Pens Labyrinth
Fansided

Meeting some of the new faces for 2019

By Justin Miner

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 23: Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) celebrates after scoring (goal will later be refused for outside) during the third period of the NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Montreal Canadiens on January 23, 2019, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 23: Arizona Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk (17) celebrates after scoring (goal will later be refused for outside) during the third period of the NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Montreal Canadiens on January 23, 2019, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Pittsburgh Penguins fell short of the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup. With a few new faces added this offseason, even better times are ahead.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has never been someone that likes to stand pat and wait for results. He has always gone out of his way to get in front of the game. So with that in mind, Rutherford added and removed players, with the hopes of making a few more runs at the Stanley Cup, with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin leading the charge. So let’s take a minute and meet the new players that the Pittsburgh Penguins added.

Alex Galchenyuk, F

This former 30-goal scorer was the centerpiece in the return for Phil Kessel. This will be Galchnyuk’s 3rd team in as many seasons. He was traded last season, from Montreal, in exchange for Max Domi. Over the course of his seven-year career, he has amassed 127 goals and 169 assists for 296 points.

The thing that made Galchenyuk attractive to the Penguins was his ability to score goals. While his shot is not nearly as renowned Kessel’s, Galy can definitely finish with his wrist shot. He will likely slot in on Evgeni Malkin’s wing and will be relied upon to replace a large portion of Phil Kessel’s production.

More from Pens Labyrinth

Dominik Kahun, F

So at this point, I am thoroughly convinced that the Blackhawks hate young, talented players. Every player that begins to show signs of potential seems to get traded from there.

Dominik Kahun is just one of the latest examples of this. He appeared in all 82 games, as a rookie last season, and registered 13 goals and 24 assists in just 14:09 ATOI per game.

For the time being, I have him penciled in for third and fourth line, with potential to move up and down, depending on who else is moved this offseason. Kahun also brings a very good possession game to the Penguins bottom six.

He carried a positive Corsi and Fenwick percentage and helped account for a 92.9 save percentage, while he was on the ice.

Brandon Tanev, F

Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room. The only major free-agent addition during the signing period was the addition of Brandon Tanev at $3.25M for six years. Wow, that’s a lot of term for a player that has spent the majority of his career in a bottom-six role. So, what’s the silver lining?

Brandon Tanev is a phenomenal defender and penalty killer. Over the past two seasons, he has scored five shorthanded goals. An addition like this was essential, with the retirement of fan-favorite, Matt Cullen. On the other side of that, Tanev does not do a lot to generate to the offensive side of the game. While I don’t find it mandatory for a fourth-liner to get on the scoresheet, it is nice for a guy making $3.25M to get some points.

Conclusion

While these guys are likely to be the only additions to the NHL roster, the Penguins got a great young defensive prospect in the Phil Kessel trade, and quite a few young prospects through the draft. We will touch on the farm system in an upcoming post.

What do you guys think of the additions to the Penguins, so far this offseason? Are they better than a year ago? Are there any other players that are available that Jim Rutherford could target? Let me know in the comments below or via Twitter and Facebook.

Home/Penguins News