Penguins Center Crisis Is Dubas’ Next Test – Hockey Writers – Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins used offseason picks to add, but adding picks isn’t the same as settling in the middle of the ice. That’s where the roster still feels disorganized, even after a flurry of moves that brought more wings, defensive depth, goal insurance and young players to the organization.

Hockey president and general manager Kyle Dubas isn’t sitting still. The Penguins have clearly tried to get smaller, more flexible and not rely on one aging group to carry everything. Still, Pittsburgh’s center position remains one of the roster’s lingering questions, and that question is important because this franchise has been built around a powerhouse in the middle for almost two decades.

Sidney Crosby is still the answer at the top. The problem is everything behind him. When Evgeni Malkin moved away from being the default second-line center solution, Pittsburgh’s classic franchise became a very different conversation.

Penguin Center Depth is No Longer Default

Crosby remains the centerpiece of Pittsburgh’s roster in every way. Even at this stage of his career, the Penguins can still build a competitive top line around him and expect him to make plays, create offense and set the standard for the rest of the team. That’s a great comfort, but it can also hide how completely uncertain the position has become.

The current Penguins forward depth chart shows how crowded the roster is after Pittsburgh’s offseason moves. The team has a lot of forwards, but that doesn’t mean they have the right middle structure behind Crosby. Tommy Novak, Blake Lizotte, Hendrix Lapierre and Ben Kindel all have cases, but none of them clears the big question on their own.

Novak brings skill and attacking touch. Lizotte brings strength, defensive detail and bottom six identity. Lapierre gives Pittsburgh a small option with a change of scenery. Kindel brings long-term craft, but is still a young player being asked to prove what he can do at the NHL level.

That’s a lot of possibilities. It is not the same as certainty.

Dubas Added Forward, But Not Response Center

Dubas has made some helpful additions, but most of them don’t solve this particular issue. Andrei Kuzmenko gives Pittsburgh another talented wing. Nicholas Robertson brings a shot to the top and a fresh start. Egor Chinakhov looked like one of the most important young players going forward on the roster after arriving in Pittsburgh. Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen are still trying to force their way into the big picture.

Those players help the team moving forward as a whole. Repairers in between. Pittsburgh’s crowded forward group already creates difficult decisions for young players trying to win NHL roles, and the center issue makes those decisions difficult.

This is why Lapierre is important. The Penguins signed Lapierre to a two-year contract, giving them another affordable player to compete at center. He fits the type of bet Pittsburgh has made repeatedly under Dubas: young enough to have upside, experienced enough to push for NHL minutes and inexpensive enough that the risk is manageable.

The problem is that Lapierre is more of a gamble than a solution. If he becomes a reliable third-line center or a push up, the move looks smart. If he focuses too much on the front, the main problem of the center remains.

Penguins can’t put too much on the Kindle

The most interesting name in the conversation might be Kindle, but he’s also one that Pittsburgh should treat carefully. He has enough talent to be important in the long-term conversation, but that doesn’t mean the Penguins should rush him to be the answer before he’s ready.

The Kindle has already been tested in sensible situations. During practice in January, Kindel focused on Malkin and Chinakhov on what looked to be Pittsburgh’s second line, showing how willing the Penguins were to test him in a tougher role. That kind of look is important, but it still doesn’t mean Pittsburgh should enter the season thinking it can solve the center problem on its own.

Young institutions are difficult to develop because the position is very demanding. They must handle learning defenses, faceoffs, support methods, matchups, speed and body pressure in the middle of the ice. It’s not like sheltering a wing player at the line of scrimmage and letting him read to pieces.

If Kindel earns NHL time, Pittsburgh should take him seriously. If he needs more development, that should not be considered a failure. The problem would be if the Penguins enter the season needing to be ready because the team left in the middle is not strong enough.

Penguins Are Flexible, But Need Guidance

The Penguins’ cap space gives Dubas room to continue to work, and that’s important because Pittsburgh doesn’t have to force a bad move to add another center. Flexibility can be trades, late signings or leverage if the other team needs to move money before the season.

However, flexibility is only important if it ultimately becomes something useful. The Penguins’ long-term salary cap situation gives them room for patience, but patience can’t be an excuse to leave a big roster question unanswered.

This is where Dubas’ next test becomes clear. Pittsburgh doesn’t really need to chase a star center, but they do need to decide if this current group is enough. If the Penguins believe that Novak, Lizotte, Lapierre and Kindel can hold the center spot behind Crosby, then competition could be the order. If not, other moves should remain on the table.

The hard part is finding the right player. Pure recruiting doesn’t make much sense unless Pittsburgh is closer to contention than it looks right now. An expensive veteran may deter younger players without solving a long-term problem. A young, manageable center would be a better fit for the roster, but those players are expensive to acquire for a reason.

Institutional Question Explains Penguin Roof

Penguins can live with an incomplete center team. They have enough versatility, enough veteran talent and enough offensive flair to make the schedule interesting over the course of an 84-game season. What is unclear is whether they can exceed expectations without more certainty down the line.

That’s the real story. Crosby can still carry a heavy load, but Pittsburgh shouldn’t want him to carry everything. Malkin’s move to the wing could help extend his effectiveness, but it also leaves the Penguins looking for someone else to line up on the second or third line.

Novak, Lizotte and Lapierre can all play a role, but one of them has to be more than a substitute. If neither of them do, the Penguins will feel the pinch, injuries and times when head coach Dan Muse needs a reliable replacement without Crosby doing the heavy lifting.

Koivunen’s uncertain path is another reminder that Pittsburgh has more options moving forward than clear roles. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the center is different from the wing. It is in the middle of the ice that shapes the whole system.

Dubas’ Next Test Is Clear

Dubas doesn’t need to resolve everything in July, but he does need clarity before the season starts. The Penguins spent the offseason adding competition to the entire program, and that’s paying off. Competition can push young players, make veterans uncomfortable and create internal solutions that are cheaper than trades or free agent signings.

But the center is different. If Pittsburgh has enough there, the rest of the plan makes sense. Kuzmenko, Robertson, Chinakhov, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and other small forwards can play pure roles. If the Penguins don’t have enough there, wing depth won’t matter as much because the structure underneath them will always be in motion.

The organization’s search for a larger solution moving forward is already a large part of the index’s broad spectrum, and the middle ground may be a clear version of that same problem. Pittsburgh has options. It is not yet certain.

For a franchise that used to dominate down the middle, that’s a big change. Crosby remains the answer at the top, but the rest of the team still feels like a question Pittsburgh needs to answer before knowing what kind of team it really is.

Now Dubas must decide if a solution already exists in the room or if the Penguins still need to go find one.