Pittsburgh Penguins: 5 Pens with a Lot to Prove in 2015-16

Jan 13, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman

(58) and left wing

(14) congratulate right wing

(middle) after Perron scored a goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Penguins are entering the 2015-16 season with a revamped top-six and depth throughout the top three lines that they haven’t seen in years.

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However, the depth that I’m speaking of ranges from expensive veterans to inexpensive and inexperienced youngsters. There’s simply no in-between right now for the Pens, and it has the makings of a disaster if a few select players aren’t able to perform up to expectations next season.

When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs, they knew that they were leaving themselves very little wiggle room under the cap. Basically, the team that you’re looking at right now is likely what we’ll see on opening night. Of course, the fourth line still needs chosen and there will be injuries and scratches, but overall the roster will stay very similar to what they currently have.

With that being said, let’s look at a few players that will have to put together a solid season if the Pittsburgh Penguins want to be true contenders.

Apr 11, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center

(16) looks to block a shot during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Pittsburgh beats Buffalo 2 to 0. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Sutter

There have been mixed messages regarding Sutter’s status with the Pittsburgh Penguins Brass. Multiple reports have stated that he was being shopped aggressively this summer, but Jim Rutherford continues to praise him and cites him as a big part of this team for next season.

Brandon Sutter is a statistical anomaly that screams inconsistency. Analytics folks will tell you that he’s a liability and simply a bad hockey player, while others will see his 21-goal season and penalty kill success as a very valuable asset to this team. So, which is it?

The answer is all of the above. Sutter’s inconsistency and poor defensive play has been a glaring hole for him. He also struggles to win 50/50 battles and lacks any real ability to wear down opposing defensemen with physical play. However, he’s an opportunist and a decent finisher that will score a sneaky goal from time to time to turn the game on it’s head. He tallied 4 shorthanded goals last season en route to his 21 total, and that’s something that can’t be ignored.

The Pens need more consistency from Sutter this coming season. He has shown glimpses of solid hockey, but for the most part he just kinda exists and will periodically score an opportune goal. If the Pens are going to be successful, they’ll need Sutter to shed his reputation of a possession black hole and play a much better all-around game.

Apr 4, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman

(51) controls the puck as Columbus Blue Jackets left wing

(11) trails the play during the first period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Pouliot

Pouliot is looked at as the next big star to emerge on Pittsburgh’s blue line. He’s a dynamic player with offensive skill to spare and will hopefully get a shot at quarterbacking the power play in 2015-16.

However, during his time in the NHL last season, he had a tendency to look like a different player from shift to shift. At times, you wouldn’t have thought he was as young and inexperienced as he is based on his poise, demeanor, and ability to control play at the both ends of the ice. But there were also times where his age showed, largely when trying to clean up his own end.

I recently discussed ideal defensive pairings for the Pittsburgh Penguins based off of recent performance with and without specific partners. Pouliot performed well with Ben Lovejoy last season and the two of them could find magic if paired up again, but many have him slated to play a top-four role alongside Ian Cole. Whether that proves to be the case or not, the Pens will need him to mature quickly as he’ll be called upon for big things going forward.

Aside from proving that he can play a better two-way game in the NHL, he also has to prove that he can stay healthy. Oh, and speaking of Ben Lovejoy…

Mar 19, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy (12) skates against the Dallas Stars during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Penguins 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Lovejoy

Admittedly, I was pretty tough on Lovejoy after the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks at the trade deadline. However, it wasn’t only due to the terrible trade that brought him here.

Lovejoy was acquired to add veteran experience and sound defensive hockey. He also has decent puck-moving skills and should fit Mike Johnston’s system nicely. However, when asked to play a bigger role due to the abundance of defensive injuries the Pens suffered last season, he seemed to take a step back to his younger days in the league and began making fundamental mistakes that proved to be extremely costly.

I don’t expect Lovejoy to play top-four minutes on a consistent basis and perform up to expectations. However, I do expect him to be good enough to fill bottom pairing minutes with a solid young defenseman like Brian Dumoulin or Derrick Pouliot.

Given the scrutiny that surrounded the trade that landed him in Pittsburgh, he has a lot to prove to the Pittsburgh Penguins faithful. We don’t need him to be a superstar, we just need him to be better. Hopefully, if the Pens can stay healthy and keep him in a fitting role, we’ll see that.

Mar 19, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars goalie

(32) covers the puck in front of Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) during the third period at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Penguins 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Kunitz

Chris Kunitz had a very solid season for a third-line winger, but the problem is that he played top-six all year. To be fair, he did have a solid start to 2014-15, but he witnessed a sudden drop off in production and looked as if he completely lost his ability to finish.

When you look at his underlying possession stats you’ll notice consistency all year. From an analytics standpoint his numbers were good, and some look at that as a positive and assume that if he keeps creating chances he’ll eventually start scoring again. However, that proved not to be the case down the stretch and into the playoffs.

The good news for the Pittsburgh Penguins is that he may very well be on the third line in 2015-16, so his production will align with his responsibilities. The bad news, though, is that he’ll still be making $4 million with a cap hit of $3.850 million.

I recently wrote about where Kunitz and fellow veteran Pascal Dupuis may fit next season, and when basing it solely on analytics it’s tough to argue that they belong with Sidney Crosby. As I said in that piece, I don’t like that idea but if it means a more balanced attack so be it. Either way, the Pittsburgh Penguins need production from Kunitz next season. You simply can’t have a $4 million player that doesn’t produce.