Do the Penguins Still Have Holes to Fill?
I confess, I’m as excited as the next black-and-gold fan over the Penguins’ chances to reclaim at least some of their lost luster this season. From hiring heavyweight exec Kyle Dubas to run the show and culminating in the Erik Karlsson for a bag of used pucks…er…guys-we-didn’t-want blockbuster (and most transactions in between) it’s been a very successful summer for our flightless waterfowl.
However, now that the considerable afterglow of the Karlsson heist has faded a bit, I’m starting to wonder. Are we good to go as is? Or are there still holes to fill?
As much as I want to believe, looking at the team objectively I’d have to say the latter. Here are my top five areas of concern as we approach training camp.
Third-Line Center
Of all the moves Dubas made, I liked his signing of veteran center Lars Eller (for two years to boot) the least. Like many aging players, there’s been a notable drop-off in the 33-year-old’s play over the last couple of seasons, particularly in terms of offensive impact (10 goals, 23 points, 7.1 shooting percentage in 2022-23).