The State of the Penguins Part 1: Strength Down the Middle?

Last season our Pittsburgh Penguins at least made it to the dance; they just got left in the stag line with no one to dance with, being swept by the New York Islanders. This year, during the sorting process of who to invite, they got left off the invitation list, nearly being swept by the Montreal Canadiens. Our friend Rick Buker has already started a discussion of where he thinks/would like the Penguins to go. Rather than go piece by piece through his article in reply and to answer a question by another of our Penguin Poop writers, James Arthurs, about how culpable I find the Penguins player I will answer them here.

Let’s start by looking at our Penguins Centers.

Believe me, I understand everyone’s frustrations, neither Sidney Crosby nor Evgeni Malkin have been all that effective in the playoffs these last couple of embarrassments (I mean playoff series). Standing roughly equal with 4 Points (Pnts) in 8 Games Played (GP) and both owning a -4 +/-, both have been rather pedestrian. However, our frustration may be more a product of unrealistic expectations. Neither is the Crosby or Malkin of even 2016-2017, let alone 2008-2009. Neither of these Conn Smythe winners of lore can strap the team on their backs and carry them through the war of playoff hockey. They both need a little help.

Sidney Crosby

What did you want from him? Crosby was playing with one Wing (Jake Guentzel) still pretty much healing from a nasty injury that kept him from playing an NHL game from December 31, 2019 until August 1, 2020, and another Wing (Conor Sheary) that was basically a pylon – slight upgrade from Dominik Simon.

Crosby has a full No Movement Clause (NMC) contract until 2024-2025, and good! At age 33 he may not be the best Center in the league anymore, but he is still checked in at 9th among all centers for scoring with 2.63 Pnts/ 60 minutes 5 on 5, during the regular season.

Crosby stays.

Evgeni Malkin

Wow, I just don’t understand some people’s prejudices. Crosby finished the season 9th in scoring per 60 minutes 5 on 5, among NHL Centers last season, but Malkin finished 1st (3.58), in that department, while posting a +7 +/-. In fact, Malkin was the driving force that kept this team afloat while the team was without the services of Crosby. Malkin WAS the teams MVP this year. Get over it.

Furthermore, since this team hasn’t been able to find a 3rd line Center since Nick Bonino, where are you “Trade Malkin” folks looking to get a 2nd line Center? Add to that, like Crosby, Malkin has a full NMC, he isn’t go anywhere unless he wants to go.

Granted, given that Malkin was 1st in the league in Pnts/60, 5 on 5, you could possibly get someone to take his $9.5 million but anyone suggesting that the team shed Malkin is thinking with their prejudice not with their head.

Malkin stays, end of story.

Nick Bjugstad

Nick Bjugstad won the Beau Bennett award. That prestigious award is given to the most fragile of big men on the team. I am not sure if his injuries caused his lack of production but given both his limited availability and his lack of scoring 5 on 5 in his 2 years in Pittsburgh (1.26 Pnts/60), Bjugstad is a good place to start to try and shed salary; here is a quick $4.1 million (assuming you can find any takers).

I loved his enthusiasm to get here, racing through the airport to get to his first game as a Penguin but Bjugstad must go, bottom line.

Bjugstad goes.

Jared McCann

As Crosby’s Right Wing, Jared McCann showed tons of promise. As a 3rd line Center, he was a bust last year. McCann is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) this year. Because of what he did two years ago, depending on his asking price, I may keep him, but not as a Center. If he asks too much, I may sign him, but then trade him.

McCann is a maybe.

Teddy Blueger

He was not the problem this season either. For what he was asked to do Teddy Blueger did a great job. I am not sure how far up the depth chart he can climb but as a 4th line checking Center he proved his worth.

Blueger stays.

Sam Lafferty

Like McCann, even though he can play Center, Lafferty has shown himself to be more of a Wing. He may be able to fill in, in a pinch. Again, like McCann, Lafferty is RFA. So depending on his asking price I keep him but not as a Center.

Lafferty is a maybe.

Evan Rodrigues

Evan Rodrigues has yet to get a chance here in the ‘burgh. He was toiling on the 4th line for the Buffalo Sabres and came here in exchange for Dominik Kahun. He only played a handful of Regular Season games and none in the Playoffs. We really have no solid visual record of this Center. He is just one more RFA on this roster. He made $2 million last season. If he signs for roughly the same price, I may keep. Newcomer to these boards, Caleb pointed out some interesting stats that makes me want the Penguins to give him an audition for 3rd line Center.

Rodrigues is a maybe

How I see the Penguins Center Depth

1st line Sidney Crosby
2nd Line Evgeni Malkin
3rd Line TBD
4th Line Teddy Blueger

The biggest problem our Penguins have suffered these past 3 seasons with their Centers was a lack of a 3rd line Center and that hasn’t changed.

Where would I look for that elusive 3rd line Center?

As I said above, I would be willing to give Rodrigues an audition, but with Cap constraints, that would all depend on his asking price to re-sign.

I wouldn’t count out Jordy Bellerive, if his hands are healed. He has struggled for several seasons after the tragic accident that burned his hands. Since then he has had to fight to regain his scoring touch. However, he did start show some flashes of his old form before the AHL shut down.

A draft possibility that I like, if GM Jim Rutherford keeps our 1st round pick this year would be Anton Lundll, the Finnish prospect. He is 6’-1” 183 lbs. Tony Ferrari of Dobber Prospects writes “The team drafting him will get about as close to a ready made top-line center. He will be able to affect the game at both ends of the ice almost immediately.” Alex Chauvancy of the Hockey Writers, Sam Cosentino of Sportnet, Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey Writers, and Cam Robinson of Dobber Prospects say he is a solid two-way center. Mike Morreale of NHL.com said “The two-way left-shot forward is tough to knock off his skates on the cycle, can protect the puck extremely well and finds teammates in traffic.”

If the team keeps their pick and Lundll is still available, and our GM plucks him, with the complete lack of anything else, I give this kid a legitimate shot here in Pittsburgh. He couldn’t do any worse than what we have suffered through these last three seasons.

Another option could be the trade route. Anybody who reads these boards knows I am a Matt Murray supporter but given the vituperations that  25 year old suffers at the hands of Penguins fans and the Edmonton Oilers with 37 year old Mike Smith as their number one Goalie, maybe we could make them an offer. With Centers like Connor McDavid, Leon Drasaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Andreas Athanasiou already on their roster, I would think a deal could be made sending 2-time Cup WINNING goalie  Murray for 6’-4”, 193 Right-Handed Center/Right Wing Raphaël Lavoie. Lavoie was 9th in scoring last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ahead of Penguins Prospect Samuel Poulin in overall points, 82 to 77, and just a shade off his Pnts per Game (PPG), 1.47 to Poulin’s 1.67.

Hockey Prospects write of him, “He has a big time shot and can score from almost anywhere in the offensive zone. Future Considerations says” He has great strength and can protect the puck at all costs using his body and positioning when entering the zone. And McKeen’s Hockey notes “He has quick and skilled hands although he is more of a scorer than a playmaker.”

I am not sure if, like McCann and Lafferty, he is more comfortable on the Wing, but given the lack of any other option having worked and the real probability of Murray being run out of town by the fans, this might work.

The last option that comes to my mind right now is from within our own organization, Filip Hållander. Apparently, the kid is finally healthy and can play all forward positions. Elite Prospects writes of him, “Two-way forward with a strong skating ability. Works hard and forechecks and backchecks impressively. Shoots and passes the puck equally well. Smart in all three zones and a good team player.”

All in all the State of the Penguins at Center is pretty much the same as it has always been. Solid at the top, but that 3rd line is suspect.