Penguins' center depth will be tested early

In advance of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ upcoming training camp, the Tribune-Review will look at the team’s depth position-by-position. Today, the centers:

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been two of the best players of their generation.

But their generation is starting to fade away.

Now in their mid-30s, Crosby and Malkin will not be able to open the season on time because of various maladies.

Crosby, 34, likely will miss a handful of games because of a wonky left wrist that required surgery earlier this month. Malkin, 35, is expected to be sidelined for a few months after undergoing right knee surgery this summer.

When healthy, the duo still represents one of the best 1-2 punches at the center position in the NHL, if not the best.

Crosby, as coach Mike Sullivan often says, is the best 200-foot player in the game as he attacks his defensive obligations with the same fervor he would a breakaway against an opposing goaltender.

As for Malkin, it’s fair to wonder what he’ll look like after he recuperates and gets back on the ice. At his age, he is closer to the end of his career than he is the prime. But he showed he can still be a dangerous player last postseason when he managed to produce five points (one goal, four assists) in four games while playing with only one healthy leg.

A productive return will be important for Malkin as he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

In the meantime, the Penguins will need to make do with the depth they’ve amassed at the center position, namely Jeff Carter.

With 399 career goals, Carter has a prolific history of being a legitimate top-six center. But a lot of that history might require carbon dating to relive.

At 36, Carter hasn’t reached the 20-goal plateau since 2016-17. But he managed to turn back the clock after being acquired at the trade deadline in April, scoring 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in 14 games. During the playoffs, he led the Penguins with four goals in six games.

The absences of Crosby and Malkin will offer Teddy Blueger a chance to display his offensive game.

The Penguins’ most reliable defensive forward, Blueger never has scored 22 points in a season at the NHL level. As a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Blueger reached the 20-goal mark twice at the American Hockey League level.

While he won’t prompt anyone to take their Crosby or Malkin jerseys to a Goodwill store, Blueger has an offensive element that has yet to be deployed.

One person who figures to see the biggest boost in ice time because of Malkin’s absence is Evan Rodrigues. Capable of playing all three forward positions, Rodrigues likely will open the season at center, perhaps even on the second line.

In parts of two seasons with the Penguins, Rodrigues has gained a considerable amount of trust among coaches and has been used in virtually every situation.

Sam Lafferty has shown versatility in his ability to play on the wing or at center. And as a right-handed draw, he offers a much-needed dimension in a world of southpaw centers. But he needs to display more offensive touch to earn any place in the lineup.

Sam Poulin, a first-round pick in 2019, manned the top-line center role for the Val-d’Or Foreurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs last season, but he is best suited on the right wing.

Czech-born Dominik Simon and Radim Zohorna each have histories as centers but are far more comfortable on the wings.

Minor leaguers Jordy Bellerive and Michael Chaput likely will get a look on the NHL roster at some point in the season as well.

Brian Boyle was invited to training camp on a tryout basis. He has a wealth of experience, having lasted in the NHL for 13 seasons. But considering he did not play at all in 2020-21 — minus a brief stint with Team USA in the IIHF World Hockey Championships — his prospects for making the NHL roster are limited.