Grading the Penguins at the midway point of 2021-22

For the most part, Mike Sullivan likes what the 2021-22 edition of the Pittsburgh Penguins are through 41 games — the midway point — of their season. They entered Monday in second place in the Metropolitan Division with a 26-10-5 record (57 points).

Much of that has been buoyed by an ongoing five-game winning streak as well as a 16-2-0 mark since Dec. 4.

At the same time, the coach knows the job is never done in terms of trying to round out the rough edges. And there have been a lot of those, even with recent success.

“Most recently might be our most volatile team game that we’ve put on the ice,” Sullivan said on Sunday. “That’s our challenge moving forward is to put a consistent game on the ice that is going to give us a chance to win, regardless of who our opponent is. It comes down to a team game, knowing what your role is, doing your job and trusting that your teammates are going to do theirs on both sides of the puck. Then it’s having an understanding of risk/reward when we’re out there.

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“When we’re calculated and we make better decisions with the puck so we put our teammates and our team in good spots, I think that’s when our team is at its best.

“For most of the year, I think we’ve been pretty good about it. Most recently, I don’t think our risk/reward factor has been as diligent and that’s our challenge moving forward.”

The Penguins have 41 more games to meet that challenge.

As for the first 41 games, here are grades for players on the current roster, including those designated to injured reserve.

Forwards

Zach Aston-Reese, left winger

Stats: 33 games, eight points (one goal, seven assists)

Grade: C+

Why: Aston-Reese has been, arguably, the Penguins’ most physical player as he leads the team with 123 hits, and he is a vital component to the team’s checking line. But he has provided little in the way of offense. And two separate stints in the NHL’s protocols for covid-19 haven’t helped his cause. A healthy scratch Thursday, he is currently hobbled by an undisclosed injury.

Teddy Blueger, center

Stats: 40 games, 17 points (eight goals, nine assists)

Grade: A

Why: Few, if any, players in the NHL are as technically proficient as the steady Blueger. A major reason why the Penguins have the NHL’s best penalty kill, Blueger has taken a major step forward this season with his faceoffs, having won 54.8%. He is on injured reserve after suffering a fractured jaw Sunday.

Brian Boyle, center

Stats: 28 games, five points (four goals, one assist)

Grade: B-

Why: There was plenty of scoffing when Boyle was brought to training camp on a tryout basis, but he has done quite a bit to quiet those doubters. A sturdy defensive presence who has boosted the penalty kill, Boyle even has chipped in some offense and provided some toughness when the occasion calls for it.

Jeff Carter, center

Stats: 35 games, 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists)

Grade: B+

Why: Carter helped the Penguins get through the early stages of the season without the services of franchise centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And with each of those pillars back in the lineup, Carter is still finding ways to make major contributions to the team’s success in a lesser role.

Sidney Crosby, center

Stats: 29 games, 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists)

Grade: B

Why: After shaking off considerable rink rust following his recovery from offseason surgery on his left wrist and a bout with covid-19, Crosby is starting to produce at a clip commensurate with the ample expectations always foisted upon him.

Jake Guentzel, left winger

Stats: 35 games, 40 points (21 goals, 19 assists)

Grade: A

Why: After a sluggish start to the season, Guentzel heated up quite a bit, thanks in part to Crosby’s return to the lineup. But Guentzel’s production has been much more than a product of Crosby’s presence. He has been the Penguins’ most dangerous offensive weapon for most of the season.

Danton Heinen, left winger

Stats: 37 games, 18 points (nine goals, nine assists)

Grade: B

Why: One of a group of players who helped the Penguins get by without the services of Crosby and Malkin, Heinen remains one of the best values in the NHL given his relatively small contract. He has cooled off a bit as of late, having not scored in the past seven games.

Kasperi Kapanen, right winger

Stats: 40 games, 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists)

Grade: C-

Why: One of the most talented players on the roster, Kapanen is also one of the team’s most frustrating. He has the skill to do whatever he wants anytime he wants, but his attention to detail and consistency are simply not there over the course of an entire game. A reunion with Malkin has seemed to stabilize things for him a bit.

Evgeni Malkin, center

Stats: Seven games, seven points (three goals, four assists)

Grade: C+

Why: Malkin has been productive thus far in his return from offseason surgery on his right knee, but his play has included the occasional turnover and other miscues. It’s might be a bit early to fairly evaluate him after such a long layoff. But there have been signs that he can still be a game-changer at 35.

Brock McGinn, left wing

Stats: 38 games, 14 points (nine goals, five assists)

Grade: B+

Why: The team’s most prominent offseason acquisition, McGinn has been as advertised. He offers plenty of energy through his speed and combative nature. He has contributed quite a bit defensively, and his offensive output has been a pleasant surprise.

Drew O’Connor, left winger

Stats: 22 games, five points (three goals, two assists)

Grade: C-

Why: After a fast start to the season, O’Connor has plateaued a bit. He is still light years ahead of where he was as a first-year professional in 2020-21, but he still needs to figure out how to remain consistent over the grind of a full season. O’Connor is currently on long-term injured reserve.

Evan Rodrigues, center

Stats: 41 games, 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists)

Grade: A

Why: As malleable a player as there is in the NHL, Rodrigues has been utilized in just about every hole among the Penguins’ forward ranks this season and has responded to that opportunity by producing at a clip he has never enjoyed before during his career. He is pointless in his past eight games, however.

Bryan Rust, right winger

Stats: 19 games, 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists)

Grade: B-

Why: He hasn’t played that much this season because of to various medical maladies. But when he has, Rust has been a producer. If he can stay healthy for the remainder of the season — a considerable if — Rust can reach the 20-goal mark for the third consecutive season.

Dominik Simon, center

Stats: 35 games, eight points (two goals, six assists)

Grade: C+

Why: A reliable reserve, Simon has been pressed into service quite a bit this season because of the various maladies that have stricken those ahead of him on the depth chart. He still doesn’t make the most the scoring chances he is afforded, but for a bottom-six forward, he is steady and, most importantly, affordable.

Radim Zohorna, left winger

Stats: Four games, two points (one goal, one assist)

Grade: B-

Why: The Penguins probably still don’t fully know what Zohorna can offer as he is still scratching the surface of his existence in North America. But there’s plenty to be intrigued by. He has filled in aptly when the occasions have called for it.

Jason Zucker, left winger

Stats: 31 games, 13 points (six goals, seven assists)

Grade: C-

Why: If Zucker’s production matched his effort, he’d be a first-team all-star. As it is, he’s currently on injured reserve because of an injury he tried to play through over the past two months. When he’s able-bodied, he has generated plenty of chances but hasn’t converted on nearly enough of them.

Defensemen

Brian Dumoulin

Stats: 36 games, 13 points (three goals, 10 assists)

Grade: B

Why: After a few hiccups early in the season, Dumoulin has leveled off his game and remains the perfect counterbalance to franchise defenseman Kris Letang. In addition to his steady defense, Dumoulin has even chipped in a decent amount of offense.

Mark Friedman

Stats: 12 games, four points (zero goals, four assists)

Grade: C-

Why: The Penguins’ defense has been stricken by a rare bout of health for the past handful of months, and as a result, Friedman has been a healthy scratch for 27 of the past 28 games. He’s adequate as a seventh defenseman. When he has been on the ice, he has offered plenty of intrigue while being something of a volatile element.

Kris Letang

Stats: 37 games, 35 points (three goals, 32 assists)

Grade: A+

Why: With the exception of all-star goaltender Tristan Jarry, arguably no one has been more responsible for the Penguins’ success this season — from Game 1 to 41 — than Letang. The mistakes that often have blown up in his face are largely absent, and he been a stabilizing agent for a team that often has skated without some of its most important players.

John Marino

Stats: 41 games, 17 points (one goal, 16 assists)

Grade: B-

Why: After something of an iffy start to the season, Marino’s play has leveled off in recent weeks, particularly since he was reunited with regular defensive partner Marcus Pettersson. Marino has emerged as one of the team’s top penalty killers and is on pace to establish new career highs offensively.

Mike Matheson

Stats: 38 games, 18 points (six goals, 12 assists)

Grade: B+

Why: Matheson is still something of an untamed horse. It seems likehe always will have a high risk/reward factor given his penchant for taking chances. But he has managed to limit his miscues this season while being a driver offensively. Working on the third pairing, he provides the Penguins with skill from a place on the roster most teams can’t match.

Marcus Pettersson

Stats: 37 games, 11 points (one goal, 10 assists)

Grade: B

Why: After struggling throughout 2020-21, Pettersson spoke of playing at another level this season. It’s hard to say if he’s definitely reached that level, but he’s definitely on the road to it. He has cut down on his mistakes and, along with Marino, made the second pairing a very reliable entity.

Chad Ruhwedel

Stats: 37 games, four points (zero goals, four assists)

Grade: B+

Why: A regular member of an NHL lineup for the first time in his career, Ruhwedel has responded by being unremarkable. Which is exactly what you want out of him. He routinely makes the correct, safe play and keep his team out of danger.

Goaltenders

Casey DeSmith

Stats: Nine games, 3-3-1 record 3.58 goals-against average, .886 save percentage, one shutout

Grade: F

Why: After a shaky start to the season, DeSmith seemed to pull the nose up around the start of December. But the NHL’s extended holiday break and his own bout with covid-19 derailed that momentum. His play has been so poor at times, the team has even toyed with the idea of using journeyman Louis Domingue as the backup before Domingue was injured recently.

Louis Domingue

Stats: One game, 1-0-0 record, 0.99 goals-against average, .976 save percentage

Grade: A

Why: It seems strange to grade him on one game, but that’s all he has been able to offer after suffering a right foot injury Thursday that landed him on injured reserve. Domingue is a veteran with plenty of NHL experience, and, before his injury, he presented a legit threat to DeSmith’s job security.

Tristan Jarry

Stats: 33 games, 22-7-4 record, 2.09 goals-against average, .928 save percentage, three shutouts

Grade: A+

Why: After flaming out in the 2021 postseason, Jarry vowed to be better this season and has lived up to that pledge. Beyond his stats, he just looks like a much more confident player after being shattered last spring. The 2022 playoffs will be what truly validates Jarry, but he’s proven quite a bit halfway through the regular season.