The Pittsburgh Penguins enter 2024-25 having missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in Sidney Crosby‘s career. Despite a 94-point season from the 36-year-old Crosby, they only amassed 91 points last year. With an important season ahead, we'll be making our Pittsburgh Penguins 2024-25 bold predictions.
Last year marked Erik Karlsson's first with the Penguins. He was traded from the San Jose Sharks to Pittsburgh after winning the Norris Trophy in 2022-23 but did not have a great season. Karlsson picked up 11 goals, 45 assists, and 56 points, significantly lower than his 101-point campaign the year before. He must turn his game around to get the Penguins in the playoffs.
President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas made some moves to improve the team this summer. He traded Reilly Smith to the Rangers after one disastrous season. The highest profile move was flipping Brandon Yaeger for Rutger McGroarty in a prospect deal with the Winnipeg Jets.
With all of that said, let's look at our Pittsburgh Penguins 2024-25 bold predictions.
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Sidney Crosby will finish with 100+ points
Sidney Crosby has won three Stanley Cups, two Hart Trophies, two Rocket Richards, and is an eight-time All-Star. He could walk off into the sunset, straight to the Hall of Fame, and let the Penguins rebuild without their star. He told Elliotte Friedman this week that he has no intentions of doing that and wants to remain a Penguin. Crosby's contract expires after this season.
Dubas and crew will undoubtedly retain one of the greatest players in Penguins' history. As long as he wants to be in Pittsburgh, they should pay him whatever he wants. The prior administration decided to retain Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, which meant Crosby wouldn't be going anywhere. Now, with a contract negotiation looming, number 87 will put up another 100-point season.
Crosby has six 100-point seasons in his 19-year career but has not had one since 2018-19. He came close last year, with a 94-point, 42-goal performance that buoyed a poor Penguins team to near-playoff competition. Crosby will get there this year and lead Pittsburgh in scoring again this season.
Tristan Jarry will bounce back in goal
Kyle Dubas's biggest decision has come by picking Tristan Jarry to be their long-term goaltender. He signed Jarry to a five-year contract to keep him in Pittsburgh and the first year was excellent. After winning 24 of his 47 starts with a .909 save percentage in 2022-23, he faltered last year. Jarry only won 19 games last year but his save percentage was similar, at .903.
Expect Tristan Jarry to bounce back in his win-loss record this season. Karlsson and Letang did not lead a great defensive unit and the offense struggled after trading Jake Guentzel. While they did not replace Guentzel's production, the offense will be better this season. McGroarty should be a star in the league and score goals as a rookie.
All of those factors will get Jarry's record closer to .500 and the team closer to the playoffs. While he will never be an elite goaltender in the league, he can be the starter on a playoff team, as proven by his performances in the first few seasons of his career. He will be a solid backstop for a solid Penguins team.
Penguins will miss the playoffs for a third straight year
Despite those solid seasons, the Penguins will miss the playoffs once again this year. They will stay in contention, finishing with around 85 points, the lowest since Crosby's rookie year of 2005-06. That prediction says more about the last two decades of the Penguins than the ability of this team. While they won't be in the playoffs, their run of success has been incredible and is clearly coming to an end.
The Metropolitan Division is stacked with Stanley Cup contenders. The Rangers just won the President's Trophy, the Devils are looking for a bounce-back season, and the Hurricanes have been one of the best teams of the last half-decade. While the Penguins will struggle against those teams, they will soar against the basement of the Eastern Conference like the Blue Jackets and Canadiens.
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