For the last 22 years (13 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 23rd annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

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Gone – Mike Sullivan (coach), Vladislav Kolyachonok, Chase Stillman, Conor Timmins, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Alex Nedeljkovic

Incoming – Dan Muse (coach), Matt Dumba, Arturs Silovs, Justin Brazeau, Alexander Alexeyev, Anthony Mantha, Parker Wotherspoon, Connor Clifton, Caleb Jones, Rafael Harvey-Pinard

Impact of changes

GM Kyle Dubas understands that a rebuild is necessary, so none of the additions should make any major ripples in fantasy leagues. If Mantha can stay healthy, he will be a good gamble for the Pens and could even be flipped at the deadline. Silovs is fresh off a Calder Cup win as playoff MVP, although he needs to be better at the NHL level than he showed in 2024-25 to be a real threat for the starting job. Now age 31 and on the final year of his contract, Dumba is simply trying to hang on at the NHL level and could be in a better position to do so in Pittsburgh with more minutes.

The most significant change is behind the bench. Two-time Stanley Cup winner Mike Sullivan has departed, with his replacement Muse a first-time NHL coach. Anyone trying to break in as an NHL coach won't necessarily have the most desired jobs to choose from, and Muse is taking a job with a team that hasn't bottomed out yet but likely will soon. He knows the task ahead will be to get the most out of a roster about to hit a transition period.

Ready for Full Time

The Penguins' prospect cupboard is still bare after years of contention and competing, but Dubas and his management team have begun taking steps to restock it. Rutger McGroarty is the Pens' top prospect, and he appears to be a strong bet for full-time NHL duty this coming season. His first AHL season (39 points in 60 games) was solid although not dominant. McGroarty's most frequent linemates during his eight NHL games were Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, so expect him to get frequent looks in the top 6.

Filip Hallander returns to the NHL after two seasons in the Swedish Elite League, where he finished second in both goals (26) and points (53) in 2024-25. Riding off that success, Hallander has a decent chance of not only making the Penguins but also playing in the top 6 at some point. At age 25, Hallander is no longer waivers-exempt, so this might be a case of now or never.

Owen Pickering appears to have top-4 upside and should appear in the Penguins' lineup for more than the 25 games he played last season. Don't expect him to produce huge offensive totals once he hits his prime, but he should stabilize the Penguins' defense and could even take on a shutdown role.   

Fantasy Outlook

The unchanging fantasy grade represents the slow decay of this team as opposed to the sudden crash that often occurs when a team goes into full rebuild mode. However, this version of the Penguins could be significantly gutted by this time next year. Now 39 years old with his scoring on the decline, Evgeni Malkin is believed to be on his final season with the Penguins and maybe even the NHL. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust could be traded for futures at some point during the season. Erik Karlsson's gigantic contract will be more difficult to move, but at least it has only two years remaining.  

For now, it's a fairly predictable situation with names that we've gotten used to through the years. The Penguins still have Crosby, Malkin, Rakell, Rust, Karlsson, and Kris Letang at their disposal for a top power play. NHL experience is not lacking on this team, as at least half of the projected roster is over 30 years of age. Fantasy value will likely also be determined around who plays on Crosby's line, which will likely default to Rakell and Rust. Any trade involving either of those players could positively impact another player waiting in the wings. Perhaps that player is McGroarty, if he can take another step forward.

With the Penguins projected to finish below the playoff bar and perhaps even at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, goaltending wins and adequate ratios will probably be difficult to come by. Only San Jose and Chicago gave up more goals per game than Pittsburgh in 2024-25, and improvement probably isn't in the cards. Tristan Jarry's numbers have worsened every season, so he should be one of the last presumed starters to be drafted in fantasy leagues. As mentioned above, Silovs could challenge him for starts if his AHL success can translate to the NHL level.

Fantasy Grade: C (Last year: C)

Check out the rest of the Dobber team previews here.