Each day in the month of August we’ll be examining a different NHL team — from looking back at last season to discussing a player under pressure to focusing on a player coming off a breakthrough year to asking questions about the future. Today we look at the Pittsburgh Penguins.
2017-18
47-29-6, 100 pts. (2nd in the Metropolitan Division, 5th in the Eastern Conference)
Playoffs: Lost in six games to the Washington Capitals, second round
IN
Matt Cullen
Jack Johnson
Derek Grant
OUT
Connor Sheary
Matt Hunwick
Tom Kuhnhackl
Carter Rowney
Josh Jooris
RE-SIGNED
Daniel Sprong
Bryan Rust
Riley Sheahan
Jamie Oleksiak
Tristan Jarry
Dominik Simon
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The bid for a third straight Stanley Cup title fell short as the Penguins were knocked out by the Washington Capitals, who slayed a demon en route to the franchise’s first championship.
It was the culmination of an up-and-down season, one that began with a 10-1 thrashing by the Chicago Blackhawks in their second game and saw the Penguins hold a 19-18-3 record as the calendar turned to 2018. Matt Murray, in his first season as the full-fledged No. 1 in net, again battled through injury, giving the team a chance to see Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith in extended action.
Meanwhile, the Penguins’ big weapons did as they normally do and dominated in the scoring department. Evgeni Malkin (98 points), Phil Kessel (92) and Sidney Crosby (89) all finished top 10 in scoring in the NHL, with Malkin hitting 40 goals for the first time since 2011-12 and Kessel recording a career high in points.
General manager Jim Rutherford continued his trading ways and added Riley Sheahan and Jamie Oleksiak in separate deals, which turned out to be shrewd moves in helping both the team’s bottom six and blue line. A three-way deal at the NHL’s trade deadline brought Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh, but everyone is still waiting for that move to work within the team’s current setup.
[Under Pressure: Johnson | Breakthrough: Oleksiak | 3 Questions]
As a team that spends to the cap annually, there wasn’t a lot of action in free agency, despite thoughts that Rutherford might swing another trade. Matt Cullen was brought back and Jack Johnson was handed a curious five-year, $16.25 million contract. The Penguins have their core pieces locked up, outside of Jake Guentzel, who’s scheduled to become an RFA next summer. They’re ready for another run and with a GM who’s not afraid to make a bold move to improve his team’s championship chances, it’s easy to see why they’ll once again be in the mix of teams hoping to represent the Eastern Conference in the Cup Final.
Prospect Pool
• Filip Hallander, 18, RW, Timra (SHL) — 2018 second-round pick
If he can come close to the comparisons to fellow Swede Patric Hornqvist, that will bode well for the Penguins in the future, especially since they traded up to draft him. Despite a knee injury that slowed him a bit, Hallander impressed the Penguins with his two-way game. He chipped in nine goals and 20 points in 40 games last season with Timra.
• Calen Addison, 18, D, Lethbridge (WHL) — 2018 second-round pick
An offensive defenseman, Addison scored 11 goals and recorded 65 points for the Hurricanes last season. A puck-mover, he still has a ways to go in improving his defensive game, but with Sergei Gonchar having already worked his magic on a number of the Penguins defenseman, there’s a confidence that Addison’s all-around game can develop.
• Daniel Sprong, 21, RW, Wilkes-Barre (AHL) — 2015 second-round pick
With an eight-game taste last season, Sprong should have a full opportunity to stick with the NHL club this season. Rutherford said in May the 21-year-old winger is expected to be a regular in the lineup in 2018-19. He’s a proven scorer, having netted 32 goals in both his final year in junior and last season in the AHL. The Penguins are more than fine down the middle, so if Sprong can become a reliable producer on the wing.
MORE: Will Sidney Crosby win another scoring title in his career?
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.