Injuries, Droughts, & Contracts; 3 Penguins with Most to Prove
The Pittsburgh Penguins did a figurative faceplant to cap the 2022-23 NHL season. With a playoff spot within easy reach, they couldn’t put away one of the worst teams in the league, Chicago who was playing the second of back-to-back games. It was the most glaring failure of the season, but hardly the only one.
The silver lining was getting the 14th overall pick in a deep draft and well-regarded new management.
The organization turned the page this summer by hiring a new president of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas, who seems to have restored some optimism and vitality to it.
While the roster and depth charts are overflowing, there are a few more players with something to prove after lackluster seasons, campaigns that didn’t meet expectations, or who must push through the current limitations of their game to a more established level of productivity.
Top 3 Penguins with Something to Prove
1. Bryan Rust
Rust, 31, scored 20 goals and was a fixture in the Penguins’ top-six rotation with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin last season. However, he scored only 46 points and was a minus-4, statistically making it his least productive season since 2018-19.
In May, 2022, Rust signed a five-year contract, perhaps a touch under market value, to remain with the Penguins. Since he cracked the 20-goal barrier in 2019-20, Rust had been an offensive force for the team and had not posted fewer than .39 goals per game in his previous three seasons.
In fairness, he probably was hampered a bit by extra penalty-killing work.
However, Rust appeared to be a tad slower last season, and his offense was down, but his paycheck went up. Like many Penguins, he fought through a subpar season. With four more years on his deal and a no-movement clause for two more years, the Penguins need their gritty speedster with a nose for the net to return to peak form.
Rust is an offensive catalyst and a primary forechecker, creating offensive opportunities and possession for the top lines, but the Penguins need Rust to pop more than 20 goals and 50 points.
2. P.O Joseph
Joseph didn’t have a subpar season and has nothing to “bounce back” from. However, he didn’t firmly cement his place in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup.
The 24-year-old defenseman will be an RFA with arbitration rights next summer, so he has a little extra incentive and pressure, too. Joseph has all the skills to be a commanding defender: speed, vision, offensive awareness, and a long reach should serve him well.
Yet he could drive significantly more offense and puck-possession. A lot more. A good season will earn him a valuable contract. A so-so season could put him in danger of not receiving a qualifying offer if his expected salary exceeds expected production.
Last season, Joseph had only 21 points in 75 games, which placed him fifth among Penguins defensemen, behind less offensively inclined d-men Brian Dumoulin and Marcus Pettersson.
Perhaps, Joseph has held himself back. He’s flashed brilliant potential, but hasn’t seized on it often enough. The coming season is his chance to firmly put his feet in the NHL, rather than middling as a third-pair defenseman being one step ahead of the cutdown list.
3. Tristan Jarry
Five years is a long time.
The Penguins goalie, who battled, suffered, and fought through significant injury through the latter stages of the 2021-22 season and a new set of ailments in the 2022-23 season, is the Penguins’ starting goalie for the foreseeable future.
The team committed five years and $5.375 million annually to the talented netminder, who had one brilliant stretch last season. Jarry was 11-0-2 from Nov. 17 through Dec. 22, but otherwise scuffled and battled nagging injuries.
The good news is the Penguins feel the injuries can be dealt with if not solved. Yet Jarry must rebound from his .909 save percentage and not being at his best when the team sorely needed it.
Jarry, 28, showed his fortitude by playing on a badly injured ankle in Game 7 of the 2022 Round One loss to the New York Rangers. He was at least a month away from being healthy, but stepped forward for his team.
Guys don’t forget those things, but Jarry will be called upon this coming season to get the Penguins back to the playoffs.
Jarry needs a big-time season to alleviate fears and get the fans back on his side. Pittsburgh likes to blame quarterbacks and goalies, and another season aboard the struggle bus could also galvanize fan angst against him, making PPG Paints Arena an uncomfortable place to play.
A good season by Jarry most likely returns the Penguins to the playoffs.
A bad season? Oh, boy …
Categorized: Penguins Penguins Offseason Analysis
Jarry scuffled and played through nagging injuries for his team. A .909 save percentage in a “bad” season hampered by injuries and TERRIBLE defense in front of him isn’t bad at all, in my opinion. I am one of the lone few on his side and I am not worried at all. The better bottom six and adding Graves should help him and the team. At least on paper they are improved. Go Pens!
He’s been fantastic except for 1 playoff series (and sorry, 58 was absolutely horrible and gave up multiple odd man rushes each game) and the last 2 months of last year.
There is much more to worry about…ie. 17 was really bad and didn’t make one check all year. he quit doing what got him there and decided he wasn’t going to show any physicality. 71 needs to wake up too but what you see is what you get.
Its going to be difficult for Geno to replicate what he did last season. Rust will probably get less pk duties this season so maybe that will translate into more offense.
Yep, yep, yep…
Any rumors about moving–or dealing with–Jeff Carter???
Interesting fact, out of all the bottom six players on this roster, including all the new additions, guess who scored the most goals last year? Jeff Carter. Is he worth his contract, no, but is he worth not buring an asset to bury considering his utility, faceoffs, etc. absolutely. I think he will have a half-decent season with more PK support.
Hopefully he’s having nachos and a beer every game night (with great seats). He has a 35+ No. Movement. Clause. There’s zero the team can do, without his permission, to get rid of his contract. Zero. So… get him a standing order and let him watch.
I’m thinking maybe Granlund should be at the top of the something to prove list? If he stays with Pens.
Jarry’s play is well below his new contract. He has the most to prove. Sully also has to prove he can coach D and PP. Both were pretty pathetic last year.