3 bold predictions for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24
By Marci Rubin
The Penguins are coming off of a disappointing 2022-23 NHL season. They failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 17 years. Rather than launching a rebuild, president of hockey operations and GM Kyle Dubas chose to retool.
Although this is very much an aging team, the Penguins are stronger than last season. Will the Penguins return to the playoffs this season? It will be a tough battle in the Eastern Conference, especially in the Metropolitan Division.
Offseason moves made the Penguins more competitive. Erik Karlsson, Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby, Tristan Jarry, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are crucial to the Penguins’ success.
Before the 2023-24 NHL season gets underway, here are three bold predictions for the 2023-24 Penguins.
Bold predictions for the Pittsburgh Penguins: 3. Tristan Jarry proves he’s worth his new contract
Goaltender Tristan Jarry has a lot to prove, and this could be the season he makes a statement. Over the summer, the Penguins and Jarry agreed to a five–year contract with a $5.375 million cap hit. The lengthy contract extension is a gamble for Pittsburgh. The player-friendly deal came during a poor free-agent goalie market. Jarry is a solid goalie, but he has not proven elite status.
Jarry has good numbers overall with a career .914 SV% in 206 games. His playoff numbers aren’t good, though, with a .891 SV% and a 2-6 record. There are some concerns about his durability with a string of injuries in the past few years.
The Penguins will need Jarry to be consistent, but that hinges on being healthy. He struggled last season, missing time due to undisclosed injuries. If Jarry is healthy, the hope is that he will perform like a franchise goalie. That’s what he’s now being paid to do.
Clearly, the Penguins organization believes in Jarry. Now it’s time to make fans believe, too. Jarry will try to bounce back from a tough year individually, and he’ll aim to help his team bounce back from the pain of missing the playoffs. With this in mind, Jarry will have a strong year and prove he’s worth his contract.