Penguins Q&A: Rebuild Outlook; Young Players Status

The process. The Pittsburgh Penguins rebuild is unique to those they are competing with as general manager Kyle Dubas attempts to build atop the existing, but aging foundation.

When exactly the rebuild reaches its conclusion is probably a question answered only when there is a parade or results close enough to bring about that hope.

As readers submitted questions via X, the underlying theme is indeed the rebuild, the process, and the outlook, even as the details are in question.

From Southern California, the Penguins have a few days of sunshine and an off day on Wednesday. Hopefully they will venture into nice places around Los Angeles than I tried for a Monday dinner.

Even I chickened out after I walked in. A $6 dinner is nice, but sometimes the results are not worth it.

Penguins Q&A

That’s an amazing question.

I don’t think the goalposts have moved, but the perception of progress has changed significantly. Actually, the rebuild has progressed significantly, as well.

Who saw Ben Kindel becoming a legitimate NHL center this season? Further, Kindel is showing that he will have the chops to be a good second-line center.

Harrison Brunicke is showing that he will be a good NHL defenseman, though exactly which role he will fill is undetermined. Will he be an Alex Goligoski type, who provides offense from a second or third pairing and power play, or will he become a top-pair D-man?

I project Brunicke to be a good second-pairing offensive threat.

The immediate outlook and the long-term outlook remain the same, though the pair of rookies’ emergence may adjust the timetable–encouraging Dubas to be more aggressive in acquiring young players, but certainly not veterans.

They have stacked some pieces in a hurry, but perhaps not many high-end pieces yet.

The Penguins will need a top center and a few more high-end defensemen of the defending and offensive kind. In this process, the rebuild will have ended before anyone realizes it.

I have heard the progress has slowed. This week is a BIG week for the sale. That it has taken this long only furthers my suspicions that the city leaders who made quite a bit of noise by talking to strategic media outlets, including Pittsburgh Hockey Now, made some noise that couldn’t be ignored.

Well…color me surprised that Ville Koivunen was sent down to avoid placing Philip Tomasino on waivers.

Rutger McGroarty is not a fourth liner, but his return date is uncertain, so something could change. Notably, Filip Hallander will have a chance to win an NHL job.

Should Hallander fail to capture a regular spot in the next couple of weeks, he is in danger of being put on waivers, just as is Tomasino.

The same question could be asked about Kevin Hayes, who skated Monday at practice. Hayes could bump Tomasino, who gets bumped by McGroarty. And someone will have to eventually get bumped for recalling Koivunen, too.

I think the season is about to begin. A win on opening night showed the team had some moxy. A win over the Islanders showed the team had some talent.

But those were wins over teams playing their first game of the season. Take a look at the difference between Game 1 and Game 3.

Teams will ramp up. Justin Brazeau won’t score two goals per game. Ben Kindel won’t score 80 points, and Evgeni Malkin won’t pop 100 points.

My outlook hasn’t changed. I still view them as a back of the lottery team, not a front of the lottery squad.

The post Penguins Q&A: Rebuild Outlook; Young Players Status appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.

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Penguins Q&A: Rebuild Outlook; Young Players Status

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