A month ago, the Penguins were sitting down at +7000 on the FanDuel NHL odds board, buried near the bottom of the league’s title picture. Now they’re up to +6000, and that bump has them looking a lot less like a long shot and a lot more like a team that’s at least getting some attention from the market.
That move is a little surprising on its face, especially with the Metro Division looking loaded. The defending Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes are still there.
Washington has improved. Philadelphia is on the rise.
New Jersey is lurking, with a chance to land one of the best defensemen in the world, Quinn Hughes. Even with that traffic jam ahead of them, the Penguins’ number has improved.
They’ve also moved ahead of the New York Rangers in the odds race. The Rangers are listed at +6500, despite upgrading their blue line by adding Marcus Pettersson and getting a major boost on the top line with 25-year-old Pavel Dorofeyev.
The wider league picture doesn’t exactly make life easier for Pittsburgh, either. Last season, just three Metro teams reached the playoffs, while five Atlantic teams got in.
That Atlantic group looks even stronger now. Florida, after missing the playoffs following back-to-back Stanley Cup wins because injuries wrecked its season, has hardened its roster with Radko Gudas on defense and pulled off the summer’s biggest blockbuster by landing Brady Tkachuk.
Toronto brought in first-overall pick Gavin McKenna, underwent a clean sweep at the top of the organization, and has had a year to settle into life without Mitch Marner. Buffalo, Ottawa, and Boston are also described as playoff-worthy.
Still, the Penguins have made meaningful changes to the team that made the playoffs last season. On the blue line, Parker Wotherspoon, Connor Clifton, and Ryan Shea are out.
Up front, Anthony Mantha, who scored 33 goals, and Noel Acciari left in free agency. In response, general manager Kyle Dubas brought in Andrei Kuzmenko through free agency and Nick Robertson in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs to help cover Mantha’s production.
There’s also movement coming on defense. Dubas is expected to swap in 35-year-old right-shot Trevor van Riemsdyk for Wotherspoon, who gave Erik Karlsson steady balance on the left side. As for Shea’s spot, Pittsburgh could turn to one of its internal options, including Ryan Graves or Owen Pickering.
In goal, Stuart Skinner, who started the first three playoff games for the Penguins, will be replaced by one of the team’s rookie options. Joel Blomqvist is a possibility, but the likelier choice is 22-year-old Sergei Murashov. Either Murashov or Blomqvist would team with returning Arturs Silovs.
So the odds shift seems to say one of two things: bettors are buying into Pittsburgh’s offseason moves, or they’re betting that Kyle Dubas still has another big swing coming after nearly landing one during the first round of the NHL Draft.
In Other News...
Sidney Crosby's Next Contract Keeps Penguins Facing A Bigger Question
Sidney Crosby is heading into the final season of his current two-year contract, and the expectation around the Penguins is that a new deal will be in place before training camp opens. Crosby has already made clear he is not thinking about retirement, and his preference has long been to handle things year to year, even if he has left the door open to a longer commitment.
For Pittsburgh, though, the larger issue is not simply when the paperwork gets done. Crosby still has not had a conversation about his next contract with general manager Kyle Dubas, and the timing of that discussion will shape more than just one players future. It also keeps the Penguins focused on what comes next around the captain, and how long this era can keep rolling on his terms. [Read more 🡒]
Andrei Kuzmenko Could Be Pittsburghs Next One-Year Scoring Bet
The Penguins added another short-term scoring swing by signing winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year contract, betting that his touch around the net can still translate in a new setting. Kuzmenko arrives after putting up 13 goals and 12 assists in 52 games with the Los Angeles Kings last season, and his track record also shows he has been able to finish chances in Vancouver and Calgary.
For Pittsburgh, it is the kind of move that fits a club looking for low-risk offense without tying itself down for the long haul. Kuzmenko now gets a fresh opportunity to carve out a role and give the Penguins the sort of one-year production boost they have chased before, with the possibility of a season that looks a lot like other successful betting on a proven scorer. [Read more 🡒]