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The Pittsburgh Penguins endured another bad season, finishing 34-36-12 while missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season. Now, they look to break that slump and make it back. Pittsburgh hopes for better results and looks to have a productive offseason. The Penguins' nightmare scenario in 2025 NHL free agency could see them fall further down the standings while Sidney Crosby contemplates his future.
The Penguins let go of Mike Sullivan and hired Dan Muse to replace him. This represents a significant shift for Pittsburgh into a new era. After 10 years under Sullivan, the Penguins will have a new voice. The Penguins have approximately $24.5 million in cap space and room to spend.
The Penguins have hopes for good things. Yet, some murky clouds are hovering over a team with a lot of veterans. There must be a balance. Currently, the Pens don't have it, and the situation can worsen.
The Penguins fail to re-sign young players
The Penguins must continue to utilize their youth movement. Therefore, re-signing their young players is critical. Several Penguins' free agents include Ryan Shea (unrestricted free agent next offseason) and Olivier-Pierre Joseph (restricted free agent this offseason).
The top priority during the Penguins' free agency period should be retaining their youth. Then, they must trade veterans like Bryan Rust in exchange for younger players and potential prospects. The Penguins should pursue younger players who can make an impact on the blue line. If the Pens fail to do this, it will hinder them further.
Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson are all great players and future Hall of Famers. However, the Pens need to get younger, and they cannot allow a new influx of veterans.
The Penguins overpay for veterans in NHL free agency
The Penguins must resist the temptation to overpay for veterans. While signing someone like Mikael Granlund seems like a good idea, it could also lead to long-term consequences if they overpay.
There are also guys like Patrick Kane and John Tavares available, both of whom are 34 or older. Ideally, they could have an impact in the short term, but both come with significant risks, and the threat of injury or the possibility of decline will always be present. The Pens would be smart to sign a veteran who can play on the third or fourth line to a team-friendly contract.
There is no long-term goaltending solution in Pittsburgh
There was a time when Tristan Jarry was seen as the goaltender of the future. Substantially, there have been times when he has looked outstanding. Jarry had a solid campaign during the 2021-2022 season, going 34-18-6 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a save percentage of .919. But it's been downhill since.
Things have worsened to the point where the Penguins demoted Jarry and actively sought other options. Currently, the only other option on the Penguins' roster is Alex Nedeljkovic. He has not proven to be the guy, either. Thus, the Pens are in a pickle and must find long-term solutions at the goalie position. It could be in their best interest to find a goalie through 2025 free agency or via trade. There are some capable backups available in NHL free agency, such as Ilya Samsonov or Dan Vladar, both of whom have had starting experience.
Coming out of the 2025 free agency period without a long-term goalie solution would be disastrous. Moreover, it would set the Penguins back years.
The Pens fail to add goal-scoring depth in NHL free agency
The Penguins have no depth beyond Crosby, Rickard Rakell, or Rust. Additionally, Malkin struggled with injuries (again), and that has been an issue for years. The Pens need goal-scoring depth.
A good solution for their lack of goal scoring would be someone like Mason McTavish. If they can match the Anaheim Ducks' offer sheet, they would have a young up-and-coming shooter who is coming off a season where he scored 22 goals and had 30 assists. The Pens could also insert themselves into the race for Brock Boeser or Nikolaj Ehlers. Currently, they have two good lines. If they could add a bona fide goal scorer, they would be able to shift lines around and possibly have more solid scoring options.
There is also a chance the Penguins completely whiff on getting the goal scorer they need. If they cannot find someone who puts pucks in the back of the net, then they will be in dire straits. While Crosby has had a Hall of Fame career, he won't be around forever. If the Pens fail to get free agency right, life could get really rough by the time Crosby hangs up his skates.
