September is true across the nook which implies hockey is about to be in full swing. Throughout the summer season, the Pittsburgh Penguins gave their backside six a facelift, and it’s nearly time to see their new depth gamers in motion. For the previous couple of years, the Penguins have struggled with bottom-six manufacturing and are hoping they did sufficient over the offseason to appropriate this challenge. Will there be sufficient help round captain Sidney Crosby and the remainder of the highest six this season?
Penguins’ New and Improved Backside Six
The Penguins made a number of offseason additions to their lineup together with some new forwards. They may positively be making some roster cuts earlier than opening evening, however they are going to nonetheless have an nearly fully totally different backside six. One in every of these new forwards who will greater than doubtless be becoming a member of Pittsburgh’s depth is Blake Lizotte.
The Penguins signed Lizotte to a two-year contract on July 1. He has spent his whole profession with the Los Angeles Kings and can now be making his Japanese Convention debut. At 26 years previous, he will certainly be serving to with Pittsburgh’s youth motion, and his pace and forechecking skill ought to add a spark to the underside six that has been lacking for some time.
Final season, Lizotte performed in 62 video games with the Kings and scored seven objectives and eight assists. He has all the time been a workhorse-type participant, and the Penguins are hoping a contemporary begin will probably be useful. He’ll greater than doubtless play on the left wing of Lars Eller which will probably be a little bit of an adjustment for him. Nonetheless, his versatile model of play suggests this is not going to be a problem.
Cody Glass was one other offseason addition to the ahead group. Glass was drafted seventh total by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. He was traded in the summertime of 2021 to the Nashville Predators and had his greatest season in 2022-23 scoring 14 objectives and 21 assists. His manufacturing dropped considerably final season, however the Penguins are hoping a change of surroundings would be the repair he wants. At 25 years previous, he may even carry youth to Pittsburgh’s lineup, and his 6-foot-3, 205-pound body could possibly be an enormous assistance on the facility play.
The Penguins additionally acquired veteran Kevin Hayes from the St. Louis Blues this summer season. Final season, he performed in 79 video games and scored 13 objectives and 16 assists. His sport positively noticed an enormous drop in manufacturing final 12 months, but it surely appeared like he by no means actually meshed effectively with the Blues. He will probably be a constant third or fourth-line heart who will work laborious. He’s good on the faceoff and his 5-on-5 play was really fairly first rate final season. There isn’t any doubt he will probably be an improve to the underside six and can carry a veteran presence to the group.
One other fascinating participant to look at this season will probably be Drew O’Connor. O’Connor is definitely not new to the Penguins, as he carved out a spot for himself within the lineup final season. He performed in 79 video games and scored 16 objectives and 17 assists.
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O’Connor additionally turned a key factor to the penalty kill. He has confirmed that he could be an asset anyplace within the lineup as he spent a big period of time final 12 months on the primary line subsequent to Crosby. The Penguins have each cause to consider his improvement will proceed to progress, and he might flip into an enormous weapon this season.
Did Pittsburgh Lastly Repair the Backside Six?
Lots of the gamers Pittsburgh added to their backside six this summer season struggled final season. Nonetheless, they’ve all proven promise prior to now, and the Penguins are hoping the change of surroundings will restore them to their former glory. With coaching camp shortly approaching, it needs to be fascinating to look at how the underside six develops.
