Pittsburgh Penguins: 2 Breakout Candidates For Next Season

With each season that passes, it seems as though every team has players who improve significantly. They often turn out to be prospects naturally, but players who have some experience in the league also can. In this segment, we will be looking at two potential breakout candidates from each team. We will also be setting a max age limit of 26 years old, so older players are not eligible for discussion.

In this article, we will be looking at the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins are an interesting team, as their core is getting older. It is clear that they would love to win one last Stanley Cup during the Sidney Crosby era. For that to occur, they should be hoping that these two younger players can breakout next season. One is coming off of a very solid first season with the Pens, while the other is trying to cement himself as an NHL defenseman.

Kasperi Kapanen RW: Kasperi Kapanen impressed in his first season with the Penguins. In 40 games, the 25-year-old winger scored 11 goals and had 30 points. Keep in mind, he just had a 36-point campaign with the Maple Leafs the season before in 69 games. He seemed to take a real step forward this past season and it would not be surprising to see him find even more offensive success this year. He has a star center in Evgeni Malkin to help him produce. As he continues to receive more playing time, he should grow in confidence and cement himself as an integral piece of the team.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph D: Pierre-Olivier Joseph should be able to play more regularly in the NHL this season. Originally drafted in the first-round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, Joseph would be traded to Pittsburgh in the Phil Kessel deal. This season, he suited up in 16 games, where he scored a goal and had five points. In 23 games in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he had a goal and 13 points. This is a player who could thrive in Pittsburgh because of his strong puck-moving ability. The kid seems ready and could become a very solid defenseman for the Penguins moving forward.