Inside look at Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are between eras.

Avoiding the term “rebuild,” general manager Kyle Dubas wants to usher in a youth movement leading to sustained success after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past three seasons.

“At some point, we're going to have to make the call to go into this mode,” Dubas said.

At the same time, Pittsburgh is still led by centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and defenseman Kris Letang, each looking to win a fourth championship after lifting the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017 but last winning a postseason series in 2018. Entering their 20th season together, they are the longest-tenured trio of teammates in the history of North American pro sports.

“Missing the playoffs the last few years, there’s always going to be thoughts and opinions,” Crosby said. “We’ve got to prove it. I think we’ve got to find a way to get back there.”

Dubas and Crosby share a vision of progress from the Penguins (34-36-12) finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Division last season, but Crosby’s hopes for another run with Malkin and Letang could be running out of time.

Crosby and Letang are each 38 years old. Crosby has two seasons remaining on a two-year, $17.4 million contract agreed to on Sept. 16, 2024; Letang will return from having heart surgery in April and is signed through 2027-28 on a six-year, $36.6 million contract.

Malkin, 39, is the biggest question entering the final season of a four-year, $24.4 million contract.

“Our major focus is on treating him right,” Dubas said, “pushing him to continue to be at his best this year and do right by him by continuing to communicate with him on where he stands and handle it the right way as an organization.”

For the first time since 2015-16, they won’t be led by Mike Sullivan, who won the Stanley Cup in his first two of 10 seasons with Pittsburgh before parting on April 28 and being hired as coach of the New York Rangers on May 2.

“Sometimes, the class needs a new professor and sometimes the professor needs a new class,” Dubas said.

Dan Muse was hired June 4 as a 43-year-old first-time NHL head coach.

“We're going to put together a plan and we're going to be talking with every single player that's here,” Muse said. “So, you do have players that have been in this league a long time and have done great things in this league for a long time. Working with those players to help them continue to take steps.”

It’s not just about the veterans, though.

“At the same time, we're going to be working on the younger players that are coming in,” Muse said. “How can they come in and make their mark here in this organization and in this league?”

Forwards Rutger McGroarty, 21, and Ville Koivunen, 22, are favorites to make the roster out of training camp. Owen Pickering, 21, could also find a permanent spot and fellow defenseman Harrison Brunicke, 19, will look to make his NHL debut.

“We want these guys to earn it,” Dubas said. “If we start just handing these guys spots, we’re going to very quickly lose what I think the Penguins have been about for a very long time.”

A second straight offseason has been full of additions on short-term contracts.

Forward Anthony Mantha signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract on July 2. Forward Justin Brazeau joined on a two-year, $3 million contract July 1, the same day the Penguins signed defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (two years, $2 million) and Caleb Jones (two years, $1.8 million).

Defenseman Mathew Dumba was acquired in a trade with the Dallas Stars on July 10 and goalie Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks on July 13.

There might be more; defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell have not been ruled out as trade candidates.

“We’re going to evaluate everything,” Dubas said. “We’re going to do what’s best for the Penguins.”

Karlsson has led Pittsburgh defensemen with 109 points (22 goals, 87 assists) the past two seasons. Rakell led the Penguins with 35 goals last season. Rust won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017 and has developed into a mainstay on the first line with 437 points (203 goals, 234 assists) in 11 seasons.

Dubas doesn’t necessarily want to part with any of the three, especially Rust, but would if it cleared a path to reestablishing a certain standard.

“Unless it’s something that blows us away in terms of what it returns, then it could very easily be looked at that (Rust) helped us return to contention,” Dubas said. “That would be a tough one, but we’ve got lots of calls on him. He’s a great player, signed. But he’s also a massive member of the Penguins. We’ll continue to be open for business but the price will be very high.”