As training camp continues to inch closer for the Pittsburgh Penguins, their roster is full of depth. Perhaps they have more quantity than quality in different areas, but it should provide for numerous competitions at camp and throughout the preseason. It will be up to those vying for a job to win those spots by impressing general manager Kyle Dubas.
Some will have steeper hills to climb than others to get onto the roster.
Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports just dropped her first opening night lineup projection for the Penguins. While she did stick with some obvious choices that will hold true, she wasn't afraid to make some bold calls. According to the reporter, don't be surprised if Ville Koivunen struggles to take hold of the reigns. Haase wouldn't be shocked if the new $32 million dollar man doesn't hang onto a gig.
"Dubas didn't give him that deal because he expects to hand Koivunen a roster spot along with it -- he made clear that Koivunen is still going to have to earn his spot," Haase claimed.
In reality there is only one, maybe two forward spots that are under serious contention to win a vacancy in the lineup. That could always change if someone wows them at training camp and the preseason. That leaves little room for error when it comes to players like Ville Koivunen. After signing him to a massive contract, it would make that deal look worse than it already does.
Pittsburgh Penguins lineup projection believes Kyle Dubas could make bold roster choices
Again, some of Haase's projections are fairly straight and to the point, which makes sense. The top nine is basically set in stone as training camp approaches unless a forward significantly underwhelms or injuries strike the team. Only a forward spot or two will be up for grabs. The interesting area of the roster could be within the defensive group. It could lead to some good theatre in the coming weeks.
Other than their big signing of Koivunen on the hot seat, Haase also has them holding one of their more notable free agent signings out of the lineup.
Declan Carlile failed to make the Penguins group of defenders in this projection. It was a shocking move. According to Haase, the team might be better off suiting up Ryan Graves. Forcing Graves into the defensive pairings might be the smart long-term move.
"He wasn't terrible last season before he [Graves] was injured. If he's going to turn things around, he needs to be playing at the NHL level," Haase conjectured.
Keeping Carlile out of the lineup for the sole purpose of trying to "fix" Ryan Graves would be a bold choice by Kyle Dubas. In reality, if Graves is making the opening night lineup, it's because he outplayed Carlile. You can easily draw the buy-low comparison to the defenseman and Ryan Wotherspoon, but the former Penguin had joined the team with a higher level of experience.
Any sort of trade value they could gain from a Ryan Graves resurgence would be fantastic news for the club, but it's not a likely outcome. He still has three years left on his deal, and any chance of him turning things around to where another club would want to trade for him isn't something you should bet on. Not having Carlile in the lineup could become another stain on Dubas' record.
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