Penguins X-Factor Flying Under the Radar

No one is talking about the Pittsburgh Penguins' most significant bottom-six piece.

Apr 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Valtteri Puustinen (48) tries to skate by New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. / Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

It's undeniable that the Pittsburgh Penguins need more offense from the bottom of their forward lineup. Through this offseason, President and General Manager Kyle Dubas has stockpiled potential options for Mike Sullivan's staff to sift through at training camp in September. Still, their best depth scorer has seemingly faded into the background.

Valtteri Puustinen got his feet underneath him at the NHL level last season, playing in 52 games, mainly in the Penguins' bottom six. The 25-year-old winger did enough, scoring five goals and 20 points, to earn a two-year extension from the Penguins earlier this offseason.

The Penguins' bottom six from their final game last season combined to score 47 goals in the 2023-24 season. According to Daily Faceoff's line combinations, their current bottom six combined to score 49 goals in 2023-24. Not much of an upgrade. Puustinen easily has the highest offensive potential of the Penguins' current options.

A former seventh-round pick, Puustinen quickly emerged as one of the best goal scorers in the Penguins system when he arrived in North America before the 2021-22 season. He led the AHL's Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in points in his first two seasons with the team.

The Penguins will need him to find that form at the NHL level in 2024-25 and may have the perfect center to help get him there. Kevin Hayes was traded to Pittsburgh at the NHL Draft and will bring a playmaking pedigree as a third-line center. Hayes has registered over 30 assists three times in his career, most recently in 2022-23 as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Puustinen can't fix the Penguins' depth-scoring woes on his own, but he is their most prominent depth goal scorer entering the season.

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