristan Jarry broke his foot two weeks before playoffs began, which meant No. 2 netminder Casey DeSmith got the nod for Game 1 - where he suffered a core muscle injury that required surgery.
Jarry returned before he was ready to give his team a chance in Game 7, but it wasn't enough for the Penguins to advance. Both players spent the summer rehabbing and getting back into form, and have come back looking sharp and strong. And not only are they healthy - they're entering their second season working with goalie coach Andy Chiodo, and that added comfortability should make a big difference.
"When Casey is at his best, just like Jars - we feel like we've got a real good tandem there," Mike Sullivan said. "These guys, they're gonna give us a chance to win each and every night."
The Penguins also feel good about their depth behind Jarry and DeSmith. They signed Dustin Tokarski, a veteran of 76 NHL games who's coming off a career year with Buffalo, to a one-year/way deal. And promising prospect Filip Lindberg, 23, is set to play a lot of games for WBS this season.

GOALIES - INDIVIDUAL LOOKS

TRISTAN JARRY
Both of Jarry's first two seasons as the Penguins starter haven't ended the way anyone would have liked. It was amazing to watch how he rebounded from the 2021 playoffs, putting together an All-Star season that was tremendous not just from a numbers perspective, but from his approach as well.Sullivan described it best when he said Jarry had a certain look in his eye where he was determined to prove people wrong and show that he's a legit No. 1 goaltender in this league, which is exactly what he did. But the timing of his injury kept Jarry from being the type of difference-maker he wanted to be in the 2022 playoffs.However, the Penguins are pleased with how Jarry, 27, has handled the disappointment of last season.Full story here.
CASEY DESMITH
The team re-signed DeSmith to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.8 million this offseason, with Hextall calling the move "a bit of a no-brainer" from their end. "You look at the market, there's not a lot out there," he said. "Casey's a pretty good goalie. He's played very well for us. He's well-liked and he fits in well." The 31-year-old obviously also had his share of disappointment last season, but is feeling good from a mindset standpoint and ready to do his part to help the team win hockey games.