With the primary two weeks of the 2024-25 common season within the books, the Pittsburgh Penguins are sitting at a 3-4-0 document of their first seven video games. Whereas they’re hovering across the .500 mark up to now, there have been loads of positives to take a look at. This consists of milestones being hit by a number of veterans. However there are many negatives too, together with the troubles relating to goaltender Tristan Jarry and his play to start the season. Let’s have a look at some ups and downs up to now for the Penguins.
Plus 1/Minus 1: Rutger McGroarty
The very first thing to take a look at is a two-sided coin relating to Rutger McGroarty. Sure, the Penguins’ massive offseason acquisition didn’t make it very far into the season earlier than being despatched right down to the American Hockey League (AHL), however on the identical time, it’s a optimistic. When McGroarty was with the Penguins, he couldn’t get himself right into a place to assist produce, dressing in three of the 4 video games he was within the NHL. He solely noticed, on common, 11:37 of ice time per recreation and did not document some extent.
The optimistic facet to him being despatched right down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is that he ought to earn extra ice time and the chance to get himself higher established as knowledgeable participant. He has performed two video games for the “Child Pens” and has but to document some extent. Time will solely inform how issues will work out for the 20-year-old, however he additionally has time to develop his recreation and show himself extra able to turning into an important piece for the NHL membership.
Plus 1: Milestones for Veteran Gamers
Heading into the season, there have been a handful of particular person milestones for Penguins followers to regulate, and it didn’t take lengthy for Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby to every attain theirs, incomes their five hundredth profession aim and 1,600th profession factors, respectively in the identical recreation in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16. Malkin reaching the 500-goal mark places him in rarified air amongst lively gamers, turning into the fourth lively participant to succeed in the milestone (he joins Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Steven Stamkos). For Crosby, he grew to become the one lively participant to attain the 1,600-career level mark and is the fifth quickest in league historical past.
Associated: Penguins Milestones to Look ahead to within the 2024-25 Season
There are many milestones to proceed monitoring because the season progresses. So, even when issues do go south sooner or later this season, followers nonetheless have some issues to look ahead to.
Minus 1: Key Gamers Not Producing
Heading into the season, there have been excessive hopes that Bryan Rust and Michael Bunting may assist shoulder the load offensively and add extra firepower up entrance. Rust got here into the season absolutely wholesome after battling the damage bug final season. After spending time with Crosby on the primary ahead line the previous couple of seasons, the expectations and hopes had been that he may proceed to provide and be an enormous a part of the offensive output. Up to now, he has come up brief, solely tallying one level by means of the primary seven video games.
The identical may be mentioned about Bunting. After being acquired within the Jake Guentzel commerce final season, many believed that after a strong 21-game stint with the Penguins, a complete offseason of being round his teammates would assist take his recreation to a different degree. Up to now, that has not been the case, as he has additionally solely tallied one level. He has additionally been scratched as soon as throughout the first seven video games. For the Penguins to succeed this season, they are going to want gamers like Bunting and Rust to step up and produce greater than they’ve.
Plus 2: Ahead Depth Is Stronger Than Final Season
Normal supervisor (GM) Kyle Dubas made some extent this offseason to attempt to enhance his bottom-six ahead group after not getting quite a lot of manufacturing out of it final season. Whereas one in every of his free agent signings, Blake Lizotte is out with damage, gamers like Kevin Hayes have stepped as much as assist lead the underside six. Between Hayes, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Lars Eller, they’ve been a much-welcomed manufacturing group for the workforce early on. This helps give the highest six forwards a little bit of a break if want be. Throw in the truth that Malkin is off to the beginning that he’s; the ahead grouping has produced pretty nicely thus far.
Minus 3: The Tristan Jarry Conundrum
Final season was a battle for goaltender Tristan Jarry. He struggled to play constantly and battled accidents at occasions all through the season. On high of that, he misplaced his beginning spot to Alex Nedeljkovic for the final month or so of the season. Heading into this season, Jarry was seeking to bounce again and show he may dwell as much as the massive extension he signed final offseason.
However by means of seven video games, that has been nearly the exact opposite. Jarry has struggled mightily in between the pipes for the Penguins, recording a 1-1-0 document in three video games performed, and solely lasted simply over 11 minutes in opposition to the Sabres on Oct. 16 earlier than being pulled. In these 11 minutes, he gave up three targets on 5 photographs confronted. His goals-against common sits at 5.47, and his save proportion is .836. It has been removed from a rebound for the netminder and will create a sticky scenario for the group.
One saving grace is that rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist has seemed good when he has been within the internet, and Nedeljkovic has returned from damage. Nonetheless, having a three-goalie tandem could possibly be powerful to handle for head coach Mike Sullivan going ahead. Dubas can be in a tricky spot due to the cash tied to Jarry and the chance that will probably be laborious for him to transfer on from Jarry if he needs to.
Ups and Downs to Begin the Season
The Penguins’ first two weeks of the season have been a little bit of a curler coaster trip, with the ups being very excessive and the downs being very low. There’ll certainly be issues to work out because the season progresses. With it solely being seven video games into the season, there’s nonetheless loads of time to take action, however they are going to should be found out if the workforce desires to return to the playoffs after lacking them the final two seasons.
