On the surface, Mike Sullivan’s seventh training camp as PenguinsThe role of the head coach is similar to that of other coaches.
The Penguins’ roster is about 90 percent set, in reality. Veteran players — especially the ones who will have busts in Toronto someday — don’t really require a crash course on preparing for the NHL season. The Penguins, despite losing five consecutive playoff series for the first time in franchise history, are generally a well-oiled winning machine, reaching the postseason every year since 2006 while rarely working up a lather in the regular season’s final days.
Training camp is still important for many reasons. Not least because it gives Sullivan the opportunity to shape this team in his own way. One of hockey’s best and most powerful coaches, Sullivan will be on display in the coming days. He’s coaching the NHL’s oldest team, and how he handles the next three weeks will be interesting.
This team will be no different. In keeping with their recent trend, the Penguins could lose in round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs. They could lose and fall out of the playoffs, Father Time finally reeling the once-precocious team now known for its extraordinary longevity. Perhaps these Penguins will make it to the final round in a dramatic fashion.
It will be interesting to see. However, the wheels of change will be set in motion at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Thursday morning.
Here’s what to expect.
Ty Smith. (Joe Camporeale / USA Today)
The battle
There’s only one that really comes to mind. Pierre-Olivier JosephFigures to fight Ty SmithYou are eligible to be a part of the third defensive pairing. Jan Rutta.
Joseph has been marinating in the Penguins’ system for three years. If he’s going to be a good NHL player, some signs should be evident by now. Joseph was a good NHL player two years ago, but has fallen off the radar since then.
He’s 23. Five years ago, he was a first round pick. It’s time for him to make a move.
He has competition, of course. Smith, purchased from the DevilsIn July, Joseph has a ceiling that is likely to be higher than Joseph. The 22-year-old was also a first-round selection. He has 114 NHL games and is known for his offensive talents. Last season, he was a complete disaster on defense in New Jersey. Assistant coach Todd Reirden will continue to work with him.
At the moment, everything looks good. Kris LetangWill skate with Brian Dumoulin. Jeff PetryHe has always been at his best when playing alongside more traditional, stay-at home defensemen. Marcus PetterssonThat description is right.
Rutta, who is more defensive-minded and right-handed, is a great fit for Joseph or Smith, who both excel offensively.
Remember this: Mark Friedman is probably better on the left side even though he’s right-handed, and the Penguins like him a great deal. He’ll be in this mix as well.
The new men
Smith and Joseph are both a given.
The new guys are also being portrayed. Petry will be an interesting subject throughout the season. He’s always been a good and productive player, but he’s never been surrounded with this kind of talent. He was a Edmonton player for five seasons before Connor McDavid. After that, he spent eight years in Montreal. CanadiensWhile they had some success, they weren’t an offensive juggernaut. He now has the opportunity to play with Sidney Crosby Evgeni Malkin.
Rutta isn’t as flashy as Petry, but he’ll be important. Rutta gives the Penguins more space in front of the net, and has been a reliable player for them since long. Lightning. But he’s with a new team, which can lead to an adjustment period for any player, even one who plays a simple game like Rutta.
Remember to keep an eye on defensemen Jack St. Ivany. The Penguins signed the ex-defenseman from Boston College and they love him. He figures to start the season at Wilkes-Barre but he’s worth watching. He’s 6 feet 3 inches and a pretty sturdy player, which the Penguins currently covet in defensemen (see Petry and Rutta).
Evgeni Malkin. (Charles LeClaire / USA Today)
Ten things to keep an eye on
1. Geno. It’s simple and straightforward.
This will be a fascinating season in Evgeni Malkin’s career. Yes, he’s an all-time great. Yes, he could have retired in 2005 and been guaranteed a place on the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Malkin is still in the spotlight because of the way that the offseason turned out. Negotiations were contentious. It’s understandable that Malkin would be upset by July’s events. Sure, they’re still paying him millions, you say. Right. They are. But he’s a franchise icon and the Penguins came across as prioritizing Letang more than Malkin.
Perhaps it’s not a huge deal. We will see. I suspect Malkin is motivated by the events of this summer and will have a great season. Great players are able to absorb every motivation possible. Malkin is 36 years old and has reached his peak, but a motivated Malkin could still be a productive player. Let’s see how he looks in training camp. He’s not always terribly interested in camp, but this season might be a bit different.
2.Will Sullivan be easy on the Penguins during camp? Their average age is right around 30, making them the NHL’s oldest team. They’ve been off for about five months, so they’ll be rested.
Still, it’s an old team and putting it through hell in training camp might not be sensible. Perhaps the players really need it for survival over the next eight-months.
It’s tough to say.
3. Tristan Jarry. Sometimes, training camp is the best place to learn about goalies. Marc-Andre Fleury sometimes couldn’t stop a beach ball in training camp, but then, when the real games started, he was in peak form.
Matt MurrayIt was quite different. You could immediately see the difference when he was gone. This is a striking similarity between Jarry and Murray. Jarry performed admirably in training camp last season, and we saw him as a highly motivated individual.
4.Who is the fifth wheel in the power play? We know Crosby and Malkin and Letang. Jake GuentzelWill be on the power play. One spot is left open, which will likely be filled by a right-handed forward. The primary candidates would be Bryan Rust Rickard Rakell.
I’d guess Rust will begin the season on the power play, and he’s earned that right. His shot and playmaking are better than ever, he’s excellent at puck retrieval and his speed in the neutral zone is an added benefit. Rakell is a brilliant offensive player and is larger than Rust, so he could possibly help Guentzel in net front situations.
5.Talking of line configurations, you know how much you love to discuss line combos. What will we see from Sullivan about his top six choices during camp?
We know Crosby will skate on Malkin’s left wing and Malkin will skate on Crosby’s right. And we know Guentzel will skate on Crosby’s left wing. The rest is still unknown. Rust and Rakell are the top-six candidates. Jason Zucker Kasperi Kapanen. Rust, Rakell are both givens.
The Penguins could keep the Guentzel–Crosby–Rust unit intact. It’s one of hockey’s best lines. Zucker, Kapanen, and Rakell would be the only candidates for Malkin’s skating. Rakell is a natural left wing and could play there if Kapanen slides onto Malkin’s right wing, where he’s had success. Or the Penguins could opt to go with Zucker on Malkin’s left side and Rakell on his right wing.
There’s no shortage of options.
6. Kapanen. Yeah, him. He was arguably the Penguins’ best player in training camp last season and arguably their worst player when the regular season began.
Many believed the Penguins would give up on him this summer, even me. They gave him $6.4million over the next two years.
He’s seriously talented. He leaves observers scratching there heads as he pulls up alongside the right-wing walls. He will have all eyes on him.
7. Will Drew O’Connor stick? Young legs are vital for Stanley Cup contenders. O’Connor is young. He can skate. He’s big. He didn’t look the least bit out of place last season at the NHL level.
There also isn’t much room on the current roster. However, if he plays as he did during training camp last year, the Penguins may need to make room.
8.This is the season Samuel Poulin intended? Nathan LegareTraining camp is the time to make an impact. In 2019, the duo were drafted in the first round and third rounds. In three NHL training camps, they’ve failed to impress.
Poulin has become a center, and the early returns are encouraging. It looks to me like he’s being prepared to be Jeff Carter’s successor in a year or two.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He has to show that he can play at the NHL level. This starts in training camp. Legare is in the exact same boat.
9.Carter: How will the Penguins manage Carter in camp? In January, he turns 38. His time with Penguins has been impressive. Carter has scored 28 goals with the Penguins in 90 regular-season games and eight goals in thirteen postseason games. You can’t ignore that, and it wasn’t expected wasn’t Ron Hextall acquired him.
However, Carter played too much last season and looked tired during the season’s second half. How will Sullivan manage Carter going forward?
10.Crosby, Letang. They’re such freaks of nature physically that we never assume they’ll one day look old. And hey, maybe they won’t. But they’re 35 now, and it’s always worth monitoring them via the eye test.
I’m not expecting any concerns with these two. But they’re at the age when you’re always paying attention.
Brian Dumoulin. (Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)
The X-Factor
It’s hard to believe I’m writing this name because, for so many years, he was a constant, a pillar of quality performance. However, the last two year were quite different.
I’ll be paying close attention to Brian Dumoulin. He hasn’t been himself the past two seasons. It’s his contract year. He’s a crucial part of the Penguins blue line.
Dumoulin’s skating hasn’t looked right for two years. These Penguins would love it if he could return to the form he showed before his 2019 ankle injury.
If you’re attending training camp
Here’s a look at the days the Penguins will be participating in full training camp practices. The public is always welcome to attend practice and training sessions at the UPMC Sports Complex, Cranberry. Admission is free.
Thursday, Sept. 22:9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 23:9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24:9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 28:10:10 am. to 2 pm.
Thursday, Sept. 29:10:10 am. to 2 pm.
Friday, Sept. 30:10:00 a.m.-11:40 am
(Top photo by Mike Sullivan: Philip G. Pavely / USA Today
