Penguins Q&A: Who Will Have Greatest Impact? Youth & Karlsson Questions

If you enjoy preseason hockey, there will never be a better week. The Pittsburgh Penguins have five games in six days, beginning with the Sunday game in Ottawa. Coaches may keep the Penguins’ oversized roster longer than anyone expected, so the situation doesn’t force the veteran group to play more preseason games than they or coaches would like.

So buckle up and enjoy some bonus hockey this week after mechanical delays delayed the Penguins’ Saturday game to Monday. The extended delay in roster cuts may work in the Penguins’ favor as delaying the cuts might mean other players are claimed off the wire, filling spots that teams may have otherwise looked to the waived Penguins’ players.

It will be a unique week in which what is true on Sunday might not be true by Saturday. So, all answers come with an appropriate asterisk. Without further setup, here we go.

Penguins Q&A

Dan, what do you expect from a healthy Karlsson after a year with the team?

— Derrick McEachern (@D_McEachern) September 28, 2024

Answer: That is one great question, Derrick. There have been murmurs around the building that Karlsson was on a different page than others last season.

We haven’t seen any potential improvements on the power play because Karlsson has been absent, so any answer is a bit of guesswork. Karlsson isn’t here to play defense, and the Penguins’ power play will define his success or failure.

First, Karlsson must get healthy. His injury is obviously a little more than a glancing, minor nag because we’re two weeks into camp, and he wasn’t scheduled to skate this weekend.

My expectations are about the same as last season. Karlsson is a player who can dominate and be the focal point of his team’s scheme, but it’s been a long time since he was relegated to a complementary or secondary role. You’re just not going to see him score 100 points in Pittsburgh because that requires dominating the puck—which would minimize two guys named Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, whom the Penguins system is designed for.

Who do you think will have the biggest impact on the team?

(out of the new additions to the roster this season)

— Matt Meagher (@Flux_cc) September 28, 2024

Answer: Impact can be a subjective word. Blake Lizotte figures to have a significant impact as both a tenacious center and also by allowing coach Mike Sullivan to slide Noel Acciari to the right wing.

“(Lizotte) is like a dog on a bone with the puck,” Sullivan responded to PHN on Thursday.

Even if Acciari stays on the right wing, I expect he’ll be welcome at Primanti’s (I kid, I kid).

I’m also getting some good vibes from Anthony Beauvillier. At camp, he’s gone largely under the radar, but he’s been quite good. Expect to see him around the net on the power play in Quinn’s new double slot/net-front configuration. You very well could see him get some ice with Crosby this season.

A dark horse is Ryan Shea. This reporter generally hates trying to assess defensemen because there are a million little things that you and I don’t know or see unless you’ve played at that level. Sullivan’s answer about Filip Kral’s game was a study of the “little things,” as Sullivan described when to play with one hand on the stick and when it should be two. How often do you notice a player’s gaps unless something goes wrong?

We plan to dive deeper into Ryan Graves’s game over the next couple of days, but we need more available tape first. We’ll see how coaches feel about Graves, who was scheduled to play in the first three preseason games—usually a sure sign that a player is under scrutiny. Shea would take the spot if Graves hasn’t embraced what coaches want to see.

Given that Murashov has not yet played any preseason games and Larsson will be playing his second tonight do you think Murashov is still going to be part of the AHL goalie tandem with Blomqvist? Or is he maybe destined for the Nailers?

— Paula Sleeman (@dakoala26) September 28, 2024

Answer: It sure looks like Murashov will start in Wheeling. Remember, nothing is set in stone, but Filip Larsson has looked like a big goalie, though he’s only 6-foot-1. He’s had that confidence-boosting presence. Perhaps that’s for the best so Murashov gets more ice time. Would the team trade ECHL Goalie of the Year Taylor Gauthier (it would be a minor league trade) to clear space?

–Do you like the mixture of veterans and youth added this off-season?
The bottom six is definitely grittier, but is there enough secondary scoring?
One more Dan, aka Budmoonshine. Is this a playoff team?
Thanks for the great coverage, Dan!

— Michael Gapsky (@Ironmikewebby52) September 28, 202

Answer: I suspect most Penguins fans won’t view Beauvillier (27), Jesse Puljujarvi (26), Blake Lizotte (26), and Cody Glass (27) as a youth movement. It looks like Rutger McGroarty is on track to begin his season at the AHL level, and Valtteri Puustinen (25) and Sam Poulin (23) will be placed on waivers.

Yet it is a step in the right direction. So much of the Penguins’ bottom six success will depend upon Kevin Hayes and his ability to bring more offense. If Hayes and the third line cannot create offense, the Penguins will again be on Crosby’s shoulders.

I believe the Penguins will be a significantly better team than last year’s results, but I also think too many teams improved, including the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals. I’m not bullish on their playoff chances, but if the Carolina Hurricanes fall further than I think and Detroit has goaltending issues (which is very possible), then the Penguins’ playoff chances will greatly improve.