35 Games through the season, the Penguins have shown that they’re still a contender this season. We all knew that, but now they’re showing it. Despite all of the injuries on this team, they still have been able to string together wins. They’re now 3rd in the East Divison and are only 2 points behind the Islanders and the Capitals for 1st in the Division. With 21 games left to play on the season, the Penguins only have 7 games remaining against Boston, the Islanders, and Washington. So, let’s get into the grades. Only people that have played in the last 7 games for the Penguins are going to be on this list. Also, these grades are adjusted for my expectations for these players. For example, if someone on the 1st line has an A+ and someone on the 4th line also has an A+, I don’t think that they’re playing at the same level of hockey.
Drew O’Connor — LW
10 Games, 1 Assist
Grade: C
O’Connor has been very meh so far for the Penguins. I didn’t expect him to play a game for this team this season, so I wasn’t surprised to see him not play an NHL game for the past month. On March 27th however, he got another chance for the Penguins when Mark Jankowski was out with COVID protocol. He wasn’t bad, but his impact just wasn’t there. He has been good in the AHL so far, and I think it’s best for the Penguins to keep him there. I’m sure that was the plan until 6 of the normal forwards on this team were out.
Radim Zohorna — LW/RW/C
2 Games, 1 Goal
Grade: A
I mean what else can you say? He has been great. A solid Bottom 6 option that is a great net-front presence. At 6'6", he’s the tallest player on the Pens. He hasn’t had much ice time, but he’s shown that he deserves a shot in the NHL. Zohorna has also continued the Penguins streak of playing a Czech Republican, that started in 90/91.
Anthony Angello — RW
16 Games, 1 Goal and 1 Assist
Grade: B+
He’s been what I want from the Penguins 4th line. A physical player that’s play helps them be in the offensive zone more than their own end. With Sid, Geno, and whatever third line the Penguins put together they have enough scoring. They need 3 Angellos on that 4th line. He tries every shift and has shown that even when healthy he deserves a shot in the lineup.
Frederik Gaudreau — C
6 Games, 1 Goal and 2 Assists
Grade: A+
I have nothing to complain about with Freddy Gaudreau. Unlike Anthony Angello, he has a solid offensive game. Unlike Mark Jankowski, he is also pretty good at faceoffs. Gaudreau’s also very good in his own zone. He is a smart player who fits well on this team's 4th line. When healthy, he 100% should be this team's 4th line centre. Nothing against Jankowski, but Gaudreau is the guy for that spot. I don’t expect him to keep scoring at a half of a point pace, but production from the 4th line whatsoever is a plus for Pittsburgh this season.
Sam Lafferty — LW/RW
24 Games, 4 Assists
Grade: D
He’s starting to drag me back in. I was such a big fan of Laffertys and I had very high hopes for him. I thought he was going to be a great 3rd liner for Pittsburgh. Then this year he got worse. I don’t know how, but his impact has been very minimal. However, in the past 3 games, he has had 2 assists, and they were pretty nice ones. Both were on the rush, both were perfect passes that led directly to the first Penguins goal of the game. If he keeps this up, I’m not sure how much longer I can stay unbiased when looking at his play. I hope he turns out to be something, but man has this been a down year.
Colton Sceviour — RW/LW
27 Games, 2 Goals and 2 Assists
Grade: F
I still don’t like him. He had a great assist on the Freddy Gaudreau goal against the Islanders, but there’s something about him. He hasn’t been awful defensively but he also hasn’t been much of, if not any upgrade over guys like Angello or Rodrigues. I don’t mind him as a depth guy, but not in the starting 12 forwards. I expect him to get moved by the end of this season, purely because of his cap hit. They have the wing depth to make it through, and it will help them more than not.
Mark Jankowski — C
31 Games, 2 Goals and 3 Assists
Grade: D-
He really did trick all Penguins fans eh? 3 points in his first 2 games, and then radio silence. He’s been better recently, but he still hasn’t been good. He’s still not good at faceoffs either. Jankowski has been good on the penalty kill, but he is still probably this team's worst penalty-killing forward somehow. He was brought in to be a defensive behemoth, and he’s just not been that. Because there’s also no offence there, there is no reason to not give his spot to Freddy Gaudreau. A good depth guy, certainly not a mainstay.
Evan Rodrigues — RW/LW
19 Games, 4 Goals and 3 Assists
Grade: C+
Rodrigues is starting to grow on me. Despite him scoring twice in his last 3 games, I’m not a fan of him in the top 6. A bottom 6 player or a depth guy? 100%. He seems to be a great locker room guy, and his confidence is currently at an all-time high. When he’s playing with Sid or Geno he just can’t keep up. It’s not his style. But since he’s been away from those guys I’ve liked his game more. Rodrigues is a hard worker, and I hope he keeps this up.
Zach Aston-Reese — LW
24 Games, 7 Goals and 2 Assists
Grade: A-
I said a few weeks ago I wanted Brandon Tanev to become a better playmaker. He did just that. I have the same want for ZAR. He isn’t a great playdriver but he doesn’t need to be. He’s an elite defender, and he decided to become a sniper this season for some reason. He‘s shooting 18.9% this season, that’s absolutely insane. He’s a good player, but not this good. If ZAR can gather up some more assists and help drive the play more, he’ll be fantastic. I don’t expect him to score this much, but I expect to see fewer goals and more assists very soon.
Brandon Tanev — RW/LW
30 Games, 7 Goals and 8 Assists
Grade: A+
I have to start this off by saying, that wasn’t a major. Anyways, he’s been fantastic. He’s a Pittsburgh Penguin, and I hope it stays that way for a long time. He’s this team's best penalty killer, as well as an above-average defensive player. Tanev is a gift physically. He is the best clean physical player the Penguins have had in a long time. Tanev has brought a great offensive game so far this season, and I’m not surprised to see him on a half a point pace. He’s been playing like it, and I think he can be it. He has been absolutely fantastic.
Jared McCann — LW/C
22 Games, 7 Goals and 8 Assists
Grade: A
I take back what I said at the start of the season. McCann has to stay. He has an elite shot, and when he has the confidence he has the confidence. Let me tell you, this season, he has it. Jason Zucker is a great player, but McCann needs to be Geno's linemate. They suit each other very well. He has also been very good defensively. Hopefully, he keeps this up, because he is a very streaky player. The only problem with him this season is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy whatsoever, and if he does he’ll be very important to this team's future.
Kasperi Kapanen — RW
30 Games, 7 Goals and 14 Assists
Grade: B+
I just had to use this picture. Kapanen has been good, but he has also been very lucky. A lot of goals off of the rush, and a lot of breakaways. He does create that with his speed, but he has gotten a lot of bounces go his way this season. His injury certainly hurts the team, but his chemistry with Geno has finally shown up, and they are elite together. From scouting reports of him in Toronto, I thought he was great defensively, but he just hasn’t been. Hopefully, he isn’t injured for too long.
Bryan Rust — RW
35 Games, 14 Goals and 14 Assists
Grade: A+
Heeeeeeeee’s baaaaaack. After a short slump, Bryan Rust is back. Defensively? Fantastic. Offensive playdriving? Even better. Wicked shot? Oh yeah. The best part is that he could be doing even better. Sid and Jake have given him soooooo many goal-scoring chances, and Rust hasn’t been able to finish on most of them. That’s not on him, he has great accuracy, it just shows that despite how good he has been he can be even better. He’s the most underpaid player in the NHL, and he deserves some praise from around the league.
Jake Guentzel — LW
35 Games, 14 Goals and 20 Assists
Grade: A+
You’re looking at the best winger that Sidney Crosby has ever had. And yes, I remember that he played with Marian Hossa in 08. He’s one of the most underrated players in the NHL and needs more recognition. Fantastic defender, playdriver, sniper, and most importantly, the perfect fit for Sidney Crosby. No one can keep up with Sid’s hockey smarts, but Jake Guentzel is about as close as you can get. He’s nearly a point a game player, and almost no one is talking about him. He’s fantastic, he’s playing fantastic, and he needs to be recognized for that.
Sidney Crosby — C
34 Games, 14 Goals and 25 Assists
Grade: A+
I mean it’s Sid. Another milestone, and another season where he’s showing he’s one of, if not the best player in the game. He has been unbelievably fantastic this season on both ends of the ice. He should win the Selke this season. No doubt in my mind. He also deserves to be in Hart Trophy consideration, but no matter what he won’t win it. McDavid already has. Here’s a fun stat for you. Since February 11th, 2021, Sid has 30 Points in 23 Games. That’s 2nd in the NHL, only behind McDavid. I don’t want to hear anyone say that he’s not as good as he used to be, because honestly, this is one of his best seasons in a long time. Sid will carry this heavily injured team, and I won’t be shocked one bit when he does.
Chad Ruhwedel — D
16 Games, 2 Assists
Grade: B
He’s only played one game in the last 7 so there isn’t much to talk about. Ruhwedel has still been a fantastic defensive defenceman this season, and he has been alright offensively. He’s what this team needs depth-wise, and he has been exactly what you expect from Chad Ruhwedel.
Marcus Pettersson — D
26 games, 1 Goal and 2 Assists
Grade: D+
I don’t know what has happened with Pettersson. He was so good for the Penguins the past 2 seasons, and this season he just hasn’t been good at all. On both sides of the ice he has been bad, and there isn’t much of an excuse for it. He has played much better in his own end since the Penguin's defensive style has changed to be fair to him. If he picked up his offensive game he would be looking like a solid two-way defenceman, but he just isn’t playing his game right now. His lack of speed hasn’t helped him this season, as he is getting blown by way too often.
Brian Dumoulin — D
20 Games, 4 Assists
Grade: B+
Like Rust, he’s back. Dumo had a poor start to his season before he was injured. But, ever since coming back from injury he has led the Penguins to a fantastic record. Now, his point production isn’t there, but it doesn’t have to be for the best Defensive Defenceman in franchise history. He has one of, if not the best outlet passing ability I’ve seen on this team, and I expect him to keep up this level of play. My problem with Dumo is that he can never stay healthy, but if he does, watch out.
John Marino — D
31 Games, 2 Goals and 3 Assists
Grade: C+
This is 100% a sophomore slump. If you watched Marino last season, you can tell. He has been good, but not close to how he was last season. In the 6 games he’s played since he has came back from injury, he has looked much better. Let’s hope that he starts to play like he has shown he can soon.
Mike Matheson — D
27 Games, 2 Goals and 3 Assists
Grade: B-
I don’t know what Matheson is anymore. He has improved defensively and regressed offensively. He hasn’t been jumping into the rush as much as before, and I expected him to be putting many more points on the score sheet. He has adapted well to Sully's new system, and because of that, he hasn’t had as many blunders in his own zone. I like him, but I don’t like him at his cap hit. He hasn't been anything special, but he has done his job.
Cody Ceci — D
32 Games, 2 Goals and 5 Assists
Grade: A
Who would’ve thought before the season that through 35 games Cody Ceci would be this team's second-highest scoring defenceman? Ceci has been more than that. He has been good. In my opinion, he is still better off as a shutdown third pairing guy on this team. There have been too many times that he almost put the puck in his own net while trying to handle the puck. I expect him to get less and less minutes as the season goes on, but like most of the Penguins defenders, Ceci has fit right into Sully's house scheme.
Kris Letang — D
34 Games, 6 Goals and 21 Assists
Grade: A
Letang is fantastic. Don’t you forget it. People gave him way too much criticism at the start of this season, and you aren’t hearing a peep out of those people now that Letang is playing how he’s playing. He is playing some of the best hockey he has ever played right now. He got his partner in Dumoulin back, and it let Letang be Letang again. When he had a rookie next to him he had a lot more pressure to be elite and to lead POJ. Now that he has a player that he can fully trust he can play some fantastic hockey. In both zones, he has been unbelievable lately.
Casey DeSmith — G
12 Games, 8–3–0, 0.928 Save%, 2 Shutouts
Grade: A+
I mean what more can you ask from him? A 0.928 Save% is fantastic. I understand that his two shutouts have been against Buffalo, but they’re still an NHL team, barely. It’s still impressive. He has been beyond exceptional, and I have extreme confidence that he can fill in for Jarry if he gets injured. Knock on wood. Right now, at the very minute that I’m typing this, the Penguins have one of the best goaltending duos in the NHL, and this guy plays a big part of that.
Tristan Jarry — G
24 Games, 14–8–2, 0.909 Save%
Grade: A-
He has been exceptional since his extremely poor start to the season. The Penguins have been one of the best defensive teams in the NHL recently, and Jarry has been a big part of that. Sullivan's new defensive scheme gives the opposition much less high danger scoring opportunities than they used to, although it ends up with more shots against. Jarry has played almost as perfect as you could want from him while you’re running this scheme. Like DeSmith, he’s a big reason as to why the Penguin's defensive numbers have looked so good.