Penguins breakout candidates for the 2024-25 season

[@gablefisk-govphost817]

With regards to Ryan Graves, there's a considerable sample size of him being a legitimate top-4 defenseman. Maybe the player just doesn't fit the system?

[@rodbelding9523]

I thought this too, he honestly wasn't god awful with New Jersey or Colorado. Maybe the Pens system is giving him fits.

[@JohnSmith-jb2jf]

Or it was just a bad first year like Martin had. People like to give up quickly on players, but they end up wrong a lot.

[@bryanelliott6662]

Jarry is the one that needs to step up for a full season not half a season. Goaltending wins and loses games for you! My breakout candidate is valterri puustinen. I think he gets 15 goals this season. The pens have had to good drafts on paper under kyle dubas. Im hoping some of the lower round picks can become nhler's. Puustinen a 7th rounder saw nhl time before poulin a 1st rounder.

[@cjcolaizzi1213]

This might be a bit of "cheat" answer but if this team wants to make a push to try and get back to the playoffs they must be healthy especially the big three and Rust. This team can't afford to have any of those guys miss an extended period of time this season. I think Rackell is the one who's most poised for a bounce back season. He just couldn't get anything going for most of the year. And I also believe DOC is ready to truly break out this year. I don't believe Dubis is going to bring another potential top six winger in and DOC with Sid for a possible full season gives me the feeling that he's going to put up over 20 goals this year especially if he's working on the 2nd PP unit as well as playing with Cyborg Sid and Swiss Army Rust

[@austincurry9861]

I think they have a better chance at making playoffs this upcoming season compared to last year becuase things cant get much worse than last year (i.e. power play, Graves, Jarry, Karlsson, Rakell, etc). Not that Karlsson or Rakell necessarily had bad seasons, but just not up to their normal standards. You just hope that the core guys can still be healthy all year long like last year. Goaltending could very well be an issue.

[@vipeholmskolan6052]

I also think Puljujärvi will surprise many next season.

[@1pbdecoded1pb]

You think a guy drafted 1st round 4th overall and is a a bust is going to surprise next season? Puljujarvi can't even play on a team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl because he sucks. Daniel Sprong is better by miles than BUST Puljujarvi.

[@vipeholmskolan6052]

@@1pbdecoded1pb Sprong is better offensively for sure, but he's one of the worst defensive players in the league. I don't mean that I think Jesse will fill the gap on the first line. I just think he will be a really good bottom 6 player. He has finally fully recovered from his surgery so his skating is much better now.

[@1pbdecoded1pb]

@@vipeholmskolan6052 Seriously Sprong is a super hero compared to Emil Bemstrom or whatever the Pens are doing.

[@vipeholmskolan6052]

@@1pbdecoded1pb Super zero in his own zone tho

[@1pbdecoded1pb]

@@vipeholmskolan6052 If Rackell and Rust get hurt you'll be crying for depth in the form of Sprong. When the 3rd and 4th lines can't score or stop anyone you'll be crying for Sprong. Rutherford got Sprong to play under Tocchet after the Kuzmenko debacle. I trust Tocchet and JR. Bemstrom = AHL.

[@brandonrickner1321]

Love you guys but maybe a bit of a missed opportunity to talk about Anthony Beauvillier? I think this dude is the MOST primed of the Penguins to have a bounce back year and has A LOT to prove. I'll even throw in a hot take: Anthony sets a career high in goals and points this year. He's flying under the radar right now. Gonna be a Penguins favorite real quick.

[@rodbelding9523]

The more I think about it if the 4th line is Lizotte-Eller-Acciari that's not bad for a 4th line really, but the problem is the 3rd line. Beauvillier-Hayes-Puustinen is basically another 4th line, it's like the Pens have two 4th lines lol. I still think the biggest hole is Crosby's left wing, it'd be nice to find someone for that spot so they can drop O'Connor to the 3rd line.

[@1pbdecoded1pb]

Did you just have a show where you talked about Graves, Acciari, and Rackell? WOW! The Pens are in serious trouble.

[@1pbdecoded1pb]

Graves 2020 with the Avs = +40. Graves 2023 with the Devils = +34. Who were Graves defensive partners when he led the league in +/- in 2020? 2020 1st: Graves = +40, 2nd: Dougie Hamilton/Jaccob Slavin = +30. 3rd: Victor Hedman = +27. Graves had the best PLUS/MINUS in the whole league! Cale Makar/2020 = +12 on the Avs. The Avs only have 3 players in the top 50 players in +/- and Makar finished 40th at +12. TRUST ME IT'S MIKE SULLIVAN. Funny note: In 2023 Graves finished 5th in the league with a +34 while Matt Grzelcyk finished 2nd overall at +46. Extra note: Graves also can't score on the Pens. Points totals for Graves: 28, 26, 26, and 15 (in only 54 games). He only had 14 points on the Pens in 70 games. YIKES, what a change Mike Sullivan really is.

[@kristopherkurelis7588]

Another hot take … Bunting a full 82 season … he gets 65-70 points - amount of goals or assists don’t matter - it’ll add up to that . He’s perfect for this team . maybe the team he’s been waiting for & the team that’s been waiting for him .

[@SNW8191]

So, I agree with Pat that with Graves that the struggles early snowballed. I think I said this before, but it's like Nick Fury said about S.H.I.E.L.D. you have to take him as he is and not what you want him to be. I think Karlsson falls into that too. I think that wanting him to play the defensive game, the hitting, and using his size, isn't going to work and him trying to do that is going to be a disaster. Let him be offensive and ignore defense, and he should bounce back. But is Sullivan going to let him and Karlsson be all offensive? I doubt it.

[@damingomes2369]

My concern is that graves was not retained by his previous teams. Maybe they saw something worrisome that didn't fully show up until he made his way to the penguins. I am hoping he rebounds but idk Hunter, I'm all about Doc and agree he should only elevate his game this season, especially if he rides shotty with crosby. He is still young and looks like a kid in a big frame. I think he has some room to grow and improve.

[@kristopherkurelis7588]

At the 13 minute mark - b’fore the advertisement - yinz talked about (coming up) players you think are poised for breakout seasons - So before even listening - I’m writing this … I know he had a huge breakout season last year - 16 goals 17 assists 33 points … DOC I think he’s going to have an even BIGGER year this year - everyone is … last season was just a really strange year … but that last stretch of 14ish games or so … I honestly thought “wow this is one of the best teams in hockey right now” I’m gonna say DOC scores 25 goals … maybe 30 assists … point total 55 - after playing hockey & watching hockey all my life … that’s my educated guess - the kid is no nonsense & hardworking - & he can only go up .

[@MayhemMatty]

Before anyone needs to step up, my main priority take is and will always be this next season: HOLD A FREAKING LEAD! Keeping pressure, foot on the gas pedal, stay in front of the opponent's face through all 4 lines and 3 pairings all 60 minutes or at least the majority of the game; before, after and between goals, above all else! Giving up a goal happens, it's fine, shrug it off and recover then answer back and repeat the cycle. Playoffs don't mean anything late in the season if you don't pocket the points when you have the opportunity to do so, we all know this. The cushion is comfy for a reason! But so many, TOO MANY points were dropped and even STOLEN AWAY multiple times this prior season. It was disgusting! I never want to see this abysmal repetitive mental breakdown of a season ever again, I don't know if my poor soul can't take that again. - Not a player, but my prediction for this season is the powerplay unit leaving the bottom 10 in %. Would be great if they end up being a top powerplay unit but that'd be too much copium, but I have them near the middle of the pack. Definitely still would be an improvement if you ask me. :,V Also Matt Nieto has more to prove this coming season if he's healthy and able to play.