Who will anchor the right wing alongside Evgeni Malkin?
Welcome to the fourth edition of Pensburgh’s series figuring out the ideal Pittsburgh Penguins lineup through reader vote. We’re putting up the depth chart one spot at a time so that you can let us know which player you believe will be the best fit.
After voting to keep Drew O’Connor on Sidney Crosby’s left wing, readers voted to slot in Bryan Rust on his right. By an overwhelming margin, you also voted to keep last season’s trade deadline acquisition, Michael Bunting, in the top six on Evgeni Malkin’s left side.
That leaves us with the following projected lineup so far:
Drew O’Connor - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Michael Bunting - Evgeni Malkin - RW2
LW3 - C3 - RW3
LW4 - C4 - RW4
Depth forward
LD1 / Erik Karlsson
LD2 / Kris Letang
LD3 / RD3
Depth defender
Goalie 1
Goalie 2
Logic dictates that the right-handed Rickard Rakell, who only scored 15 goals in 70 games last season, would round out the top two lines, with the Swede hoping for a bounce-back campaign in 2024-25.
Valtteri Puustinen earned himself a contract extension this off-season. The Finnish forward was signed to a two-year deal worth a $775,000 average annual value. Puustinen spent time with the Penguins in the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL in the 2023-24 season.
In 52 games with the big club, he recorded five goals and 15 assists for 20 points. In 169 AHL games, Puustinen has scored 49 goals, 65 assists, and 114 points.
Could Jesse Puljujarvi make a case as Malkin’s righthand man? After signing a professional tryout with the organization coming off a major hip surgery, he eventually did enough to earn another team-friendly team, signing a two-year, $1.6 million deal following the NHL All-Star break.
Puljujarvi only dressed for 22 games last season, notching three goals and one assist. His skills and limited offensive upside throughout his career may leave him best suited for a bottom-six or depth role.
The one X-factor I’ll add to the discussion is the acquisition of a player not currently on the roster.
Kyle Dubas has hinted at upgrading the top six, hoping to get another quality forward to fit seamlessly on Sidney Crosby’s wing following Jake Guentzel’s departure, but what if we get crazy and facilitate a deal for someone like the oft-rumored Patrik Laine? Laine is a right-handed shot, only 26 years old, who, in a previous form with the Winnipeg Jets, easily hit the 30-plus-goal mark.
Now, a lot would have to happen to land Laine at his current cap hit of $8.7 million, which runs through next season. There’s also the possibility of Laine failing to meet the expectations of being a routine 30-goal scorer. The talent is there, but can he piece it together once again?
Who would you slot in on Malkin’s right side for the start of the 2024-25 season?
