The Pittsburgh Penguins missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season. This was a disappointing outcome after the Penguins went wild in 2023 NHL Free Agency. Pittsburgh sold at the NHL Trade Deadline, and could not salvage the season to play postseason hockey.
The Penguins added depth in NHL Free Agency this year. They avoided the big names such as Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault once the market opened. Instead, they targeted some of the younger names available in free agency. Adding depth around the edges of the roster to ensure they had players where they needed and when they needed them.
It's hard to say whether this team has improved from what we saw last season. In saying this, we won't have to wait too long to see what this team is capable of this year. Here is a complete Penguins season preview with the 2024-25 NHL season right around the corner.
The projected Penguins roster
Pittsburgh returns a few familiar names for this iteration of the team. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are back as the two best players on the Penguins roster. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are also back, looking to support the two Pittsburgh icons. Michael Bunting is preparing for his first full season with the team after coming over in the Jake Guentzel trade last year.
On defense, the Penguins will rely on three names in particular. Kris Letang is lacing his skates for his 19th NHL season, having spent his entire career in Pittsburgh thus far. Erik Karlsson is hoping to take a leap in his second year in black and gold. And unsung hero Marcus Pettersson enters a contract year in 2024-25.
Nothing has changed for this team in between the pipes. Tristan Jarry hopes to bounce back from a less-than-ideal season in 2023-24. Meanwhile, Alex Nedeljkovic is looking to build upon a bounce-back campaign with Pittsburgh last season. Here is a complete look at the projected Penguins roster for the upcoming season:
Forwards – Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, Michael Bunting, Anthony Beauvillier, Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, Kevin Hayes, Cody Glass, Blake Lizotte, Lars Eller, Drew O'Connor, Valtteri Pusstinen, Noel Acciari, Rutger McGroarty
Defensemen – Marcus Petterson, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Matt Grzelcyk, Ryan Graves, Sebastian Aho, Jack St. Ivany
Goalies – Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic
Pittsburgh's season outlook
The Penguins are in for an interesting season, and it gets started in around a week or so. Pittsburgh plays the New York Rangers at home on October 9 to ring in the new season. They then hit the road for a three-game road trip against the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadiens.
On November 8, the Penguins travel to the nation's capital for a game against the Washington Capitals. This game is significant for a few reasons. One, the Capitals were the team who claimed the final East playoff spot over Pittsburgh last season. But this season could be one of the final times we see Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin compete each other. Pittsburgh and Washington play four times this season.
On December 3, Pittsburgh plays host to the reigning Stanley Cup champions. The Florida Panthers come to town that night hoping to pick up a win en route to the playoffs. This is the first time the teams will meet since Florida won the Stanley Cup back in June.
Pittsburgh's final 10 games of the season are certainly going to be interesting. If the team is looking to gain ground in the Metropolitan Division, it will need to rely on results elsewhere. The Penguins face six Eastern Conference opponents in their final 10 games. However, only two of them are direct division rivals. Pittsburgh's final regular season game is on April 17, 2025 against the Capitals.
Are the Penguins a playoff team?
The Penguins decided to change course from how they operated last offseason. Instead of splashing the cash for top names, they were a lot more reserved. Pittsburgh took chances on the likes of Kevin Hayes, Blake Lizotte, and Anthony Beauvillier. And it will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out.
Pittsburgh has the high end talent to compete for a playoff spot. Actually making it, however, is an entirely different matter. The Penguins may have added depth in NHL Free Agency this summer. But they may simply lack the overall roster quality to compete with other teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Penguins should compete for a playoff spot in 2024-25. And they certainly could make it. However, don't be surprised if they miss out on the playoffs, either. Another failure to make the playoffs could lead to some interesting decisions made by this front office in 2025.
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