As a veteran team intending to contend, the Penguins don’t usually leave much to chance or up for grabs when their season begins. Most of the roster is known and roles are already slotted and configured before training camp begins.
To a large degree, this is the case for Pittsburgh again at the start of 2021-22. But as summer’s unrelenting heat continues, a look ahead to fall feels pretty good at this point.
Up front with the forward group, there could actually be some drama and some battles for the Pens in camp.
With Evgeni Malkin believed expected to be unavailable for the start of the season after a June knee surgery, the Pens still have Sidney Crosby, Jeff Carter and Teddy Blueger down the middle as surefire top three line players.