A look at the Penguins' projected lineup entering the season

The Pittsburgh Penguins set their season-opening “23-man roster” — which is the official term, even though it only includes 22 players — on Monday.

Unlike the previous season when they had to figure out who would be the team’s top two centers because of offseason surgeries to franchise icons Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins’ biggest problem entering this season was figuring out who the sixth and seventh defensemen were.

As it was, P.O Joseph and Chad Ruhwedel made the roster, and Mark Friedman and Ty Smith were sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Things could change leading up to their season-opening game Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes at PPG Paints Arena (and they definitely will change before the playoffs open in April). Regardless, here’s a look at what lines and pairs the Penguins likely will begin the season with.

First line

Jake Guentzel — Sidney Crosby — Rickard Rakell

Guentzel and Crosby might be the NHL’s most dynamic pair of forwards. The only question about them is if either or both could hit 40 goals. The true variable here is Rakell. In some sporadic assignments on the top line, Rakell showed tinges of chemistry with Guentzel and Crosby after joining the team last season in March. After re-signing with the Penguins to a six-year contract, he’ll have every opportunity to earn a permanent assignment here.

Second line

Jason Zucker — Evgeni Malkin — Bryan Rust

The Penguins tried this trio out in the early stages of the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season but abandoned it fairly quickly when Rust was promoted to the top line. On paper, it’s a sound formula. Zucker and Rust can use their fleet skating to open things up for Malkin’s adroit talents. The major question is if Zucker and Malkin can stay healthy given each player has missed considerable portions of the past two seasons because of injuries. As for Rust, he appears to be an automatic 20-goal scorer no matter who his center is.

Third line

Danton Heinen — Jeff Carter — Kasperi Kapanen

Carter appeared to have generated some cohesion with Heinen and Kapanen last season, albeit when the latter two were on different lines than one another. Kapanen might be the most physically gifted of this trio but often is lost on the ice. In contrast, Heinen appeared to make the most of his opportunities and came through with a career-best 19 goals in elevated service last season. As for Carter, he’s the oldest player on the NHL’s oldest team. But he more than earns his keep as a steadying presence on and off the ice.

Fourth line

Brock McGinn — Ryan Poehling — Josh Archibald

This is typically “Teddy’s line,” but longtime No. 4 center Teddy Blueger is a question mark because of a lingering undisclosed injury that has hobbled him since Sept. 28. If he’s unable to play, Poehling, a former first-round pick who never realized his potential with the Montreal Canadiens, will step in. Flanking him will be a couple of rough-and-tumble wingers who thrive on contact. McGinn has some subtle scoring touch while offering sturdy defense. Archibald returns to the team that drafted him in 2011 and brings plenty of speed as well as a penchant for agitating the opposition.

First pair

Brian Dumoulin — Kris Letang

This might be the most tenured defensive pairing in franchise history. Much of what the Penguins do runs through Dumoulin and Letang, as nearly perfect a representation of yin and yang as you’ll find on an NHL rink. By most measures, Letang is the greatest defenseman in franchise history, and even at 35, he’s capable of playing more than 25 minutes a game. Dumoulin is a perfect counter-balance through his steady positioning and sound defensive conscience. As a pending unrestricted free agent in the upcoming offseason, Dumoulin has some extra motivation this season.

Second pair

Marcus Pettersson — Jeff Petry

Pettersson lost his longtime partner this offseason in John Marino, who was traded away to create salary cap space for Petry. At 34, the veteran Petry knows how to react in just about every situation and will get time on both special teams units. As for Pettersson, the 26-year-old is looking to take a big step forward in his development after largely plateauing the past two seasons.

Third pair

P.O Joseph — Jan Rutta

It remains to be seen if this duo is in the lineup Thursday as the coaching staff largely had deployed Rutta with Smith. But salary cap concerns dictated Smith be sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Another transaction could reopen that possibility, but for the time being, Joseph is on the roster after three seasons of refinement at the AHL level. A smooth skater who has a long reach, Joseph is a high-end talent who will benefit greatly from a 32-year-old veteran like Rutta, a steady defensive presence who was a key component to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s recent Stanley Cup championships.

Goaltenders

Tristan Jarry — Casey DeSmith

Questions linger about what Jarry can offer the Penguins in the postseason after he was limited to one game last spring because of a broken right foot. But he largely has made good on a vow to be a better player after struggling badly during the 2021 postseason. The biggest question about him is what kind of contract extension he might sign as an unrestricted free agent in the 2023 offseason. As for DeSmith, he remains trusted by management, which opted to give him a two-year contract extension this past summer. As one of the smaller goaltenders in the NHL, DeSmith relies on quickness and sound positioning.

More Penguins coverage:

• Mark Madden: If a group of old-timers can make another Stanley Cup run, it's the Penguins' Crosby, Malkin, Letang
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to play outdoors in Cleveland
• Which current athlete has the longest tenure in Pittsburgh?
• Rickard Rakell feels right on the right side of the Penguins' top line

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