THW Pittsburgh Penguins Substack - Sep. 23, 2023
Welcome to the THW Pittsburgh Penguins Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Penguins writers.
In this edition, we look at the first day of Penguins training camp and the team’s roster hopefuls, we then look at how Erik Karlsson has transformed the Penguins’ defensive corps, and finally we look at what newly acquired forward Reilly Smith brings to the Penguins.
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Now on to the good stuff…
Pittsburgh Penguins Training Camp Roster: What to Watch For
September 21, 2023 by Mike Cranwell
It’s the most…wonderful time…of the year!
(You’ll also hear me say this at the trade deadline.)
With training camp starting this week, the 2023-24 NHL season is on the horizon, so cue up the hot stove and the cold ice, hockey season has begun! Today marks the first day of on-ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ training camp. Earlier today, the Penguins’ PR team released the rosters for training camp.
There are 60 players divided into three teams: two teams have 17 skaters and goalies, while the third team has 24 skaters/goalies. All teams have a mix of returning Penguins and prospects. So, let’s dig deeper and see if we can find potential line combinations and defensive pairings.
Penguins’ Defense Receives an Overhaul with Karlsson Addition
September 21, 2023 by Aaron Sweeney
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, their town has been home to some of the greatest defensemen of their respective generations. NHL legends Paul Coffey, Sergei Gonchar, and Larry Murphy were amongst the best defensive playmakers Pittsburgh had ever seen. After lifting the Stanley Cup three times in his career, Kris Letang is right up there with them.
With division rivals building higher-powered offenses during the summer, Penguins general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas instinctively saw the need for tactical reinforcements on the backend this offseason; so he worked his front-office magic to add 2022-23 Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson to that same list of legends. Karlsson stands as a shifty blueliner with a deadly shot that Pittsburgh believes may be the antidote to their recent postseason woes.
Penguins’ Reilly Smith: What He Brings to the Team
September 21, 2023 by Mike Cranwell
It wasn’t a blockbuster, however it was meaningful. Has anyone talked about it though? I cannot find any proper analysis of the Reilly Smith trade to Pittsburgh from this offseason. Everyone was clearly cottaging in the Muskokas.
One of the marks of a good general manager is identifying weaknesses on other teams and exploiting them for his own benefit. Smith’s reputation is as a glue guy, someone who brings a little bit of everything to a line. It doesn’t sound fancy, though in hockey lore these are the types of players you need to augment your lineup with in order to win. The fact that Smith will be receiving a gaudy Stanley Cup champion’s ring soon enough lends credence to that trope.
As we prepare for this coming season, let’s take a look at what this version of Reilly Smith can reasonably be expected to contribute to the Penguins.