Pittsburgh Penguins’ Best and Worst Scenarios for 2024-25 Season – Hockey Writers – Pittsburgh Penguins

Entering the 2024-25 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to end their drought while once again carrying what could be one of the oldest rosters in the NHL. Many things will have to go right for the drought to end, and there are also many things that could go wrong for another season where they finish in the middle of the pack or worse in the Eastern Conference.

Best Case Scenario: Things Start Clicking

Last season, the aging core the Penguins had was productive, but there was room for more from them. Sidney Crosby continued to prove that he was ahead of Father Time, and his lead again this season may have him nearing the top of the list to make the 2024-25 season somewhat successful. Both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang were solid last season, and if the team hopes to be successful this season, they will need the same and maybe more of their (Malkin) three. Another player who was a little disappointing offensively was Erik Karlsson after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks. Obviously, not known as the strongest defenseman, Karlsson bouncing back with a strong offensive season would be a welcome addition to the organization and its fans.

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It was tied with Crosby continuing his strong play going forward with the development of Drew O’Connor. Last season O’Connor had a breakout season while playing in the top division with Crosby, and a strong season will benefit the organization not only this season but also in the future. Another promising future is Valterri Puustinen. He is a young player that the organization has high hopes for going forward. The best case scenario for him is that he can build on a decent rookie season and become even more valuable going forward with the strong shot he possesses.

With so much talent on their special teams, especially the power play, it will need to be better than last season. Having another training camp together and more time together on the ice, in general, should get one of the league’s worst ranked power forwards from last season on track. With the hiring of David Quinn at the start of the season, he will likely look to help improve this aspect of the roster, and if he can, he should help the Penguins significantly this season.

Between the pipes, Alex Nedeljkovic took over a month or so into last season after Tristan Jarry struggled with consistency. Jarry returning to form while staying fit is the best scenario for the goalkeeper position. Nedeljkovic being able to fill in when called upon after signing an extension with the organization will spell a solid one-two punch in net for the Penguins and help relieve some of the pressure on their front defense.

Worst Case: Downgrades and Similar

On the other hand, injuries, Father Time, and inconsistent play are the worst scenarios for the 2024-25 Penguins. As mentioned before, Crosby was able to escape Father Time and prove that he can still be one of the best players in the league. While it’s unlikely, if he finally starts to slow down the pace of production, there will be more pressure on the guys around him to step up and shoulder a little more of the load. Where things get tough is if, for some reason, this would happen if guys like Rust, O’Connor, Bunting, and the rest of the supporting cast couldn’t step up to the plate to help carry the load.

Another up-and-down season from Jarry won’t be the be-all, end-all for the Penguins. But what could make it worse is if Nedeljkovic returns to the way he played with the Detroit Red Wings, marking the end of his time with them. This situation could lead to a bad situation for general manager Kyle Dubas and his management team. With Jarry entering the second year of the five-year extension he signed last season, it will be difficult to move away from him both contractually and playing if he struggles again. Nedeljkovic, while on a friendly contract with the club, may end up being moved to a champion-seeking team. The best that could come out of this situation would be a small chance for one of the team’s best players, Joel Blomqvist, to find his way to Pittsburgh and get some time between the pipes.

Since there is a lot of attention on the players who are fighting to enter the sixth division who will enter the lower division as the season goes on, the hope is that there will be more that will be produced in the team. One of the players who just entered the start of the season, Kevin Hayes, continues to struggle while the other players around him turn into a door for guys trying to find their place throughout the season would be a nightmare for the organization. A lack of continuity or consistency can also set in, and the top six of the roster will be relied upon even more to carry the weight.

In the end, if things don’t go as well as Dubas and the rest of the organization expects and hopes, coach Mike Sullivan’s seat may warm up, fueling speculation that the team may be moving on. depending on the end of the season.

The 2024-25 season could be a mixed bag

After last season, the obvious hope is that much of the “best case scenario” comes true, but in reality, the 2024-25 season may end up being a mixed bag of the best of both. and worst case scenarios. Either way, the season will be one that many keep an eye on to see how the organization handles ups and downs and whether or not things can turn around for the rising family.