Not So Drastic Makeover

Équipe: 2023-24 Penguins de Pittsburgh

Date de création initiale: 20 avr. 2023

Publié: 1 mai 2023

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

I'm over the cap because I have a 24-man roster here. The idea is that Legare, Puustinen and Smith shuttle back and forth between the NHL and the AHL. Or maybe the Pens find a better fourteenth forward and seventh defenseman.

I think that four free-agent signings could return this team to playoff contention next season. (I signed Barbashev because I think that Jason Zucker is going to want close to $5 million.) I know that Justin Holl was this year's whipping boy for Leafs Nation, but he does play 20 minutes per game and he should be good enough in a third-pairing role. Of course, contention requires Pettersson and Letang to remain injury-free and Petry to regain something close to his previous form. (I'm assuming that the Detroit fans are correct in insisting that Petry isn't someone Stevie Yzerman would be interested in. Obviously, trading Petry, even with a poor return, would enable the Pens to sign a quality replacement RhD like Damon Severson. But everyone seems to disagree on whether Petry wants to go anywhere, and who might want him.)

The new GM makes a daring move and tries to solve the long-term goaltending problem with an out-of-the-box trade and an eye on the future. First two selections in the 2023 draft:

14th overall: Samuel Honzek, LW, Vancouver (WHL)
43rd overall: Trey Augustine, G, USA-U18 (USNTDP)