Équipe: 2024-25 Penguins de Pittsburgh

Date de création initiale: 3 avr. 2024

Publié: 3 avr. 2024

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

Most people know who Collin Graf is by now, so I won't go there. Obviously he's a guy who might be able to make the jump and help the pens next season. I put the odds at low the penguins can sign him.

But beyond him there are still two players who I think could really help the penguins.

1st is Josh Eernisse. He's a big physical RW who played at Michigan. He's the exact kind of younger body the penguins need in their bottom 6. He's got jump to his game and will dig out pucks and be a pest at the net. For a team that offered very little in the bottom 6 this year, and is very old, they need to find young legs that can bring energy to the team and play those physical turn momentum shifts instead of late game collapses. This is kid who has the potential to do that. I think he'd be a great signing to bring in. Building a team isn't always about finding a high skill guy who can play top 6. You need to find those guys who can fill those bottom roles.

The other is Liam McLinskey out of holy cross. He is a tall player with good reach and pretty good hands. He needs to add weight. But he's got decent speed/strength and above average hands who plays a responsible game. He looks like a guy who would fit best as a middle 6 guy if he can fill out a little bit. He's got the offensive upside to fill a 2rw role, and can play responsible enough to take shifts more in his own end as a 3rw who can provide a little jump to the offensive of that line.

The team needs to get younger, and they probably aren't drafting 1st round this year. So they need to add some youth some how. These 3 are the best of what's left coming out the NCAA UFA class. Graf probably has his pick of teams, but the other two might be a little more likely to land one of them if not both.

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