Hornqvist always seems to be in the middle of things and is often great theatre on the ice. While he has his flaws, the good outweighs the bad. Aside from his rookie season in Nashville, he has been a positive possession player in every season of his career. He has been above or around the 20 goal mark in each of his 5 seasons here. Hornqvist has spent the large majority of his time here as a staple in the Penguins top-six. Obviously, Bonino scored some a couple of memorable game-winning goals in the spring of 2016. Bonino was an astronomical upgrade over Sutter as the third-line center, and he helped provide that vitally important depth scoring when Crosby and Malkin were not on the ice. In the summer of 2015, the Penguins committed highway robbery of the Vancouver Canucks in a trade package that sent Brandon Sutter to Vancouver and Bonino to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh really misses Hagelin’s skillset and probably should not have traded him last season. Hagelin’s blazing speed, ability to play anywhere in the lineup, and puck retrieval skills made the Penguins a nightmare in terms of matchups for opponents. The acquisition of Carl Hagelin was the first domino in a series of acquisitions that shaped the Penguins into a roster built on speed and skill. Fresh off a 40 goal campaign, Guentzel figures to be a staple on Crosby’s left wing for at least the next five years.ĭupuis was a quality middle-six forward that could complement high-end talent, have a positive impact at both ends of the rink, and play up in the lineup in the event of injuries.įourth line: Carl Hagelin – Nick Bonino – Patric HornqvistĬombined numbers as Penguins: 169 goals, 212 assists, 381 points Guentzel will be a crucial piece to the Penguins’ success moving forward. He burst onto the scene in the spring of 2017 by having a historic postseason as a rookie. Guentzel is a 24-year-old that just keeps getting better. Trading Neal for Patric Hornqvist was a great trade for the Penguins and one that changed the culture of the team in quick fashion. The line of Kunitz – Malkin – Neal often carried the Penguins to victories during the 2011-12 season.Īs time went on, he became quite the enigma, as he was often taking offensive zone penalties and chasing wreckless body checks. Neal’s most productive seasons came as a member of the Penguins. James Neal’s ability to find open ice and his blistering wrist shot made for great chemistry alongside Evgeni Malkin. Malkin has been a generational talent from the get-go, as the Penguins are remarkably fortunate to have had two superstars down the middle of the ice over the last 13 years. His dominance in the spring of 2009 was incredible to watch and is amongst the best individual post-seasons in NHL history. Combining the 2008-09 regular and postseason, Malkin tallied an absurd 149 points. Malkin is the third-best player of this generation and a future Hall of Fame player. Kunitz may not have been an elite player, but he was a damn good one that played a key role in the Penguins’ success over the years.Ĭombined numbers as Penguins: 558 goals,785 assists, 1,333 points Both Crosby and Malkin won a league MVP and scoring title with Chris Kunitz stapled to their left hip. His skill set was a perfect fit in the Penguins’ top-six. Kunitz was just born to be a winner.īetween Anaheim and Pittsburgh, Kunitz is a 4-time Stanley Cup champion. It paid off, as Hossa produced a career-high 26 playoff points in the Penguins making a run to the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.Īside from not shooting the puck into a wide-open net in Game 6 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone with a bad word to say about Chris Kunitz. The acquisition of Hossa was the Penguins’ first true “in it to win it” roster move of this era. The soon to be Hall of Fame forward Marian Hossa was only a Penguin for a brief time back in 2008, but he was a tremendous fit alongside Crosby. From the Stanley Cup three times to an Emmy, he has won just about every award possible. Forwardsįirst line: Chris Kunitz – Sidney Crosby – Marian HossaĬombined numbers as Penguins: 618 goals, 996 assists, 1,614 pointsĪnalysis: Crosby is undeniably the best player of his generation and will go down as a top-five player in NHL history. I have followed this team for 11 years and wanted to construct the best possible lineup of the past and current Penguins players dating back to 2008. 5 Players That Are Ready to Take the Next Step for the Columbus Blue Jackets.Penguins Get a Steal With Their Most Recent Signing.The Dallas Stars Have Some Major Questions to Answer.5 Unrestricted Free Agents the Predators Should Sign.
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