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With a brand new season simply across the nook, the Pittsburgh Penguins are gearing up for one more coaching camp.
However this time round – in contrast to in seasons previous – 2024-25 might be stuffed with surprises.
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As such, we’ll break down some storylines to count on this season and give you some daring – and a few not-so-bold – predictions for the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Subsequent up: Which Penguins’ participant will get away in an enormous manner this season?
Kelsey’s Prediction
I will break format right here a bit as a result of I feel there are two sorts of breakout gamers: younger gamers who’re certain to interrupt out on the NHL stage for the primary time, and gamers new to a corporation – through commerce or free company – who did not fairly meet their potential in a brand new system throughout their first season with a group however have had success up to now.
As for the previous, I feel the plain selection right here is Rutger McGroarty. “Youth” hasn’t precisely been a factor on the Penguins for fairly a while. They’ve had guys like Drew O’Connor and Valtteri Puustinen, who – whereas comparatively younger at 26 and 25 – nonetheless have the potential to seek out one other stage, however, for probably the most half, most likely largely are what they already are at this level.
There may be a variety of speak about whether or not or not McGroarty will make the roster out of camp. I feel he’ll. McGroarty wished ensures of NHL taking part in time in Winnipeg, and when there have been none, he wished out. The Penguins traded their prime prospect, Brayden Yager – who is probably going solely a yr or two away – in a direct swap for a extra NHL-ready piece in McGroarty.
If there was no intention for McGroarty to be a part of the NHL roster this season, the commerce itself would not make a complete lot of sense for the Penguins.
With that mentioned, I count on McGroarty to play on the third line to start out the season, probably alongside Kevin Hayes and both Cody Glass or Puustinen. This may assist ease his transition and, hopefully, get his skating adjusted as much as NHL velocity.
However given McGroarty’s talent set and top-six upside, I do not count on that deployment to final lengthy.
My prediction is that McGroarty is taking part in alongside Sidney Crosby round sport 10 of the common season. His instruments – on paper, no less than – mesh properly with Crosby’s, as his excessive hockey IQ, physicality, consciousness, and playmaking acumen ought to improve the highest line.
If McGroarty performs 70+ video games with Crosby, I count on a 20-goal season from the rookie, together with round 45-50 factors. He is NHL-ready for a motive, and I do not assume it would take him all that lengthy to regulate.
Related: THN Penguins Predictions: Which player is poised for a bounceback season?
And for the latter? I am an enormous believer in defensemen needing a full season below their belt so as to comfortably regulate to a brand new system. And that is why I feel Erik Karlsson is certain to have a monster season.
Ryan had some good stuff on Karlsson being a bounceback player yesterday, and I do concur with a lot of what he mentioned. However, in a manner, he is each a bounceback and a breakout candidate.
I do not assume Karlsson will ever sniff 100 factors once more. In 2022-23, he managed to do one thing that hadn’t been accomplished since Brian Leetch in 1992 as a result of he performed for a group that allowed him to do no matter he wished. He scored 100 factors as a result of he was able to doing so, nevertheless it was solely potential as a result of the tanking San Jose Sharks had no regard for protection, profitable, calculated risk-taking, or a “follow it” system of play.
He would not have that luxurious in Pittsburgh. Now, he performs for a group that also has playoff aspirations and hopes to rebuild a powerful prospect pool as shortly as potential whereas the veterans are nonetheless round. He has to play protection. He cannot take uncalculated, wild, pointless dangers. However he’s nonetheless anticipated to be a big contributor each five-on-five and on the ability play.
Karlsson is aware of that now. He understands the expectation and has performed a full season inside that expectation. I feel we’ll see a extra comfy Karlsson, taking part in below a coach he is had success with in David Quinn and with a extra heightened sense of accountability within the offensive zone.
I predict Karlsson proper round a point-per-game this season. And I feel he’ll look a complete lot higher all-around with that consolation stage within the Penguins’ system and with Marcus Pettersson as, hopefully, a extra everlasting protection companion.
Ryan’s Prediction
The Penguins’ report was 38-32-12, they usually missed the postseason by simply three factors. One motive they bought so shut however missed was the play of Alex Nedeljkovic, who was 18-7-7 and secured an 8-1-2 report in his last 12 begins.
Technically, Nedeljkovic is a 1B to Tristan Jarry, who bought 48 begins and earned a 19-25-5 report, tying Connor Ingram, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Charlie Lindgren for the league lead with six shutouts.
Nonetheless, regardless of the way you slice it, goaltending is the Penguins’ Achilles heel. The GAA is respectable at 3.02 (thirteenth greatest), nevertheless it’s not elite, simply serviceable.
Nonetheless, one of the crucial obtrusive statistics is the comparatively low SV%, with Nedeljkovic at .902 and Jarry at .903.
In the meantime, in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, one in every of their prime skaters is Joel Blomqvist, who dressed for 45 video games, producing a 25-12-6 report with a glowing .921 SV% and a couple of.16 GAA.
Though the NHL and AHL competitions drastically differ, Blomqvist’s .921 SV% was the identical as Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.
Moreover, his GAA was higher than that of all three finalists: Sergei Bobrovsky (2.37), Hellebuyck (2.39), and Thatcher Demko (2.45).
Related: THN Penguins’ Predictions: What Will the Final 23-Man Roster Look Like?
Heading into 2024-25, Jarry’s leash might be quick. His identify’s been out and in of the rumor mill, regardless that he is below contract for 4 extra seasons. Furthermore, Jarry is within the dialog for Canada on the 4 Nations Face-off, so a powerful begin can begin to rebuild belief with the fan base.
In the end, Jarry must outplay Nedeljkovic, who already proved he is prepared for a 1A spot or the beginning position all to himself. Each NHL goalies should know and perceive that Blomqvist is ready within the wings for his shot.
Contemplating this upcoming season could be a make-it-or-break-it marketing campaign for the group’s ageing core, particularly for Jarry’s profession in black and gold, Blomqvist will probably get a call-up sooner or later.
Fellow Swede Magnus Hellberg appeared in three video games final season and, in restricted motion, produced a 1-0-0 report with a .922 SV% and a couple of.50 GAA. His efficiency lasted simply 120 minutes, which does not imply his numbers would have remained on the stage of Igor Shesterkin or Jeremy Swayman.
But, with the present state of goaltending in Pittsburgh, Blomqvist might be introduced with the chance of a lifetime to earn a promotion and seize it, proving to everybody that his stint within the AHL is not any fluke.
With out anybody speaking about it, the strain is on Jarry, Nedeljkovic, and Blomqvist since Sergei Murashov, one of many prime goalie prospects in professional hockey, is now below contract with the Penguins and might be skating in North America.
If any New York Rangers are on the market, they need to sit down with a Penguins fan and converse about how Murashov might be the following Shesterkin, an elite goalie expert to win the Vezina and lead Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup. That is how dominant he is been in Russia.
Armed with that data, it is important to his future with the group and profession that Blomqvist can play within the NHL and take advantage of it by sticking round and contributing on a stage surprising by administration and the fanbase.
