Predictions for the THN Penguins' Awards Categories?

Unfortunately, that can take years! Meanwhile, let us continue the celebrations by setting fire to some more of those unwanted things from before… His preseason started out rough in Buffalo, but as time progressed he picked up steam to become an incredible performer throughout. Related: Penguins Goaltending Prospects Shining in Training CampMy bold prediction is that by season’s end he will become their starting goaltender. And it will be because he’s their top goaltender. Penguins Lady Byng Trophy: Rickard RakellThe guy has never amassed more than 27 penalty minutes over 12 seasons – only twice has he reached 20! Rakell will likely regain a spot on the Penguins’ first power play unit and find himself playing more advantageous offensive situations, further improving his plus/minus score and plus-minus totals. I predict 10 penalty minutes over an entire season from him; you can view his stats here: Maurice “Rocket” Richard: Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby are tied at 18 penalty minutes each for this season according to Imagn Images(c) Charles LeClaire/Imagn ImagesI have stated this time and again: Rickard Rakell is going to find success this season with more consistent playmaking duties from other Penguin players including him joining Maurice “Rocket” Richard (who were tied at 18 penalty minutes each). I predict 10 penalty minutes in total for an entire campaign (C) Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images(c) Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images(c) Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images(c) Charles LeClaire/Imagn ImagesI have repeatedly said this season: Rakell is about to see success this time around after struggling last year – something we saw last season as seen before when we saw so-soon Richard, Sidney Crosby). Richard says it as much. I’ve said this season! It can only become reality this time… Last season was derailed by injuries and slow starts; but following his initial stint on injured reserve (IR), Rakell rebounded by scoring 23 goals for 53 points overall while playing through an ongoing shoulder issue that severely limited his shooting accuracy. Training camp has proven no different – Rakell has already shown off his speed with some impressive displays! Crosby is being utilized on the Penguins first power play unit as a shoot-first bumper and I predict he may set his career high of 37 goals this season if everything stays the same for him. But whether or not that occurs remains to be seen; whatever it may be Crosby is sure to continue doing what he knows how. Without Jake Guentzel as his primary trigger man, he will likely shoot more often as opposed to deferring like they used to when deferring him for deferral. While goal production might drop from 42 this past season due to talent being less exceptional around him. So he will register 37 points as well. Penguins Calder Trophy: Rutger McGroartyThis race between McGroarty and Blomqvist may come down to two horses racing head to head for this award. As good as I think Henrik Blomqvist will be, McGroarty’s offensive potential cannot be overlooked. In Columbus preseason game #18 he lit it up along with Lars Eller and Jesse Puljujarvi – making an impressive showing. They scored four goals and collected 10 points against an NHL lineup – showing their dominance out there against NHL opponents. Related Article: Penguins’ Top Prospect McGroarty Establishing New Roles And this trio makes up Pittsburgh’s third line. Due to injuries and uncertainty within the top six, there’s an excellent chance McGroarty could spend time alongside Crosby or Evgeni Malkin this season and could produce offensively as a result of that time on ice – providing even greater potential for offensive production than before. His hockey intelligence can’t be denied. His training camp showed steady improvement throughout its entirety. Rust will quickly make his mark for the Penguins.He earned their Frank J. Selke Trophy on April 11, 2024 at PPG Paints Arena and scored against Detroit Red Wings during second period action at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsThe obvious choice would be Sidney Crosby, who has received Selke votes year-after-year due to his 200-ft game. Crosby has seen his defensive numbers slip due to age and taking more offensive risks due to poor production numbers from his team, so I will go with Rust as my pick this season. Rust not only excels on defense but is capable of posting point-per-game numbers as well. His five consecutive 20+ goal seasons make him an effective special teams unit player who can be deployed into any situation successfully.He epitomises what many refer to as being “200 footers.” Penguins Norris Trophy Winner Erik KarlssonWhile some were disappointed with Karlsson’s season this past year, many saw it as being his finest achievement yet in 2023-24. However, that does not imply he was without flaws; offensively speaking there’s room for improvement as he only managed 11 goals and 56 points over 82 games following up his 101 point campaign with San Jose Sharks last season. Eric Karlsson wasn’t able to reignite an ineffective Penguins power play last season; something which has shown improvement during preseason play.This sequence by Erik Carlsson showcases exactly why he is such an invaluable asset. Now with their incredible comeback overtime win against Toronto Penguins on Tuesday night, suddenly their playoff chances don’t seem so far-fetched pic.twitter.com/Z8yo5F83sS– ego (@notmalkinego) February 28, 2024With his first full year under Sidney Crosby as defensive partner Marcus Pettersson under his belt under Karlsson should make for an exciting debut this season with Pittsburgh.Penguins Hart Trophy Winner: Sidney CrosbyThis decision seems quite obvious to most observers! As expected, Sid will lead the team in points, breaking Gretzky’s point-per-game seasons record by notching his 20th. Prior to training camp I predicted Crosby would only manage 83 points; I wasn’t wrong! After witnessing training camp and seeing some of the young energy on this roster, I would amend his point total to 87 points this season and once more demonstrate why he’s one of sports’s finest captains. Crosby remains at the core of their team’s identity as their most valued player until his last skate has left his skates. Ryan Predictions for Penguins 2019-20: Joel Blomqvist remportant (vs 2021-22: GAA rising, Sv% decreasing). Since 2021-22 Jarry’s GAA numbers have steadily increased while his Sv% percentage decreases; Ryan predicts Joel Blomqvist winning Vezina Award against Jarry (in spite of increased GAA and lower SAV%) numbers since. Ryan PredictionsFor Penguins Vezina Trophy: Joel Blomqvist Last season, things became so out-of-hand for him that he wasn’t even considered one of their main options in pursuit of a wild card spot. As Alex Nedeljkovic returns from long-term injured reserve (LTIR), Joel Blomqvist may emerge as the difference-maker amongst goalies this season. If he continues his strong play between the pipes, there’s an excellent chance he may earn himself more starts and help the Penguins achieve long-term success with an exceptional season. Drew O’Connor won the Penguins Lady Byng Trophy after playing in 79 games last season for 33 points (16 goals and 20 penalty minutes). As one of the two highest scorer on his team with 14 plus/minus ratings and no penalty minutes accruing since both Reilly Smith and Jeff Carter’s departure, O’Connor enjoyed second-best plus/minus total on this squad (c/ Charles LeClaire of Imagn Images). (c/ Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images). Of all players with more than 50 games played last season who participated more than 50 times last season, O’Connor held on to least penalty minutes per season with 247 total. (c/ Charles LeClaire of Imagn Images/ Imagn Images/ Imagn Images Crosby collected his third 40-goal season ever during 2023-24 and continues to improve as time passes – like any fine wine he only gets better with age! Related: Crazy Statistic That Defines Crosby’s LongevityNow on the cusp of 600 goals, Crosby will aim for those final eight to reach that mark and stay healthy so he could possibly return with 40 goals, inching him closer toward 700 total! Only eight other players have scored over 700 in their careers so three 30-goal seasons could bring Crosby even closer! Only eight other players had three 30-goal seasons left with his contract contract period even one could bring Crosby close enough. Still, as one of his generation’s most talented and determined hockey players, Rutger McGroarty stands on the cusp of becoming one of its Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy recipients until 2027. For that matter, few will challenge for Rutger McGroarty for this particular award; therefore it could fall to him to claim. At 20 years old, McGroarty will become one of the youngest players to make his NHL debut since 2005-06. No longer solely focused on penalty killing, McGroarty may soon score 15 goals while challenging Jordan Staal’s rookie rookie record of seven shorthanded goals from Jordan Staal as an opening goal scorer for rookie teams. Penguins Frank J Selke Trophy Winner: Sidney Crosby Even at 37 years old, Crosby understands the necessity for playing an all-out 200-foot game and recognizes his Frank J Selke Trophy award winner Sidney Crosby is aware that playing 200 feet is no simple matter. Penguins Frank J Selke Trophy Winner: Sidney Crosby Last season, he led all Penguins centers with a plus-7 rating that placed them seventh overall in overall performance. Crosby finished ninth in Selke Trophy voting – his highest finish since placing fourth last season – which will put Pittsburgh into playoff contention if Crosby keeps producing at a point-per-game pace and contributes in both ends. Marcus Pettersson has long been one of the Penguins best skaters, so his performances every night go much deeper than scoring goals or setting them up for teammates.He won this year’s Norris Trophy as well, finishing up an outstanding campaign that netted 30 points across 82 games while leading his team with a plus-28 rating – leading all players by his performance alone! He led his team in blocks (159) and hits (121). Achieving maximum points would provide the easiest path to victory when awarding best defensiveman honors, so an accurate way of doling out that honor would be giving this accolade out based on points alone. Pettersson will likely lead the Penguins this season due to his impressive overall performance. At first glance, Karlsson may appear to be the superior defenseman; however, his body-checks and inability to put himself out there as often have caused problems for other players in his team. Karlsson does, however, show great determination at times but not always when blocking shots or clearing an opponent from entering their zone. Letang excels at both, usually ranking among the best skaters in each discipline. Pettersson received consideration here due to his potential lucrative future earnings potential. Sidney Crosby will play more minutes this season than any other player and should improve his chances of cashing in as a free agent, either here in Pittsburgh or somewhere else.The Penguins Hart Trophy should most likely go to Sidney Crosby as it marks 14 wins out of 14 for Art Ross trophy awards as most valuable player and would likely go unopposed as MVP winner as well. As has been the case throughout his 20-year career, Sidney Crosby remains central to their success on the ice. Other stars, including Malkin, Letang, and Karlsson may contribute but in 2024-25 the Penguins will depend heavily on him to lead them. Sidney will look to reach several personal milestones like 600 goals or 1,600 points this season before moving forward with contract extensions talks for 2024-25 contract extensions, along with snapping their two year playoff drought which stands as his longest since starting with Philadelphia Blue Jackets back then in 2024-25. Now that contract extensions discussions have concluded for now will Sidney Crosby focus on staying healthy so he can help his teammates overcome it this season while setting himself up to set personal records that surpass even him during previous if necessary!