Can Mikael Granlund Bounce Back With The Penguins?

Mikael Granlund’s first stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins was a disaster. After posting 64 points in 80 games in 2021-22 with the Nashville Predators, Granlund took a step back last season. In 58 games with the Predators, he produced 36 points. Then, after being acquired by the Penguins at the trade deadline, he recorded only five points in 21 games. All-in-all that is 41 points in 79 games. This means, he went from 0.8 points-per-game (P/G) to 0.52, but even worse, he only scored at a 0.24 P/G pace in Pittsburgh.

It is impossible to ignore that Granlund’s short stint last season was incredibly underwhelming and caused many to speculate whether a buyout was the right move. But he does have an extensive track record to show that he is better than his point totals show. This in and of itself poses a few interesting questions. What factors led to Granlund’s decline in play? Is it too small of a sample size to make any definitive conclusions? As well, how could he improve if he is kept around? These are the types of questions Penguins coaching staff and management must ask themselves if they plan to make the most out of their current situation with Granlund. At the crux of it all is whether or not he is a Penguin come opening night and if he is, the best option for the player and team is to focus on the future.

There are many factors at play that will likely influence his performance next season. Quite a few of these factors are external, like his linemates and usage. There are of course internal factors on Granlund himself to improve upon his career in Pittsburgh so far. At this point, it seems most likely that he plays in the middle six on the second or third line. Granlund will need to make the most out of whichever line he plays on at 5v5 and special teams.

Factors For Granlund’s Success

It is tough to gauge what the line combinations could look like with well over a month before training camp officially kicks off. However, if he plays on the second line, it’s likely that he plays with Evgeni Malkin and Reilly Smith. On the third line, it varies much more and he could find himself with players like Alex Nylander, Drew O’Connor, Andreas Johnsson, Reilly Smith, Matt Nieto, Noel Acciari, and Lars Eller. He also has utility as a winger or center, making his role even less clear at this point. What even further muddies the future is the amount of turnover in the bottom six that we’ve seen in the offseason. As well, the decline of the aging Jeff Carter seems to make the bottom six, especially the third line, even more unclear.