The Pittsburgh Penguins are one of those teams that had a very interesting off-season ahead of them. Kyle Dubas came into the picture to shake the team up and add some excitement into the mix. Being the General Manager of the Penguins is no small task. There are many kinks in the Penguins armour, and it is now up to Dubas to inch Pittsburgh back to the promised land. Or as close as they can get.
One of the many kinks on display last season was defensive depth. The Penguins were top-heavy defensively with their best defencemen being Kris Letang and Marcus Pettersson respectively. The Letang/Brian Dumoulin pairing had worn out its welcome and with that, there was nothing else to be said for the Penguins defensively. When a team really only has two consistent defencemen, it’s hard to find success in what can be a long season. The defence needed a shake-up, and Kyle Dubas has done just that.
Now that the stage is set for the Penguins defensively, here is a breakdown of the biggest movers and shakers on the blueline. Pairings are projected and it remains to be seen what the final line-up will look like at the start of the season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins Defence
The Top Pairing
Erik Karlsson
The Penguins declined to re-sign Brian Dumoulin which was the largest domino to fall. The holes have since been filled with the acquisition of Ryan Graves and superstar Erik Karlsson. Karlsson alone was able to produce 101 points with the San Jose Sharks last year. With the Sharks being the 7th worst team offensively, it’s a dream to think what Karlsson could do on the Penguins roster.
Production was seriously lacking from the Penguins defence. It’s difficult to see how that wouldn’t improve with Karlsson on the ice. Acquiring Karlsson is a “win now” move. With the superstar defenceman being 33, his play will inevitably decline. That sentiment already exists with the Penguins, given their star players are over the age of 33 and likely playing on one of the last of their NHL contracts. The Stanley Cup window has been closing in on the Penguins for some time now.
Even if the Penguins pull two to three years of stellar production out of Karlsson, it would be worth it. There is no doubt that having Karlsson on the roster has taken the Penguins blueline to an entirely different level. Erik Karlsson is coming off the best year seen by a defenceman in NHL history. Will he have a season like that again? That wouldn’t be fair to say, the season he had was an anomaly. Karlsson brings so much more into the picture that doesn’t necessarily show on the stat sheet. It will be interesting to see how a superstar like Karlsson fits into the locker room.
Ryan Graves
Ryan Graves also bolsters the Penguins defensive pairings. Graves shows offensive ability but prides himself on tailoring his game to a more defensive approach. He also knows how to play a supportive role skating alongside Cale Makar in Colorado and John Marino in New Jersey.
The 28-year-old will need to step up even further to play alongside a Norris Trophy-winning defenceman. It’s easy to imagine Graves would embrace the challenge, given the opportunity to play with one of the greatest defencemen in NHL history. Eyes will be on Graves this upcoming season to see how he fits into the mix on the Penguins blue line.
The Second Pairing
Marcus Pettersson
Marcus Pettersson had been the shining light in the dark, defensive wormhole that is the Penguins defence. Brian Dumoulin had been having a bad year and it felt like it was Letang and Pettersson carrying the blueline on their backs. Pettersson, however, is coming off a solid year. He brought consistency, physicality, and an improved offensive game as well.
He finished the season with his most points tallied at 24 in 68 games played due to injury. This last year was an improvement for Pettersson, but he needs to keep improving. If Pettersson is able to build upon how he finished last season, the defence will remain in solid shape.
Kris Letang
Kris Letang has been an absolute workhorse for the Pittsburgh Penguins throughout his career. Despite various health scares due to an underlying heart condition, he continues to remain the Penguins most valuable asset. He is an offensive defenceman that is able to put in large minutes on the ice. He ended the 2022-2023 season with 12 goals, 29 assists, and 41 points in 64 games played. He ranked 10th among NHL players in ice time per game (24:51).
With the Montreal native going into his 18th season in the NHL, he shows no signs of slowing his game. However, Letang is one of the aging core pieces on this team. It’s a wonder what his retirement game plan will be considering how many years he has to play and the injuries he has been dealing with. He is one of the main reasons why this team is in “win now” mode as he has been a key component to this team’s success in the past. It’s important to note that with Karlsson in the picture, it takes some of the workload off of Letang going forward.
Per Natural Stat Trick, this pairing outscored opponents 20-18, five on five. The Penguins also achieved 52.63% of scoring chances, generating 236 while the pairing was on the ice.
The Third Pairing
Pierre-Olivier Joseph
The development of 24-year-old Pierre-Olivier Joseph (POJ) is still an ongoing process. It has been noted previously that Joseph was frustrated with the lack of opportunity given to him in seasons past. There has been a continued push to utilize POJ in a bigger role. Last year was a significant stepping stone to bigger and better things. In 75 games played, he netted 5 goals, 16 assists for a total of 21 points. He was forced into a more prominent role with the absences of Letang and Pettersson throughout the season due to injury.
He is a young offensive defenceman that shows signs of struggle defensively at five-on-five. Joseph is continuing to mature and find his footing. Coming off the production we saw last season, it’s safe to say that he will continue on an upward trajectory. He still holds promise and with being on the third pairing, he has plenty of room and veteran presence on the team to see him through. On an aging team, keeping young talent is crucial for the Penguins as the off-season continues.
Chad Ruhwedel
When it comes to Chad Ruhwedel, what you see is what you get –nothing wrong with that. He has proven to be a steady force on the Penguins bottom pairing alongside POJ. There doesn’t appear to be anything “flashy” about his game. He has been a seventh defenceman that keeps the boat afloat while on the ice. While there are superstars on defence, that shouldn’t take away the value that a player brings by merely showing up and doing their job. That, in a nutshell, is Chad Ruhwedel. Keeping solid minutes, avoiding mistakes, and breaking the flow of the opposition on breakouts, Ruhwedel isn’t going to light the world on fire. What he does bring to the table is what the Penguins can benefit from –especially on the third pairing.
The Bottom Line
There is no other way to put it–with Karlsson on the roster, the Penguins defence will be a force in the 2023-2024 season.
This blueline has everything: Superstar play. A young defencemen looking to mature and make his mark on the team. Consistency, stability, and plenty of veteran presence. With that being said, there is one factor everyone wants to iron out. Are the changes enough to turn the Penguins into Stanley Cup contenders? I wouldn’t go quite that far.
There is much more to a team than a stellar blue line. Unfortunately for the Penguins, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Goaltending is a stagnant situation. Success between the pipes is solely based on whether or not Tristan Jarry can stay healthy. The Penguins can also benefit from forward depth.
It’s fair to say that enough of an improvement has been made to have the Penguins remain a relevant force in the Metropolitan Division. It ensures that the Penguins do not merely limp into irrelevance. Kyle Dubas has provided the team with the opportunity to compete in a fast-paced and ever-changing league. With the current state of the team, that is all the Penguins can ask for. It brings excitement and buzz to a team that appeared to be on their last leg. There is still plenty of off-season to go. Kyle Dubas may not be done cooking just yet.
Main Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
