Brian Dumoulin – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Team Preview

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:00:04 +0000

_{WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 23: Ducks center Mason McTavish (37) stickhandles during the Anaheim Ducks versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on February 23, 2023 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)}

The rebuilding Ducks weren’t expected to make the playoffs in 2023-24, but there was still some hope that they might at least take a step forward compared to their 2022-23 finish under new bench boss Greg Cronin. Given that they finished the prior campaign with a 23-47-12 record, that couldn’t be a lower bar to exceed, but in the end, they had a similarly dreary showing in 2023-24, finishing at 27-50-5. It didn’t help that Trevor Zegras was limited to 31 contests last season after previously leading the Ducks offensively with 65 points, but even still, it’s hard to blame finishing 30th offensively (2.48 goals per game) and 30th defensively (3.57 goals allowed per game) on some injury issues

WHAT’S CHANGED? Jakob Silfverberg decided to end his NHL playing career, but the Ducks otherwise didn’t lose any major players over the summer. They didn’t make any major acquisitions either, though, with arguably the most noteworthy add being Robby Fabbri, who is projected to serve in a middle-six capacity after being grabbed in a trade with Detroit. However, that’s not to suggest Anaheim’s upcoming roster will be a near carbon copy of its previous one. Cutter Gauthier might make a big impact as a rookie, and we also should see youngsters Pavel Mintyukov, Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish take steps forward.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? If Gauthier lives up to the hype after scoring 38 goals and 65 points across 41 contests with Boston College last year, and becomes a prominent part of Anaheim’s top six, then that alone would be reason for celebration. Getting to see some measurable progress out of the aforementioned Mintyukov, Carlsson, and McTavish would also be a big deal. Outside of that, a lot of attention will be on 24-year-old goaltender Lukas Dostal, who had some absolutely stunning starts last year, but lacked consistency. If he can find his rhythm this season while the Ducks simultaneously get contributions from that young group, then Anaheim would be an exciting team to watch.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? When you’re a young team relying on prospects, the most obvious potential issue is that they need more time to develop than initially thought. McTavish, for example, made some strides last season, but he didn’t end up having the breakout campaign some hoped for. Anaheim might encounter similar growing pains again. Then there’s the issue of the team’s overall defence. Dostal had two 50-plus save performances last season, which is an amazing accomplishment, but also highlights the defensive shortcomings of those in front of him. Anaheim ranked 30th last year with 3.4 xGA/60. If the Ducks don’t improve meaningfully by that metric, then it's hard to envision them competing for a playoff spot even if everything else goes ideally.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Trading Jamie Drysdale to Philadelphia in January was a difficult decision, but Gauthier could make it worth it. He has the potential to be the full package, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Anaheim use him in a top six capacity this season.

FORWARD

Troy Terry

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	24	31	55	0.70

While Terry had his third straight season with at least 20 goals and 50 points, his production dipped a bit from the previous two seasons. Part of that was a function of a declining shot rate, going from 2.69 shots on goal per game in 2022-2023 to 2.26 shots on goal per game in 2023-2024. He has still matured into a reliable first-line winger, even if not necessarily a star; a reliable contributor at both ends of the rink. Terry’s confidence has grown, and it is reflected in his play and how he has the patience to attack defenders one-on-one and make plays to generate scoring chances. He also plays a game that is not especially physical. Among the 223 forwards that have played at least 200 games in the past three seasons, Terry ranks 222nd (ahead of only Johnny Gaudreau) with 35 hits. Nevertheless, on a team that is depending on elite young talent, a proven performer like Terry is of vital importance to help those players get to the next level in their development. Part of the challenge when forecasting his production in 2024-2025 is that proliferation of young forwards at the top of the depth chart in Anaheim. That does leave some variability but, considering his performance in recent seasons, 25 goals and 60 points remain reasonable objectives.

Trevor Zegras

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	18	28	46	0.58

A broken ankle and lower-body injuries limited Zegras to just 31 games last season and while he managed just 15 points, he did have quality underlying numbers, so he does have a chance to deliver a bounce back season. For one thing, Zegras is a creative playmaker who can make highlight reel plays and there is an audacity to his game that is exciting. The challenge will be to turn his immense puck skills into better on-ice results. Since Zegras has not been able to improve in the faceoff circle, winning 40.6 percent of his draws, it could make sense to shift him to the wing, at least some of the time. That would free him up to focus more on the attack, which is an obvious strength to his game. He already has two seasons with more than 60 points, so he has offensive upside that could really pay off under the right circumstances. The question will be whether he finds those right circumstances in Anaheim next season. The Ducks are improving their depth of talent and there should be enough quality available that Zegras can play a top six role as well as first-unit power play. He had a career low on-ice shooting percentage (7.7 percent) last season, and his shooting percentage of 8.2 percent was down from the previous couple of seasons. If his percentages pick back up, Zegras should be able to once again challenge for 20 goals and 60 points.

Frank Vatrano

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	26	26	52	0.63

A sturdy winger who has always been able to generate shots, Vatrano reached his peak performance level in 2023-2024, setting career highs with 37 goals and 60 points. He also delivered 156 hits, the first season of his career in which he exceeded 100 hits. He added banger league value with a career-high 85 penalty minutes, too. What is wild about Vatrano’s impressive statistical breakout season is that his on-ice results were quite poor. The Ducks controlled 44.1 percent of shot attempts and 45.1 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play while Vatrano was on the ice. They were outscored 67-47. That was better than his first season in Anaheim but, still, there is a lot of room for improvement in his all-around impact. Vatrano played mostly with Ryan Strome and Mason McTavish, so there is talent around him, but their defensive play needs dramatic improvement if the Ducks are going to be more competitive. Putting aside the team impacts, fantasy managers are going to be interested in Vatrano because of his offensive production, coupled with hits and a strong shot rate as he recorded a career-high 3.32 shots on goal per game last season. It is probably fair not to expect Vatrano to repeat his career-best season, but he could still deliver 25 goals and 45-50 points, along with 100-plus hits.

Leo Carlsson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	20	29	49	0.65

The second overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Carlsson made a smooth transition to the NHL as an 18-year-old centre. The 6-foot-3 pivot plays a game well beyond his years, particularly on the defensive end, where he has an active stick and plays a sound positional game. Carlson’s combination of size and skill offers tantalizing potential. He scored six goals in his first nine games and endured some injuries on his way to finishing with 12 goals and 29 points in 55 games. He missed time with a sprained MCL, a concussion, and another lower-body injury, which obviously didn’t help his development, but he showed well in the games that he played. That is barely scratching the surface of Carlsson’s potential, but it also might take some time for the skilled young forward to reach that potential. Carlsson’s play driving numbers – better than break-even in terms of Corsi percentage and expected goals percentage – while playing more than 18 minutes per game on a team near the bottom of the standings, were very encouraging. He shoots the puck well enough already to score from distance and has soft hands that serve him well when he has the puck in close to the net. These signs suggest that it’s not a reach to expect a significant offensive jump this season. Something along the lines of 20 goals and 50-plus points would be a move in the right direction.

Mason McTavish

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	23	33	56	0.73

The third pick in the 2021 Draft, McTavish continued to make progress in his second NHL season, ultimately finishing with one less point in 16 fewer games than he played in 2022-2023. His 1.65 primary points per 60 minutes of five-on-five play ranked 81st. Considering that he is 21 years old, this is a strong rate of production. While his possession numbers continue to improve, McTavish is still underwater there, with 45.4 percent Corsi and 46.8 expected goals percentage. A strong and physical forward who can win battles along the boards and use his body to effectively protect the puck, he should be able to improve his shot differentials. Last season, he did miss 18 games with a variety of injuries and while none of them were major, that is going to be something to monitor as his career progresses. When it comes to determining McTavish’s offensive upside in 2024-2025, it will depend on what kind of offensive opportunities are provided to him. On a team that also has Leo Carlsson and Trevor Zegras down the middle of the ice, McTavish is facing competition for prime scoring ice time. Considering where he is in his career, though, there should be more progress, so 20 goals and 50 points are reasonable targets for him this season.

Alex Killorn

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	22	28	50	0.63

Coming off career-highs of 27 goals and 64 points in 2022-2023, Killorn cashed in last summer as a free agent after years of being a quality contributor during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup runs. The veteran winger was the beneficiary of an unsustainably high shooting percentage that season, though, so he was a natural candidate for regression in his first season with the Ducks. Sure enough, Killorn’s production dropped to 18 goals and 36 points in 63 games while playing a career-high 18:44 per game. That required a rather furious finish, which saw Killorn score 11 goals in his last 24 games. Even in his mid-30s, Killorn was still an effective play driver, his 51 percent Corsi ranking second among Ducks regulars and he was a reliable penalty killer. While his contract may not age well, in the short term, Killorn brings a professionalism and commitment that can help lead the young Ducks in the right direction. At his age, there is a decreasing likelihood that Killorn will bounce back to previous levels of production, so 15-20 goals and a 40-point season is a fair expectation, but some of that will depend on how well the younger players perform. If they are not ready to step into prominent roles, then Killorn could still be needed to score for the Ducks.

Ryan Strome

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	13	28	41	0.50

A veteran forward who can play centre or wing, Strome has put up back-to-back 41-point seasons in his first two years with the Ducks. While he is a capable complementary player at the offensive end, Strome’s defensive play has declined significantly in his first two seasons with the Ducks. Maybe some of that is a function of an inexperienced supporting cast, but the Ducks have been outscored 126-85 with Strome on the ice for five-on-five play across the past two seasons. In those two seasons, the Ducks have managed 43.7 percent of shots attempts and 41.3 percent of expected goals with him on the ice, so his poor results are backed by poor underlying numbers. That’s not going to cut it, especially when he is needed to be a veteran leader for this team. Strome’s ability to play multiple positions does give Anaheim more options when trying to put their lines together, but it would be most helpful if Strome added a dose of reliability wherever he ultimately fits in the lineup. If not, his ice time could continue to decrease. Last season, his ice time fell below 16 minutes per game for the first time since 2018-2019. At this point, with younger players pushing for bigger roles with the Ducks, it’s probably not reasonable to expect Strome to provide much more than the 40 points.

Robby Fabbri

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	16	17	33	0.44

A veteran forward who has had to overcome three ACL tears to continue his NHL career, Fabbri has skill and is obviously extremely resilient, but injuries have taken a toll on him. Despite tying his career high with 18 goals last season, Fabbri has been dependent on finishing at a high percentage – he had a shooting percentage of 18.9 percent across his last two seasons in Detroit – because he does not generate a lot of shots on goal. On the positive side, Fabbri scored 1.09 goals per 60 minutes last season, which ranked 47th among forwards that played at least 500 minutes. Fabbri’s ice time fell below 13 minutes per game last season, the first time he failed to meet that threshold since 2018-2019. Fabbri has some versatility that allows him to fill a middle six role for Anaheim. He has also been a poor defensive player, so that could potentially pose problems for a Ducks team that does not have an abundance of quality two-way forwards. In any case, Fabbri should be able to contribute secondary scoring as long as he is healthy, but he played 68 games last season and that was his most since playing in 72 games as a rookie, so it’s almost assured that he will miss time. That leaves some variability in expectations but something in the range of 15 goals and 30 points is a fair expectation.

Brett Leason

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	12	12	24	0.30

Leason is a 6-foot-5 winger who enjoyed something of a breakout season in 2023-2024, scoring 11 goals and 22 points, high-water marks to this point in his career. Leason’s size gives him an edge when it comes to battling for pucks and his ability to chip in offensively made him a valuable depth forward for the Ducks last season. For a player who tends to spend most of his time on the lower end of the depth chart, Leason does have a potent wrist shot, which makes him capable of scoring from distance. If he is going to be something more than a fourth-line player, the next challenge is for him to be able to generate more opportunities to use that shot. Leason’s best stretch came in the second half of the season when, upon returning from an upper-body injury, he tallied nine points (5 G, 4 A) in 14 games while he averaged 14:29 of ice time per game. He could not sustain those numbers over a longer period, and it would be unreasonable to expect that from him, but looking ahead, Leason could still contribute double-digit goals and 20-plus points, with some upward mobility if he manages to climb the depth chart.

DEFENCE

Cam Fowler

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	7	36	43	0.52

A steady veteran who has played 14 seasons in Anaheim, Fowler’s experience and steady hand is of major importance on a Ducks blueline that is developing young talent. Fowler has always been an adept distributor of the puck and has surpassed 30 assists in each of the past three seasons. He has averaged more than 24 minutes of ice time in each of those three seasons and he should remain in that kind of prominent role again. Oddly enough, Fowler led the Ducks in ice time during four-on-five play, even though his results have crashed hard in recent seasons. Across the past three campaigns, there are 113 defencemen that have played at least 300 minutes of four-on-five play and only three have a higher expected goals against and three have a higher goals against per 60 minutes than Fowler. Nevertheless, Fowler is of critical importance on this team, a consistent presence who has been durable, missing a total of seven games across the past four seasons. He is not a strong physical presence, instead relying on strong instincts and hockey IQ to put him in the right position. Considering his role and reliability, Fowler should find himself scoring in the range of 40 points once again.

Pavel Mintyukov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
71	5	30	35	0.49

The 10th pick in the 2022 Draft, Mintyukov made his NHL debut last season, and it was a strong first season. He showed lots of potential, and it is going to be up to the young blueliner and the Ducks organization to develop him into a bona fide No. 1 defenceman. Mintyukov skates well and is not shy about using that skill to join the attack, entering the offensive zone with confidence. He recorded seven power play points in a 30-game span from November 1 through January 10, but he suffered a separated shoulder and missed more than a month of action and did not record another point with the man advantage for the rest of the season. Even so, Mintyukov averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time per game after returning from his injury and contributed nine points in 23 games. There were naturally some growing pains in his first NHL season, because he was 19 years old when last season started, and he was playing significant minutes on a team that was among the weakest squads in the league. For a top player like Mintyukov, though, that experience should be valuable, giving him the opportunity to step forwards into an even more significant role in his second season. Certainly, the hope will be that he manages to stay healthier than he did in his rookie campaign and that could reasonably lead to 35-40 points, possibly more if Mintyukov takes over as the quarterback on Anaheim’s top power play unit.

Radko Gudas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	4	12	16	0.22

Despite missing 16 games last season, Gudas was one of just two defencemen to record at least 150 blocked shots and 200 hits last season (Detroit’s Moritz Seider was the other one). Gudas is a warrior who sacrifices his body for his team and the 34-year-old blueliner has been doing it for quite some time. He joined the Ducks as a free agent last summer and averaged 19:30 of ice time per game, the second highest average of his career, and his highest average time on ice since 2015-2016. Although Gudas has a well-earned reputation for borderline hits, that should not overshadow that he is an excellent defender, who had the lowest on-ice rate of expected goals against (2.28 xGA/60) among Anaheim defenders last season. He is known much more for his play without the puck, but Gudas also contributes at the offensive end, partly because he is ready and willing to fire the puck whenever the opportunity is there for him. Among the eight defensemen that played at least 200 five-on-five minutes for the Ducks last season, Gudas had the highest rate of shot attempts (11.83 iCF/60) and shots on goal (4.38 Shots/60). For fantasy managers, Gudas offers sneaky value because he last reached 20 points in a season in 2018-2019, but he provides hits, blocked shots and even a passable rate of shots on goal that can make him useful. His penalty minute totals make him even more valuable in banger leagues. At this stage of his career, there is little point in expecting a dramatic change, so Gudas should be expected to contribute 15-20 points.

Brian Dumoulin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	4	14	18	0.22

Moving to Seattle resulted in an odd decrease in ice time, with Dumoulin averaging 17:01 of ice time per game after seven straight seasons averaging more than 20 minutes per game. That should get reversed in Anaheim, where the Ducks can surely use Dumoulin’s reliability on the blueline. He is a two-time Stanley Cup winner who was not merely a passenger on those Penguins teams – he was averaging more than 20 minutes per game on epic playoff runs. It is also unusual that Dumoulin saw this ice time reduced in Seattle because his on-ice results were quite strong, leading Kraken defencemen (minimum 500 five-on-five minutes) in both Corsi (53.9 percent) and expected goals percentage (54.5 percent). That doesn’t seem like a player who should have been playing less! Even at his peak, Dumoulin was never a big scorer, but he did have a career-high 25 points with Pittsburgh in 2022-2023. With a more prominent role on Anaheim’s blueline, Dumoulin should be able to find his way to 20 points, but he has surpassed 125 blocked shots and 100 hits four times each in his career. That kind of production in peripheral statistical categories might make him a worthwhile addition in deep leagues.

GOAL

John Gibson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
43	16	23	5	0	0.901	3.60

Lukas Dostal

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
39	14	20	4	2	0.904	3.45

The post-John Gibson era in Anaheim is slowly approaching. With just three years left of the albatross eight-year deal that Gibson and the Ducks have been slogging through, and a bright new future with Lukas Dostal sitting front and center, it almost seems like Anaheim might just let the remainder of their veteran star's contract burn itself out at the Honda Center. While it seemed at the start of the 2023 season like Gibson might have been on the upswing, though, only Chicago's Arvid Soderblom served as a greater albatross in net as the year came to a close. While the Ducks continued to struggle with allowing quality shots in the high slot, a full season of both Gibson and Dostal made it painfully apparent that it wasn't just the team struggling - Gibson was struggling with them.

Things look bright for Anaheim with regards to how Dostal handled his first full season as half of an official NHL tandem, so the picture in Southern California isn't as bleak as it has been in recent years. While Dostal struggled almost as much as Gibson with net-front attacks, he was able to clean up the peripheral damage that Gibson had allowed to fester with poor defensive coverage outside the circles. His numbers matched up to a strong ability to stay on-angle and recover in time for rebound attempts in a way that Gibson hasn't been able to in at least a handful of seasons. Things won't truly turn around in net for the Ducks until Gibson's contract has finally reached an end, but the future looks much more promising now than it has since the Gibson-Frederik Andersen era.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – SEATTLE KRAKEN – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:12:21 +0000

REVIEW: Unlike Vegas’ amazing run to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season, Seattle had a miserable first NHL campaign, but any Kraken fans who were prepared for a long, painful road to competitiveness were pleasantly surprised when Seattle posted a 46-28-8 record in 2022-23. Seattle turnaround was fueled by the squad scoring 73 additional goals compared to the prior year, flipping them from being among the worst teams offensively to one of the best. Rather than be led by some new acquisition, their scoring renaissance was fueled by returning Kraken players Jared McCann, Matthew Beniers and Jaden Schwartz combining to score an extra 47 goals more than the trio mustered in 2021-22. At the same time, defenseman Vince Dunn shattered his previous career-high of 35 points by contributing 14 goals and 50 assists. Seattle’s goaltenders were still a problem, as evidenced by their combined .890 save percentage, but the Kraken ranked seventh in 5-on-5 expected goals against (163.59), which kept the team defensively above water despite that poor netminding. Not satisfied with merely making the playoffs, Seattle managed to earn its first playoff series win by besting Colorado in seven games before falling to Dallas in the second round.

What’s Changed? Forward Daniel Sprong, who had 21 goals last season, and goaltender Martin Jones left as free agents. Jones’ departure opens the door for Joey Daccord to compete with Philipp Grubauer for starts. Other than that, the team figures to be largely the same.

What would success look like? With the Kraken’s existing forward core, they should challenge for a playoff spot again, but what would take this team to the next level would be a resurgence from Grubauer. Although the goaltender has struggled over his first two campaigns with Seattle, he was once an amazing netminder, posting a .920 save percentage over his first 214 career NHL contests. He briefly regained his form when facing his former team, the Avalanche, in the first round and was a huge part of that series victory. Grubauer didn’t look as impressive against Dallas, but maybe there’s still hope for the 31-year-old.

What could go wrong? McCann is in danger of regressing after scoring a career high with 40 goals in 79 contests last season, particularly because his 19.0 shooting percentage was well above his 12.1% career average. It’s also possible that Seattle’s offensive prowess last year was something of a perfect storm, given that its top five scorers and six of its top seven were able to play at least 79 games. Sprong being limited to 66 contests was the only significant setback the Kraken suffered on the injury front last year. They might not be as fortunate two seasons in a row.

Top Breakout Candidate: Beniers, Seattle’s first ever pick and the second overall selection in the 2021 draft, broke out with 57 points last season. Will Shane Wright, taken fourth overall in 2022, follow in his footsteps this year? Wright could develop into a superb two-way forward in the vein of the now retired Patrice Bergeron. Although Wright was unable to stick with Seattle last year, he got some more seasoning in the OHL and AHL and seems poised to make a serious run at a middle-six spot during training camp.

Forwards

Matthew Beniers

Matty Beniers was drafted second overall in 2021 and was the first ever draft pick of the Seattle Kraken. After finishing up his 2021-22 season at the University of Michigan, Beniers would play 10 games with the Kraken where he scored three goals and six assists. That rolled into his rookie season in 2022-23 where he scored 24 goals and 33 assists in 80 games, winning the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year by a healthy margin. He has an excellent shot, finishing at a rate of 16.3% so far in his career. Plus, he can use both his big frame and stick skills to excel in tight spaces. Additionally, he is an exceptionally disciplined player, only taking one minor penalty last season, helping him finish fourth in the league in penalty differential. Heading into his sophomore season, Beniers will want to be the one to help the Kraken crack their powerplay woes and he’d love to improve at faceoffs. His 42.2% faceoff win percentage so far in his career is abysmal. If he can keep growing, the 20-year-old who already has a well-crafted game, could become one of the best two-way centers in the NHL.

Jared McCann

The days of Jared McCann being a castaway are over. After being tossed around from Vancouver to Florida to Pittsburgh, McCann was used as a pawn to protect Toronto’s roster in the NHL Expansion Draft. In his first season in Seattle, McCann recorded a career-high 50 points with 27 goals and 23 assists. He went ahead and followed that up with 40 goals and 30 assists last season, both career-highs again. At 27 years old, McCann has found his spot as a first line scoring winger with an up-and-coming Kraken team. He finished fourth behind Pastrnak, McDavid, and Rantanen in even strength goals with 30. McCann was also one of the only bright spots on the Kraken powerplay, leading them with seven goals and 16 points in just over 200 minutes. While there are doubts that he can finish at such a high rate again, ending last season with a 19% shooting percentage, he has shown throughout his career that he can also help his teammates finish well too. Plus, if the Kraken ever figure out their powerplay woes, he will be the one to receive the greatest benefit as the Kraken’s go-to shooter on the man advantage.

Oliver Bjorkstrand

After a career-high 57 points in 80 games in 2021-22, the Columbus Blue Jackets decided that Oliver Bjorkstrand was a luxury that they could no longer afford due to cap constraints and sent him to Seattle. Bjorkstrand finished his first season with the Kraken with his fourth 20-goal season. The six-foot right-handed winger is an excellent forechecker, wreaking havoc on opponents trying to make their way up the ice. On a deeper Kraken team, he is able to dial in to his specific skill set. Dave Hakstol and the Kraken coaching staff placed him largely alongside Yanni Gourde and waiver-wire pick-up Eeli Tolvanen. The trio of more tactical forwards are tasked with keeping the ice tilting in the Kraken’s favor. In their time together, the line had a 56% share of shot attempts and outscored opponents 24 to 16. Bjorkstrand also saw 189 minutes on the powerplay last season, splitting time between units. The Kraken powerplay has struggled in its two years of existence, and Bjorkstrand was a part of that last season. If Bjorkstrand wants a shot at another career year this season, he will need to be a part of a growth in the Kraken powerplay in 2023-24.

Jordan Eberle

The 33-year-old winger played his part in a phenomenal offensive year for the Seattle Kraken, scoring 20 goals and adding 43 assists. Eberle offers a veteran presence alongside Matty Beniers and Jared McCann, in which the former won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, while the latter scored 40 goals for the first time in his career. Eberle has been given offensive deployment most of his career, and Dave Hakstol and the Seattle Kraken coaching staff has amplified that since arriving on the scene in the fall of 2021. He has seen 15% of his 5-on-5 shifts start in the offensive zone with the Kraken, which is 2% higher than his career average. He has also continued to see high usage on the powerplay as he continues to get more than two minutes of powerplay time per game. The only time he has fallen short of that number was in the 2017-18 season with the New York Islanders when he was only on the ice for 1.93 powerplay minutes per game that season. As long as Eberle continues to see the offensive usage he does now, he should continue to age with reasonable production.

Yanni Gourde

As the Kraken’s pick in the NHL Expansion Draft, Yanni Gourde brought a sense of personality and culture to the Kraken locker room. Although he stands at just 5’ 9”, the Quebec-native made his way into the NHL as a scrappy forward. It was the way he made his way into a deep Tampa Bay Lightning lineup at 25 years old, and it’s the way he is continuing to be useful at 31 years old. Gourde battles hard in all three zones, especially on opponents trying to exit their zone. His level of detail is why he can take on tough matchups and tilt the ice in his team’s favor. The only Kraken forwards who started a lower percentage of their shifts at 5-on-5 in the offensive zone were Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Donato. Going along with his defensive usage, Gourde was also on the ice for 164 shorthanded minutes last season, behind only Alex Wennberg and Brandon Tanev. That was the most time that Gourde had spent penalty killing in a season in his career, as the Kraken substituted his powerplay time for penalty killing time. One should expect more of the same of that usage this season but watch out for a bounce-back in his goal scoring with his shooting percentage regressing (9.93% last season vs career 14.5%).

Andre Burakovsky

After a revival of his career in Colorado, notching 61 goals and 89 assists in 191 games, Burakovskly tested unrestricted free agency where he elected to sign with the Seattle Kraken. The Colorado Avalanche had their eye on Burakovsky for his transition skills and shot. After a pair of disappointing 25-point seasons with the Capitals, that may have been hard to spot at the time. With the Kraken, Burakovsky continued to build on the offensive success he was having in Colorado, scoring 39 points in 49 games. However, a lower body injury in February would cause him to miss the rest of the season. Burakovsky found his home alongside Alex Wennberg, a forward who is responsible defensively and can help with the starting phases of breakouts deep in the zone. When he was in the lineup, he also saw time on the top unit. While he can make poor decisions at times, his offensive versatility makes him a valuable asset. The Kraken are hoping that he can pick up where he left off, as he is one of the more skilled forwards on their roster. Given their counterattacking style, they could use his ability to create offense off of the rush.

Alex Wennberg

After a promising start to his career, scoring 59 points in 80 games in 2016-17, Wennberg’s offense would fizzle out in the remainder of his time in Columbus and Florida. The 6’ 2” Swede has great size and playmaking abilities, but his lack of physicality and mentality to shoot the puck left prior coaches wanting more. Of the 371 forwards who played 500 or more minutes at 5-on-5 last season, only two forwards had a lower rate of individual shot attempts. Of course, that leads to a low rate of goal scoring and point production. He has scored 24 goals in his first 162 games with the Kraken, but there is always the risk something like 2018-19 happens again where he finishes with two goals in 75 games, shooting 3.1%. However, it’s clear that Dave Hakstol and the Kraken coaching staff love Wennberg. He was the top penalty killing option for them along with 186 minutes of powerplay time. Ultimately, the Kraken’s use of him as a dependable, defensively responsible forward will hurt his box score stats, but that is also important for helping other players on the team blossom.

Eeli Tolvanen

A first round pick in 2017, the 5’ 10” Finnish forward struggled to make a mark with the Nashville Predators. In 135 games between the 2017-18 season and last season, Tolvanen accumulated only 25 goals and 26 points with the Predators. On December 11th, 2022, Nashville placed Tolvanen on waivers where he was picked up by the Kraken. Over the remainder of the season with the Kraken, Tolvanen would score 16 goals and 11 assists. Some credit must be given to the Seattle Kraken organization who were committed to his success. He would spend 87.5% of his 5-on-5 time with Yanni Gourde, and 70.0% with Oliver Bjorkstrand. Having the opportunity to play with talented players who are experienced alleviated some of the pressure that was resting on his shoulders. His linemates also opened up space for him that he was able to take full advantage of. For a 24-year-old winger, Tolvanen already has a well-rounded defensive game to go along with his above-average shot. But he wasn’t exactly the play-driver that he would’ve needed to be in Nashville in order to succeed there. Alongside play-drivers who need some help finishing, Tolvanen is the perfect complementary piece that we saw in the latter two-thirds of the 2022-23 season.

Jaden Schwartz

After missing most of the Seattle Kraken’s inaugural season, Jaden Schwartz returned with a much healthier year, getting on the ice for 71 games in 2022-23. Any worries that his hand injury that he suffered in January of 2022 would hold him back seem to be alleviated as Schwartz scored 21 goals on 167 shots on goal, a finishing rate of 12.6%. Furthermore, he’s never been much of a shoot-first forward. He only ranked 161^st among regular forwards in the rate he attempted to shoot the puck at 5-on-5 last season, a large chunk of which were blocked. He’s known mostly for being dependable at most things, but not elite at any one thing. This can be reflected both in his lack of consistent linemates, as the coaching staff feels comfortable playing him with many different forwards, but also his quality of competition. Schwartz faced the third-hardest competition at 5-on-5 among Kraken forwards last season in terms of weighted-average time-on-ice of opponents. At 31 years old, it’s clear that Schwartz won’t blow you out of the water with his box score stats. He has only cleared 60 points once in his career. Despite playing on the number one 5-on-5 offense in the league last season and getting a hefty dose of powerplay time, he was not on track to add another 60-point season. He has instead reverted to being a dependable piece for the coaching staff in the middle six.

Defense

Vince Dunn

Vince Dunn had a breakout 2022-23 campaign scoring 14 goals and 50 assists in 81 games for the Kraken. His 64-point total, which ranked tenth among defensemen last season, close to doubled his previous career-high of 35 which he set in 2018-19 and 2021-22. While he did play most of his 5-on-5 minutes alongside Adam Larsson in the inaugural season for the Kraken, he was close to glued to his hip last season, spending 88.3% of those minutes with Larsson. Dunn, a player who is excellent at breaking out of the zone and has a well-developed offensive toolset, has the habit of making big mistakes from time to time. A steady defensive partner like Larsson helps bring the most out of Dunn. It also helped that he had a slightly more skilled forward core to support last season as well. And with Mark Giordano out of the picture, the first powerplay unit was his all year, and no one is set to take that role away from him. He may seem some regression this coming season after shooting 9.3%, but his elevated production should be the new normal for him.

Adam Larsson

Perhaps best known for being the player the Edmonton Oilers exchanged Taylor Hall for, Adam Larsson is a 6’ 3” staple on the back end. Last season, playing with Vince Dunn and a deep forward core that helped push the Kraken’s even strength offense to the best in the league, Larsson was able to achieve a new career-high 33 points in 82 games. The Swede won’t win you over for his offensive play, but rather his dependability. He is talented defensively, allowing his teammates to take risks at times knowing that he will clean it up. He also hasn’t missed a game since November of 2019. Larsson led the Kraken in shorthanded time on ice last season at 227 minutes, or 59.2% of the Kraken’s time shorthanded. His usage and unwavering commitment to defense also helped propel him to ninth in blocked shots last season, and fourth over the last three seasons. Adam Larsson is the guy that does the dirty jobs that no one else wants to do, and he does it well. He will likely find his way into the top 100 in points among defensemen just by his usage and will log a substantial amount of shorthanded time while blocking shots.

Jamie Oleksiak

The 6’ 7” defenseman requires special permission from the league for the length of his stick. Not only is that stick extraordinarily long, but it is also 120 flex. Whatever works for the 2011 first round pick as he scored nine goals on 76 shots on goal last season. The shooting percentage of 11.8% will be impossible for him to reproduce, but it speaks to the utter strangeness in his game. Oleksiak had also gotten hot before, scoring five goals on 33 shots in the 2016-17 season. But at times, Oleksiak gets cold, like his first season in Seattle where he only managed a single goal on 95 shots. His unpredictability is what makes him a fun player to follow. Last season, for the first time in his 11-season career, Oleksiak was a staple to the penalty kill. He was the left-handed defenseman that was deployed alongside Adam Larsson, a role that was previously unfilled. You may have assumed that a defenseman of his size would have played a major role on penalty kills before, but Oleksiak’s preferred play style is as unique as his numbers. He loves to jump up into plays, helping transition the puck like a forward, as opposed to sticking back and being sturdy. Perhaps that’s why he led the Kraken in defensive zone starts last season.

Justin Schultz

After a disappointing 2021-22 season where the Washington Capitals reduced his ice time from 19 minutes per game to 17 minutes per game, Justin Schultz made his way to the west coast where he played just a bit more time with the Seattle Kraken. The two-time Stanley Cup champion has aged out of his days of being a stud offensive defenseman to complement Kris Letang’s work. His 34 points with the Kraken last season was the highest point production he recorded in a season since scoring 51 points in the 2016-17 season with Pittsburgh. Not good enough to be a top-pairing offensive defenseman for most teams, Schultz finds himself in a bit of an odd spot, as most general managers would prefer to fill the bottom four spots with penalty killers or younger offensive defensemen. The Seattle Kraken were one of the few teams that had the perfect slot for him, and he found his way to a bounce back season alongside Jamie Oleksiak. While Vince Dunn is undoubtedly the top choice for the first powerplay unit, Schultz fills in nicely on the second unit. Luckily for Schultz, there isn’t much contention for that spot either. You can expect more of the same from Schultz in the final year of his contract.

Goaltending

Philipp Grubauer

The Seattle Kraken had one job for Philipp Grubauer last season – do better than the year before, and don’t crumble in the postseason. And while he didn’t make the kind of massive bounce-back that the team undoubtedly hoped for, he did complete his assignment; he dragged his save percentage up from the mid-.880’s to just shy of the .900 threshold, doubling his quality start percentage from the year before and creeping closer to the league average in goals saved above expected. He remained an underperformer from a pure monetary standpoint, especially given just how much money they’d handed him in free agency, but he climbed out of the basement enough to bring the rest of the team up with him.

Grubauer’s biggest problem now wasn’t that he looked like he was playing catch-up all year; unlike in his first season with the expansion franchise, he managed to hit crisper angles and corral more shots before allowing sloppy rebounds. While he really elevated his game in his good performances, though, Grubauer’s biggest issue became his consistency; he had a lot of elite games, he had an above-average number of absolute stinkers, and he put up almost zero games that fell in the in-between. There was no such thing for the German-born goaltender as a league-average performance; he gave games his everything or he nearly got chased from the net, and he continued to waffle between the two performances all the way to the last week of the regular season. That, in itself, is a reason for concern for Seattle; he proved he still has excellent games in the tank, but he didn’t prove he could deliver those with enough reliability to tab him as the number one and breathe a sigh of relief. He’ll need to take that final step forward this year if he wants to prove his contract was worth it for the Pacific Northwest club.

Projected starts: 55-60

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – NHL Player Profiles

Jesse Marshall – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 21:12:57 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 10: Pittsburgh Penguins Left Wing Jake Guentzel (59) skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 10, 2022 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby opted for surgery in September of 2021 in order to address a nagging wrist injury that had been bothering him over the course of several years. He did not make his season debut until October 30^th and went into the Covid-19 protocol immediately after, delaying his full return until mid-November. Having to play a bit of catchup with timing and conditioning post-surgery, Crosby scored just four goals through his first 18 games and was off to a bit of a slower start than usual. What followed was a tear of 27 goals in 53 games and a 1.35 points per game pace to end the season. Crosby has never finished a year below a point-per-game average, and it does not look like that’s going to change anytime soon. With the return of some of his familiar counterparts and a clean bill of health to his name, Crosby looks to get back to usual ways of \manipulating the pace of the game to create passing lanes that enable him to use his otherworldly vision and puck distribution abilities to his advantage. His connection with Jake Guentzel continues to evolve into a dynamic offensive partnership that enhances the work of both players regardless of the third wheel. While his game has evolved over time, Crosby is as lethal with the puck on his stuck as he has ever been. Head coach Mike Sullivan will continue to lean on the Crosby unit for his most difficult matchups and he aims to continue to be the main distributor of the top power-play unit. Crosby’s work in the boards and net front area with his low center of gravity and puck control abilities remain hallmarks of his game, while his backhand shot and pass from his flat blade continue to be as lethal as ever.

Jake Guentzel

It was a season of shaking narratives for Jake Guentzel. He showed he can perform without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup, registering 10 points in 12 games to carry the Penguins in their absence. He also proved he can still get it done in the playoffs, registering 10 points in seven playoff games after a string of difficult performances in years prior. It was Guentzel’s second time cracking the 40-goal plateau and his first season over a point per game average. An elaborate offensive toolbox is becoming the hallmark of Guentzel’s game. He boasts an underrated shot with a deceptive release, high-quality puck distribution ability and understanding of the game that enabled him to hit a career-high 44 assists last season, and most notably a ghost-like ability to remain unmarked in the offensive zone. Guentzel has become the encyclopedia example of “Hockey IQ” as he exploits the smallest areas of time and space to his advantage. Guentzel’s shot-quality generation rates were 2^nd on the team behind Sidney Crosby. His 1.30 goals per 60 minutes at even-strength lead all Penguins last year. His consistency in finding the scoresheet was remarkable as he registered points in 20 of 21 games through December and January of 2021-22. Guentzel will look to build off this career year and will be granted every opportunity to do so alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line and power-play unit for the Penguins. A dynamic offensive talent, Guentzel’s toolbox seemingly gets deeper year after year. A bit of added muscle and weight was a boost to his game last year and should continue to pay dividends moving forward.

Bryan Rust

Bryan Rust has become one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the Penguins forward group and was rewarded for that in the offseason with a six-year deal worth a total of $30.75 million dollars. Deployed in any manner of situation at even-strength, Rust eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the third consecutive season and his 58 points in the regular season was a career high. A utility-like presence in the top-six, the coaching staff has deployed Rust alongside both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for extended periods of time depending on the perceived need of the respective centers at any given moment. Rust continues to exhibit a high level of competency around carrying the puck into the offensive zone with possession and using that to generate shots and high-quality passing attempts to his teammates. A menace around the net-front area, Rust can be found in all the traditional goal-scoring areas. While he does not boast any one overwhelming skill offensively, his hockey sense combined with his quickness and nose for the net make him a menace in the offensive zone. His shot has developed a quick release with pinpoint accuracy. Rust repeatedly shows the ability to hit the net from awkward and compromised positions and had a high number of deflections from around the mouth of the net last year. Rust will look to establish a bit more in the way of consistency in the coming season. For instance, he registered 21 points in 10 games in January of 2022, but only 3 points in 13 games in April of 2022. His shooting percentage varied wildly over the course of the year, and he suffered some missed time due to injury. Overall, Rust has proven to be a valuable presence anywhere he appears within the top two lines.

Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Malkin will look to take advantage of a clean bill of health going into this season as he was sidelined until January of 2022 as he recovered from summer knee surgery. He ended the year over a point per game in the regular season and rounded out at a goals-per-60 rate that was 2^nd on the team to Jake Guentzel. While his contract negotiation came down to the wire, Malkin re-signed a four-year, $24.4 million dollar contract extension to round out the return of the Penguins core for additional runs at a Stanley Cup. Malkin’s shot remains a high-powered howitzer and he continues to be a high-level puck distributor with quality puck distribution capabilities to his linemates. Power remains the essence of his game and despite his knee injuries he is still a strong skater with great lateral mobility despite some of his injuries. Malkin’s ability to carry the puck in the zone successfully has taken a hit in recent years and his bullish approach with the puck on his stick may require revisiting at his age. Service time has been another concern for Malkin. He enters this season with his knee surgery behind him and a full summer of a traditional training schedule. Malkin has made it very clear that when he is in the lineup, he is a force to be reckoned with at even-strength and on the power-play. It would not be unreasonable to expect a renaissance-like season from him if he can remain healthy. It is a safe bet to assume he will remain the de-facto quarterback on the Penguins top power-play unit.

Rickard Rakell

Arriving via trade in March of 2022 from the Ducks for Zach Aston-Reese, a 2^nd round draft pick, and goaltending prospect Calle Clang, Rickard Rakell played 19 games for the Penguins in the regular season finishing with 13 points and a variety of roles played throughout the lineup. When all is said and done, the expectation is that Rakell will appear somewhere within the Penguins top-six forward group this season, either alongside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. This sets Rakell up to have a year of career-highs in multiple offensive categories. Rakell’s time with Crosby last year proved to be most fruitful. Rakell played a wrecking-ball role in the vein of a Chris Kunitz on the top line, opening space in the tough areas of the ice for Crosby and Jake Guentzel to work their magic offensively. Regardless of what center he appears with; Rakell has shown a willingness to retrieve pucks and take advantage of the open space that can come with playing alongside one of Crosby or Malkin. Rakell also showed a penchant for individual scoring chance creation in his own right, showcasing some high-level stickhandling and puck-carrying capabilities in his time with the Penguins. Fresh off signing a new six-year, $30 million dollar contract, Rakell figures to be a fixture within the top two lines and second power-play unit of the Penguins. It would not be unreasonable to see his goal-scoring ability receive a significant bump this season given the change in his environment. While he may play a puck support and retrieval role, he will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his heavy wrist-shot playing alongside two playmaking centers.

Jason Zucker

Jason Zucker has simply not been able to stay in the Penguins lineup for any considerable period. He missed half of the regular season in 2021-22 and when he was in the lineup it was a story of being unable to convert prime scoring chances. Zucker finds himself in the right place at the right times and boasts some good numbers regarding zone entries and his ability to distribute the puck on the fly but has not been able to maintain any ability to deposit his chances in his time with the Penguins. Zucker is a strong skater with a great ability to angle away time and space and force the opposing breakout into bad decisions. His ability to retrieve pucks and gain the zone have been strong, but he has lacked an ability to effectively distribute the puck in the offensive zone and has struggled to get it into the hands of his teammates. His shot is strong, and his one-timer may be the hallmark of his offensive abilities. More than anything, Zucker needs to stay in the lineup and establish some level of consistency in his performances. His shooting percentage suffered immensely last year, and it is reasonable to expect that will change if he can remain a volume shooter. Zucker will be afforded the opportunity to crack the Penguins top-six forward group again this year this season. Remaining in the lineup will be the biggest focal point for Zucker as he has proven he is an extremely capable player that fits into the Mike Sullivan system despite his lack of availability. The scoring chances will be available to aid an increase to his finishing ability.

Danton Heinen

Danton Heinen is not a household name by any means, but he did a lot with a little ice time last year and controlled the game at even-strength for the Penguins. Heinen’s 57% share over the raw scoring chances while he was on the ice at even-strength put him top five among Penguin forwards in that regard. A volume shooter, Heinen’s approach to play was simple but effective for his first year in Pittsburgh. Heinen put up solid performances through all three zones in his debut year with Pittsburgh. His defensive play was sound, he boasted quality returns in moving the puck up ice and into the offensive zone of attack, and he ended the season on the cusp of the 20-goal mark with 18 total in all situations. Heinen returns to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $1.1 million dollar deal that reportedly saw him take less money in the face of more lucrative offers to remain with the Penguins. Heinen did not find the scoresheet with a lot of consistency last season and went through a few dry patches, but his utility in driving play, controlling most of the scoring chances in the game, and playing sound defensive hockey make up for any lapses he experiences in the scoring department. Heinen is a safe bet to repeat or hurdle last season’s performance given his environment and will continue to be used in a Swiss army knife fashion by Mike Sullivan and the coaching staff. That utility often includes appearances in the top-six forward group where he experiences success alongside Evgeni Malkin in particular.

Kasperi Kapanen

A great summation of Kasperi Kapanen’s dismal 2021-22 campaign is the fact that he scored two more points than he did the prior season in 39 more games. Kapanen took a step back across the board and struggled to find the back of the net with any level of consistency. While he gained the offensive zone with possession on a frequent enough of a basis, these were often fruitless ventures that saw him miss the net on poorly selected shots, bypass opportunities passing opportunities, or simply lose possession of the puck for a turnover. It was not just that Kapanen struggled to score, it is that the peripheral statistics of play-driving and controlling the game at even-strength were also unkind to him. There was a brief reunion between Kapanen and Evgeni Malkin once the latter returned the lineup from knee surgery, but the sparks never flew from a chemistry perspective and Kapanen ended up sliding down the lineup as his goal-scoring droughts grew more and more frequent. The expectation is that Kapanen will play more of a support role outside of the top six forward group this season and that may net him a level of competition and deployment that enables him to control the play more than he did last year. A better grasp of the even-strength game would net him a greater total of scoring opportunities to work his way out of his slump. Kapanen was brought back on a two-year contract at a $3.2 million average per year. He will need to out-pace his performance in 2021-22 in order to make his cap value worth it.

Jeff Carter

Jeff Carter’s initial impact for the Penguins upon arriving via trade from Los Angeles was stout and promising. Carter looked like a player renewed and that momentum carried over into the start of 2021-22. In the absence of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Carter stormed out of the gate as the top line center and general manager Ron Hextall responded with a two-year contract extension worth a total of $6.25 million dollars. Carter’s performance took a precipitous turn downhill from that point forward. Carter spent much of his even-strength ice time hemmed in the defensive zone. There was a struggle to consistently create offense and elongate shift time spent in the offensive zone. While Carter’s skating is not what it once was, it also is not a detriment to his game. He still possesses a tricky shot that is deceptive, hard, and difficult to track. Carter remains a difficult element to manage in front of the net and in the battle areas of the ice. He did not play a major role transitioning the puck out of the defensive zone or into the offensive zone. At his peak, Carter is a strong element on the cycle that can still take advantage of shooting opportunities in a variety of locations of the ice. The issue remains that his ability to control the play at even-strength has diminished in a significant fashion. Carter heads into the 2022-23 season at 38 years old. While he will not need to serve in the elevated role required of him last year due to injury, there’s hope that he can level his performance with mitigated minutes and sensical deployments.

DEFENSE

Kris Letang

It was a renaissance year for Kris Letang on the blueline for the Penguins. He set career highs in assists with 58 and total points with 68. He finished seventh in Norris Trophy voting in his 16^th year in the National Hockey League. Letang managed his highest ice time averages since the 2018-19 season and showcased his high levels of conditioning by playing over 25 minutes per night on average. Letang shot the puck a lot more than usual last year and landed among the top ten defensemen in the league with regards to gross shot volume, seemingly sacrificing power for accuracy in his shots to achieve that result. Despite the difficult nature of his deployments, Letang was able to control shot-attempts and raw scoring chances with a high level of regularity. A priority for management in the offseason, Letang signed a six-year contract worth a total of $36.6 million dollars that will likely round out his career as a member of the Penguins. Expect Letang to continue to be used in high leverage situations with a great deal of confidence from the coaching staff. He orchestrates most of the movement up ice on the breakout of the power-play. Letang’s skating is still the backbone of his game, and it enables him to take risks offensively and provide positive impacts to the teams’ offensive outputs as a result of that mobility and chance-taking. Letang’s defensive work in transition is not what it was once, but he maintains an aggressive gap in one-on-one situations. Letang shows no signs of slowing down and his training regimen has enabled him to play 78 games last season despite his big minutes.

Jeff Petry

Jeff Petry makes his way to Pittsburgh via a trade that sent defenseman Mike Matheson and a fourth-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Petry and forward Ryan Poehling. The Penguins wanted to get bigger and more physical on the blueline and they accomplish that in Petry without having to sacrifice anything in the way of offense. Landscape wise, it is going to be a much different environment for Petry. He will likely feature in similar role at even-strength, playing a puck carrying role on the second defensive pairing. While he does not produce the same type of elite play-driving offensive results he once did, he is still extremely competent with the puck on his stick and is a boost to the teams’ offensive goals. He will have an opportunity to work steadily alongside Evgeni Malkin’s unit, giving him a high-quality offensive-minded center to work with. A potential partnership between Petry and Marcus Pettersson would give Petry a steady, defensive-minded partner to enable him to focus on offensive outputs and carrying the puck on the breakout. Petry is coming off a year where his goal-scoring and offensive performance took a hit. A new landscape should bring about a return to success offensively. He still has a powerful, accurate shot that he uses with a high level of regularity and will sneak low into the offensive zone to put it to use. Petry is still a strong skater that can defend forwards off the rush with a great deal of success. The Penguins will look for him to use his size to provide a stern presence in the home plate area of the net.

Brian Dumoulin

Brian Dumoulin will be returning to the lineup having suffered an MCL injury in the playoffs. That is a notable mention because Dumoulin has suffered a variety of lower body injuries over the course of the last several years that have seemingly impacted his mobility and ability to keep a strong gap in defensive coverage. Dumoulin’s hallmark, a strong style of skating with great individual defensive coverage in the neutral and defensive zones, has taken a hit over time and attrition has made its mark in his game. For the first time last season, Dumoulin was removed from Kris Letang’s side on the Penguins top defensive pairing. While that may not be a true harbinger of things to come, it is a testament to the theory that something seemed a bit off with the Penguins defensive guru last season. Dumoulin will look to enter the year healthy and shake some of the nagging problems that have bothered him over the course of the last few years. At his best, he is still a wet blanket over the other team’s best offensive forwards. His patient and reliable approach to defense enables his more offensively gifted counterparts to take chances and risks in the offensive zone. Dumoulin is not afraid to use the body, but physicality has never been the backbone of his defensive game. His strong skating and pivot-ability in transition, combined with his long reach and active stick, make him a difficult player to move past for transitioning forwards. Those will be the elements Dumoulin looks to recapture as last year was an inconsistent performance from in him protecting his own blueline.

Marcus Pettersson

Marcus Pettersson is becoming the Penguins even-strength defensive specialist. While his game lacks a lot of flash and offensive utility, Pettersson produces great returns in preventing defensive zone entries from opposing forwards and can competently move the puck into the hands of safety. His strong skating and heads-up approach to the game in the defensive and neutral zones gave him the ability to control the game at even-strength last season. Pettersson controlled over 54 percent of the quality shots taken while he was on the ice at even-strength. His offensive skills have never been the focal point of his game, but he is a competent passer who can handle and distribute the puck adequately enough to find himself in the assist column on a regular basis. Pettersson’s hallmarks are a strong defensive gap that he uses to keep opposing forwards in front of him. He is a strong transition skater and can manage quick changes from offense to defense in a hurry without losing himself in the fray of the game. He has a good shot that is accurate and well-placed albeit used infrequently. Pettersson took on an elevated role in the post-season from an ice time perspective and that may be a harbinger of things to come with Jeff Petry in the fold alongside him. While lacking the pizzaz of some of his counterparts, Pettersson brings a unique and necessary defensive-minded focus to the Penguins defensive core that is more well-known for its ability to join the rush and play offense.

GOALTENDING

Tristan Jarry

Every year, it seems like there’s a tertiary storyline floating around the NHL theorizing that this season will be the final season of Pittsburgh’s Crosby-Malkin window. But while they certainly don’t have Vezina-caliber goaltending at the helm under now-established starter Tristan Jarry, the Surrey, BC native certainly doesn’t get enough credit for what he does for the team.

Jarry has quietly racked up six years in net for the Penguins now, logging his heaviest workload yet this past year and performing perfectly up to expectations in the process. He quieted concerns that he was following the Matt Murray decline timeline by bouncing back soundly from his mediocre 2020-21 season, posting a .919 save percentage and logging quality starts in over 62 percent of his games. The biggest contributor to his return to form was his consistency; while he had been sitting well above average in his quality start percentage the year prior as well, Jarry eliminated the stretches of poor performances by seeming to clean up his ability to get rattled by bad goals. He posted one fewer game with a sub-.850 save percentage than he had recorded the year prior, despite playing in nearly twenty more games – and while a closer look at his overall numbers from the last few seasons reveals that he never fell out of the top half of performers in the league, he shot back into the top ten with the outcomes he posted last year in particular. Now, he’ll get a chance to show that he can repeat that success for the Penguins this year, which could be one of the last years that Casey DeSmith backs him up before the team potentially takes a look at what a younger option like Joel Blomqvist to be his number two.

Projected starts: 55-60

Dis-Pens-Ed – Pittsburgh Penguins 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:43:00 +0000

REVIEW-STATE OF PLAY - After two straight Stanley Cup championships, the Penguins followed up with their third straight 100-point season but bowed out in the second round. They remain a perennial threat with two of the best centerman in hockey in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who finished fourth and tenth in scoring. They were joined by Phil Kessel tying for seventh giving the Penguins three top ten scorers. The Penguins topped 100 points with a torrid final half of the season for the third straight season under Mike Sullivan. They were 28-11-3, fourth in the league and the best offense with 161 goals in the final 41 games. Helped by a franchise record setting power play, converting on 27.6% of opportunities, second only to Toronto, eclipsing mark from 1995-96, on a team featuring Lemieux and Jagr.

DEFENSIVE EXPOSURE - The playoffs exposed some concerns on defense and Matt Murray returned to earth last season, his first as the undisputed starter, in a difficult season punctuated by personal tragedy (the death of his father) and injury (concussion). His spot was covered by two rookie goaltenders in his absence in 23-year-old Tristan Jarry, (23-14-16, 2.77 GAA, 0.908 SV%) who could probably use more time in the AHL. 26-year-old Casey DeSmith may be more likely to enter the season as backup appearing solid in 14 games (14-11-6-4, 2.40 GAA, 0.921 SV%) and two seasons in the AHL. A battle to watch in training camp.

Their defense was exposed against both Philadelphia and in their loss to eventual cup winners Washington. The allowed more than four goals in six of the 12 contests, losing five of those games. Their only off-season move of any significance was to sign Jack Johnson to a five-year contract at $3.25 million AAV. 31-year-old Johnson is looking to revive his career which stalled in Columbus, seeing time as a healthy scratch down the stretch last season. They also moved out salary cap in shipping out Conor Sheary and Matt Hunwick in a trade but still have precious little room for more moves. Do not count out crafty GM Rutherford from doing something more, since his only other significant signing was veteran and Penguin alumni Matt Cullen for a depth role.

Sidney Crosby

BIG GUNS SPREAD OUT - Upfront they keep their big guns on separate lines with net front beast Patric Hornqvist and speedy Carl Hagelin lining up with Malkin. Crosby and Jake Guentzel work largely as a tandem, with Bryan Rust or departed Sheary last season, but look for 21-year-old Daniel Sprong to get a good look on the wing there.

Phil Kessel was tried with Malkin often early in the season but was lined up most frequently with Derick Brassard, acquired at the trade deadline, and an assortment of wingers by the end of the year. Brassard struggled with injury according to GM Rutherford and will be interesting what a full season can bring for the tandem. His ice time dropped by over three minutes a game going from Ottawa to Pittsburgh and will not see a lot of power play time. Kessel has been mentioned in trade rumours again this summer and would bring a nice package and perhaps the answer they are looking for on the back end.

Not a lot of change upfront, but they remain one of the most impressive forward groups in the NHL. While the lines are defined coach will put the superstars out together in key situations. They benefitted from a healthy season from Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, both of whom had more than their share of health issues over the years.

Crosby is still in the argument as the best player in the game. His monster playoff last year (12-9-12-21) spoke volumes about what he is still capable of. While he is your captain your goal is always the cup.

The defense is the area of concern, assuming Matt Murray returns to form after an off season, but is fairly set heading into the season. They have five defenders signed up for the next three seasons, and four for the next four seasons. Letang, Jamie Oleksiak, Brian Dumoulin, Olli Maatta, and Johnson with Justin Schultz signed for two more. The Penguins have always been one of the best teams in the league for developing prospect who play as regulars on the NHL club, which is remarkable given how few high draft picks, or indeed draft picks, they have had over the years. The establishment of Dumoulin and Maatta as NHL regulars and reliable contributors was an important development for the organization and allowing them to stay competitive. Maatta was finally healthy last season after a few health scares in his career.

The defense is led by the inimitable Kris Letang, both an offensive force, and solid defender. When healthy one of the most dynamic defenseman in the league. An intuitive connection to Crosby and Malkin and always deadly when the three of them are on the ice. He has bravely fought serious injury and come back time and again.

OUTLOOK - Fourth in goals per game, 20^th in goals against, 23^rd in save percentage are all indicators of a team that is reliant on elite level offense to convert a loss to victory. The offense will remain, but can the young defense take another step forward and provide solid play? Will Rutherford make moves, if not in the pre-season then at the deadline? A good season from Matt Murray and they will be a threat for the championship regardless.

Brian Dumoulin and J-S Dea among Rookie Tournament standouts for Pittsburgh

David Burstyn — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:07:57 +0000

LONDON, ONT. -- A look at five Pittsburgh Penguins prospects who made an impact at the Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament; headlined by third-year pro Brian Dumoulin. The Biddeford, Maine native showed that he is close to being NHL ready and will have opportunities with blueliners Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot recovering from injury.

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Brian Dumoulin -- Displayed good poise and the ability to spearhead rushes as his play with the puck was very confident .. an upright skater with good short bursts of explosiveness up the ice .. first passes were generally accurate .. walked the line effectively at the point - and with purpose as he was used extensively on the power play .. demonstrated a capacity to get his shots through traffic - and was smart enough to sense when to unload his slap shot or a timely-placed wrister .. will have to continue tightening up in the defensive zone .. his expansive reach helps bails him out of trouble as he is a healthy stickchecker however he was also prone to some costly giveaways and the odd lapse in judgment .. needs to play with more assertiveness and finish checks utilizing his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame .. wore the letter and played in all situations .. on the cusp of cracking the NHL as a viable third-pairing defenceman.

Scott Harrington -- Boasts modest size and a good skill set however his skating has not seen the kind of improvement that is/was needed in order to become an NHL regular .. struggled with lateral cuts and also showed that he misses a top-end gear .. capable of manufacturing rushes up ice, averaged about two end-to-end forays in each contest however his game would be more suited as a two-way defenceman who pushes up pucks rather than carrying them into the zone .. his reverse skating is not quite polished either .. showed good offensive fortitude when plays were developed down low to jump off the line and into the slot .. known for his defensive abilities, yet lost his man and missed assignments on a few occasions .. will require further grooming at the AHL level as he is not quite ready.

Jean-Sebastien Dea -- Undrafted free-agent signing assumed the first-line centre duties and played extremely well all camp getting on the scoreboard in all three games .. shifty and very agile .. displayed an ability to make a series of plays in the slot while showing little fear in attacking danger zones despite his diminutive stature .. tenacious and determined - he stayed with plays and was always 'dialled in' and working to get into better scoring positions .. a crisp passer, highly aware and intuitive .. doesn’t panic in the presence of a scoring opportunity .. showed off a quick snap shot, scoring a handful of goals off rebounds .. darty skater, who is not only deceptively fast but also quite elusive and difficult to track/check .. will need some AHL grooming to work on his defensive game but all signs indicate that he could push for a roster spot sooner rather than later.

Anton Zlobin -- Rode shotgun to Dea and played with solid intensity however only inside the offensive zone .. possesses good speed and an active stick and is equipped with a decent set of soft hands .. can be wildly inconsistent however .. needs to focus on developing his play in the neutral and defensive zones as he is more of a one-dimensional player - based on these performances .. slippery and elusive, but doesn't necessarily like to get hit .. there's skill here yet he isn't enough of a complete player to be considered a key part of the Penguins immediate plans.

Tristan Jarry -- Played okay against Chicago as he showcased his athleticism and compact butterfly style .. very economical in his movements, slides across well and is not caught out of position .. his lateral mobility is understated as he does not appear to be moving fast yet is always in position .. reads and reacts properly - showing good anticipation in correlation to the play .. boasts extremely quick pads as he can kick aside shots with ease .. his 'down low' coverage is a primary strength to his game .. however, he looked awkward when having to defend against players who were aggressively crashing his crease .. still needs to add strength to fend off those types of plays .. will get a good chance to compete for the starting duties for Team Canada at the WJC.