T H E
FORWARDS The Penguins are flush with NHL caliber forwards and that starts down the middle, where they have no less than six players capable of manning the center position. That group is headlined by Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and is fleshed out with Brassard, Riley Sheahan, Derek Grant and the returning Matt Cullen. Crosby and Malkin are still two of the best players on the planet and they will man their usual spots on the top two lines, but the rest of the group is pretty hazy. There have been public and private discussions about using Brassard on the left wing – a position of need for the team – but he has spent his career playing center. He slotted in as the team’s third line pivot last season after arriving in town, but he’s not known for his defensive skill or faceoff prowess. Playing on the third line didn’t allow his offense to flourish and that made the Penguins fairly one-dimensional and top heavy. He is open to moving to the wing and could see time with Malkin and Phil Kessel. Can that work? Possibly, but no one knows as of this writing because he missed the opening of training camp with a lung infection and only returned to practice on Sep. 19. Sheahan also missed the start of training camp with a lower-body injury. He’s been skating on his own and the team is hopeful that he’ll be ready for opening night. The 26-yearold looked revitalized upon arriving in Pittsburgh following a trade from Detroit, scoring 11 goals, 21 assists and 32 points in 73 games, but his role changed with the arrival of Brassard. Sheahan was often used as a wing on the third line, but might be best suited for fourth line duty this season, which made the acquisitions of Cullen and Grant more surprising. The Penguins have won with Cullen and missed his chameleon-esque ability to play up and down their lineup. Grant, who scored a career-high 12 goals and 24 points last season for the
H O C K E Y
Anaheim Ducks, would be a perfect candidate for the Penguins fourth line if there weren’t already two suitors for the position. That had most assuming that he was a depth signing, but Rutherford insists he was acquired to play in Pittsburgh. If that is the case at least two of the centers will be moving to the wing, which makes it harder to pencil prospects Daniel Sprong and Zach Aston-Reese onto the roster. Both were thought to be locks at the end of last season, but if neither wins a job in the top six it is safe to say that they could be listed as extras or sitting in Wilkes-Barre Scranton waiting for an injury. The issue is further complicated by the presence of Dominik Simon. He might not have the dazzling shot and offensive instincts of Sprong or the size and net front presence of Aston-Reese, but the coaching staff believes that he does everything else well. Jake Guentzel has a job on the top line, Carl Hagelin will play regularly and Bryan Rust is a Swiss Army knife that can play anywhere in the lineup. Rutherford also signed Jimmy Hayes, who once scored 19 goals for the Florida Panthers. It is worth noting that Sprong skated with Guentzel/Crosby and Aston-Reese with Malkin/Kessel during the early stages of training camp, but there are no guarantees that those combos will stick. Head coach Mike Sullivan has plenty of options, but here’s one look at how the roster could shake out. (Rust and Hagelin could also be flipped in this scenario, as both bring many of the same traits.) ■ Jake Guentzel – Sidney Crosby – Daniel Sprong ■ Carl Hagelin – Evgeni Malkin – Phil Kessel ■ Bryan Rust – Derick Brassard – Patric Hornqvist ■ Riley Sheahan – Derek Grant – Matt Cullen
I S S U E
3
3 REASONS
WHY THE PENGUINS
WILL WIN AGAIN
1
THE TWO-HEADED MONSTER The Penguins will be Stanley Cup contenders for as long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (pictured above) are on the roster. Both are former league and playoff MVPs and as long as they are healthy, this team is capable of beating anyone.
2
MATT MURRAY’S BOUNCE BACK Pundits around the league thought Murray would contend for a Vezina Trophy last season. It didn’t happen for several reasons including the death of his father. He’s better prepared mentally and physically to make that a reality this season. He’ll be among the league leaders in wins, GAA and Save Percentage.
3
A LITTLE R & R It stinks going home early, but after playing 307 games over the past three seasons, the Penguins needed some rest. Most players will say that their bodies can handle the grind, but it takes a mental toll. The rest did them well and these players are ready to make another run.
CONTINUED PITTSBURGH CURRENT | SEPT. 25, 2018 | 7