The 2024 year is almost over and 2025 is just a day away. With so much happening in the 2024-25 season already, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be looking ahead. As many do, developing some New Year’s resolutions becomes an end-of-year tradition. Whether people stick to them is another story. Well, the Penguins have a few resolutions they will be looking at coming into 2025 as they have not started the season as well as they would have wanted to.
Pittsburgh Penguins New Year’s Resolutions
Better Goaltending
The Penguins goaltending has not been perfect by any means. However, to somewhat defend the Penguins goaltending tandem, some of the goals they have allowed has not been their fault due to poor plays by the defense or even due to being shorthanded. However, the Penguins goaltending so far this season has not been a stretch by any means.
Starting goaltender Tristan Jarry has not been the Jarry of old in a few seasons now. This season, he even had to get sent down to the American Hockey League in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a brief conditioning stint. This season, Jarry has a record of 8-6-2 in 17 games with a save percentage of .855. His goals-against-average is 3.58 which is not very good either.
Backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic has been slightly better than Jarry this season, but not by enough to compliment him or even make him the starter. In 14 games started this season, Nedeljkovic has a record of 6-5-3 with a save percentage of .890. His GAA is 3.18.
Third string goalie and rookie netminder Joel Blomqvist has also seen some playing time this season. However, his rookie campaign has not been how he envisioned or the team hoped for. In eight games played this season, Blomqvist has a record of 3-5 with a GAA of 3.60 which is the worst on the team. However, his save percentage of .904 is the highest on the team.
If the Penguins want to make a run and get back to the playoffs, the Penguins goaltenders need to be better and play up to their standard especially Jarry after receiving a lucrative contract extension not to long ago.
A Top-Five Special Teams Unit
The Penguins powerplay has been abysmal the past two seasons ranking bottom-five in the league each year. However, the Penguins brought in David Quinn to fix that issue. Quinn so far not only fixed the issue, but also made it an elite advantage for the Penguins. Currently, the Penguins are fourth in the league in powerplay percentage at 25.9%.
The last time the Penguins finished a season with a top-five powerplay unit, they were in the playoffs. As of now, the Penguins also currently have a playoff spot so hopefully both can stay true when the regular season ends in April.
The Penguins penalty kill has also been solid this season as they have been taking care of business at the opposite end of the ice. Their penalty kill ranks seventh in the league at 83%. The special teams unit on both ends of the ice has been a massive strength this season as they take care of business whether they are a man up or a man down.
Team Stays & Gets Healthy
The NHL season is a long one and injuries come and go, especially due to how physical and violent hockey can get. On top of that, it does not help the fact that the Penguins have one of the oldest rosters in hockey. Injuries are expected and they will come and go. However, the worst thing to happen is multiple injuries and severe ones and if one’s roster can stay healthy with minor injuries, they are in the best position to win.
Currently, the Penguins defensive core is severely pummeled with injuries as Kris Letang, Marcus Pettersson, and Owen Pickering are all injured. Even though Letang is missing his second consecutive game Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, he is luckily considered just day-to-day. This has resulted in the Penguins reacquiring Pierre-Olivier Joseph and calling up Nathan Clurman to make his NHL debut.
Continue That Second Half Magic
With the second half of the season almost underway, the Penguins as of late have been a second half team. The Penguins use the All-Star break as a mental and physical reset and always come back stronger. Last season, the Penguins went on a 12 game point streak in March that nearly secured them a playoff berth. The way the Penguins are playing now, if that can replicate, it may secure them a playoff spot.
Ryan Graves Finds The Stat Sheet
Lastly, Ryan Graves needs to find the stat sheet. He is the only Penguin to play at least four games this season and not register a point. In 29 games this season, Graves is pointless and has a +/- of -8. Graves has not lived up to that six year contract he signed with Pittsburgh just two off-season’s ago. Hopefully, a new year can bring better success to Ryan Graves and he can succeed both offensively and defensively.
In 2025, many will know how much fight the Penguins have to get back into the postseason. Or, if they get complacent, and endure another painful losing season and just miss the postseason for the third year in a row.
Main photo by: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
