The Pittsburgh Penguins have a lot of work to do this summer, especially when it comes to the bottom six. The lack of depth scoring has been an issue for a few years now, and it’s about time the Penguins figure it out. General manager Kyle Dubas will retool the bottom six over the offseason and hopefully bring in some extra help.
Jesse Puljujarvi
In February, Pittsburgh signed Jesse Puljujarvi to a two-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $800,000. He played in 22 games this season and scored three goals and one assist for four points. His underlying numbers were strong, but he didn’t really do anything exciting when he was on the ice.
A big part of the reason for Puljujarvi’s lack of contribution on the scoreboard is inconsistent playing time. Head coach Mike Sullivan simply has to play him more next season and can’t bench him after one small mistake. He also struggled with injuries for most of the season and could never get into a rhythm.
Next season, Puljujarvi should be a full-time bottom-six player on the third line. He has good puck possession and is a good forechecker down low. If given a good third-line center who can feed him the puck, he has the potential to be a solid depth player. However, he is not the type of player who can create his own offense and can not be expected to run the third line himself. That would be setting him up for failure. He definitely still has some untapped offensive potential that will come out if the correct pieces are in place.
There is no doubt that Puljujarvi will have to prove himself next season. His past struggles can easily be explained by looking at his injury history. At 26 years old, he has to prove that he has what it takes to make it in the NHL. The 2024-25 season will be a fresh start and a huge opportunity for him to show that he can be a part of the Penguins’ future.
Dakota Joshua
Dakota Joshua of the Vancouver Canucks will become a free agent on July 1, and several teams are keeping an eye on him. The Canucks were eliminated from the second round of the playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7, and Joshua played a huge role in their success this season. He skated in 63 regular season games and hit a career-high in goals with 18. During Vancouver’s playoff run, he scored four goals and had four assists for eight points in 13 games.
Joshua can get to the net and score goals. He is also an extremely physical player, as he led the Canucks in regular season hits this year with 244, which ranked ninth in the NHL. He is also great on the penalty kill.
Joshua is exactly the type of player the Penguins need. However, if he is available on July 1, Pittsburgh would not be the only interested party. He will be in high demand and looking for a raise. This may be one of the more difficult deals of the summer, but if Dubas is presented with this opportunity, he should make it a priority.
Decision Time
With the draft less than a week away and free agency right around the corner, it is time for the Penguins to start making decisions. The bottom six has been a nagging issue for a long time that needs to be fixed. It should be very clear by now that they won’t be successful without depth scoring.
