Penguins Analysis: 7 Things We Learned, From McGroarty to Veterans

Awkward circumstances and travel delays meant the Pittsburgh Penguins had six games scheduled in the last seven days. In the furious gauntlet to the preseason finish line, prospects got a few more looks than they otherwise would have, and one very well may have capitalized on his opportunity.

Friday, the Penguins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets minor-league lineup 7-3 at PPG Paints Arena. But the scoreboard wasn’t the story.

For the record, Noel Acciari scored two goals, and Rutger McGoarty and Jesse Puljujarvi each scored one goal with two assists. Lars Eller had two goals and two assists. And Rickard Rakell scored a power-play goal.

The Penguins are pretty much in focus. There are only a couple more decisions remaining after the team sent Owen Pickering and Ville Koivunen to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and placed seven players on waivers, including Sam Poulin and defenseman John Ludvig. If those players clear waivers at 2 p.m. on Saturday, they, too, will be sent to WBS.

Over the weekend, the team will make a final determination on 18-year-old Harrison Brunicke. Because of the CHL transfer agreement, the Penguins’ only options are keeping him in the NHL or sending him the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.

Coach Mike Sullivan got an eyeful of Brunicke Friday before the game fell apart. Into the second period, the game turned into a festival of breakaways and odd-man breaks. Then Jesse Puljujarvi submitted a beauty just before Rutger McGroarty snapped a quick shot from the slot. The pair of goals were 11 seconds apart.

For better and worse, we learned a few more lessons about the 2024-25 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Penguins Lessons

1. The Power Play Tweaks Work

The Penguins netted one power-play goal on two attempts, but it was the precision and aggression of both units that stood out. In fact, there was no standing–the puck kept moving. It rarely comes back to the point, and when it does, the point men–Kris Letang and Matt Grzelcyk–don’t let the puck sit for long.

There’s movement, but it’s not perimeter skating and a merry-go-round. Instead, the power play is about getting to the net and pressuring the penalty kill. It bears no resemblance to the incompetent carnage of last season.

2. Evgeni Malkin Isn’t Done

If this were a regular-season game, he would justifiably have received a lot of stiff criticism. In the first period, his line was looser than government purse strings, leading to a pair of quick Columbus goals.

However, Malkin also danced around defenders, stickhandled around a few more, and flashed the skill and mindset of a much younger version. He was having fun–that’s probably a very good sign.

3. Rutger McGroarty Can Play

The Lars Eller line—with McGroarty and Puljujarvi—was quiet in the first period. They made up for that in the second period, scoring a few goals, including the pair 11 seconds apart. They earned their odd-man rushes with good defense and transition.

In the third period, McGroarty made a diving pass to Puljujarvi, who quickly snapped a pass to Eller in the slot. It was their fourth goal of the game.

Sheesh. That’s all?

“I thought Rutger had a great game again tonight. Every game he plays, I think he gets a little bit better and feels a little bit more comfortable,” Mike Sullivan. “This is his first professional training program camp–I think that can be an overwhelming experience for a young player. He’s handled it extremely well.

“He’s a mature kid off the ice. He’s very respectful of his teammates and his coaches. He’s a hardworking kid … With each day that he’s played here with each game he’s played. I think he just because he gets a little bit better adapted to the pace of play. For me, it might have been his best game tonight.”

McGroarty won some wall battles, made a few nifty passes, and looked like he belonged. He may not make the team, but good luck sending him to WBS. For a few days or a week, it looked like McGroarty might recede as part of Group 2, but he forced the issue. He belongs.

His defense might be a tad sketchy, and his skating is a little suspect, but results are results. And he can continue working on both while helping the NHL team. From killing penalties to creating offense, yeah. Get that kid a sweater.

4. Harrison Brunicke

This decision is going down to the wire. Pending Erik Karlsson’s health, he may be needed for a nine-game tryout, but the bigger question is whether he’s ready for an 82-game NHL schedule.

Following the game, we don’t know. He was good with the puck–he’s smart, quick, and makes good decisions. Brunicke looks every bit like an NHL defenseman today. However, he was also knocked down a few times, showing that he’s not yet physically mature. Watching Sean Kuraly knock him down with a whispy forecheck in the first period was the seminal moment that hurt his candidacy more than anything else has in the last month.

This probably comes down solely to Karlsson’s health. If, indeed, Karlsson is healthy enough for the first game of the regular season on Wednesday, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep Brunicke as a press box nachos junkie.

Of course, a Penguins trade is theoretically possible, too. As we noted Wednesday, it’s been done before.

5. Kevin Hayes

Sullivan admitted the coaching staff had urged Hayes to play faster and that they believed if he upped the pace of his game, he could unlock more success.

In practice scrimmages and preseason games, Hayes’s game is very different than we imagined. He’s a puppetmaster of sorts. Watch him control the play by holding still—it’s like the game magically revolves around him, and passing lanes and plays open up as if he were playing a video game, simultaneously controlling all 10 players.

6. Joel Blomqvist

The Penguins’ top goalie prospect probably isn’t ready for primetime. Not yet. He allowed a pair of stoppable goals in the first period and left the five-hole wide open for a breakaway goal by Kent Johnson in the second period.

“I would have liked to have one of them back and maybe stopped the breakaway,” Blomqvist said after the game.

Overall, it’s been a disappointing preseason for the 22-year-old Blomqvist, who was also lit up in the first preseason game. He didn’t do much to give Sullivan confidence that he could start games in the regular season. Not yet.

7. Noel Acciari

What we learned is what we thought we knew but needed to see to confirm. Acciari is a much more dynamic winger and far more valuable than when he’s a center.

Acciari had a pair of goals and a breakaway. Before the game was no longer competitive, he was all over the puck.