How Should Penguins Weaponize Center Depth This Season?

Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins have not yet been all that active on the trade market this summer, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been doing subtle things to boost their depth and give them flexibility, especially on the forward front.

And that includes what the team may end up looking like down the middle. 

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Of course, Sidney Crosby – even at age 39 – will still be a pretty formidable first-line center, as he clinched his 21st consecutive season above point-per-game last season, which is an NHL record. But, beyond Crosby, there is still more center depth to go around, even if the team needs to acquire more high-end youth at the position sooner than later. 

Crosby aside, the Penguins currently have seven other centers on their roster, including Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, Tommy Novak, Ben Kindel, Blake Lizotte, Hendrix Lapierre, and Connor Dewar. So, they have a lot of options down the middle, and therefore, a ton of different forward combinations that they could ultimately roll with.

So, what makes the most sense? And could they see some growth out of some of their younger options?

Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2026-27 Lineup Projections: ForwardsIf Pittsburgh’s roster remains status quo heading into the 2026-27 seasons, they will have some interesting decisions to make on the forward front.

Status quo

Of course, the most likely outcome is that the Penguins ultimately decide to stick with what has worked. As mentioned in our forward lineup projections for the 2026-27 season, that involves Crosby, Novak, Kindel, and Lizotte in order down the middle, as was the case for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and much of the 2025-26 regular season. 

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Former head coach Mike Sullivan liked having more than one center on each line, and current head coach Dan Muse is no different. The first line would have Rakell and Crosby, the second line Novak and Malkin, and Kindel, Lizotte, Dewar, and Lapierre dispersed in the bottom-six, depending on deployment and who wins lineup spots over others. 

Having that balance is important, but it’s also worth noting that Novak as a true second-line center probably isn’t going to cut it if the Penguins want to take steps toward contention. 

Should Rakell play center?

This will be one of the more interesting lineup storylines to follow heading into training camp. Rakell manned the middle quite a bit last season for the Penguins, and he got progressively more comfortable there as the season bore on. He spent a large chunk of time there in the stretch run of the season during times without either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and he registered 14 goals and 24 points in a 20-game span. 

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Faceoffs are still an issue, but the 33-year-old has had an entire summer to work on it. Everything else came along nicely as he played more games down the middle, and he proved one of their most valuable players in terms of getting the team to the playoffs.

Could Rakell centering the second line bolster the team’s depth even more? Honestly, it could. Andrei Kuzmenko could slot alongside Crosby and Rust, Rakell could complete a formidable trio between Egor Chinakhov and Malkin, and Kindel could have a defensively conscientious and solid two-way player in Novak on his line to complement someone with offensive upside like Nick Robertson. 

Rakell centering the second line could make a lot of sense if the Penguins want to optimize the rest of their lineup and spread the wealth a bit. 

Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2026-27 Lineup Projections: DefensemenIf Pittsburgh’s roster remains status quo heading into the 2026-27 seasons, their defensive corps will have a lot of question marks.

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Who won’t play center

If last season taught us anything, it’s that the Penguins – despite being down Crosby for their most crucial stretch of the season – still elected to keep Malkin on the wing during that time despite the team’s deficit at center. 

So, more than likely, his days as a centerman in the NHL are all but over. The shift to wing for half the season, and Malkin’s chemistry with Chinakhov and Novak, seemed to revitalize him, as he registered 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games. 

Even if he’s no Malkin, the same can likely be said about Dewar. He has rarely played center with the Penguins, and there’s no good reason to start now – especially since the Penguins employ a wealth of solid albeit unspectacular center depth. 

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Could young guys elevate?

Something to keep in mind is that Kindel played through an entire NHL season as an 18-year-old at the center position, which is already a rare feat on its own. Even if his 17-goal, 35-point season doesn’t jump off the stat page, he is a rare example of a teenage player who seems to have most of the 200-foot details already ironed out in his game. 

So, it stands to reason that he could take a major step forward next season in terms of production, which could eventually land him as the team’s second-line center for good. This is probably best-case scenario for the Penguins, as they’d have some promise in a long-term top-six center, and they could place a very capable two-way center in Novak on the third line. Even if he doesn’t explode offensively, Kindel will see growth this season as a player and as a center, and that is certainly a good thing for the organization either way. 

Lapierre shouldn’t be counted out, either, especially since Muse and the Penguins already have a reputation for getting the most out of players who need a change of scenery. The former first-round pick (22nd overall in 2020) had pedestrian production with the Capitals, but being put in a better position to succeed with bigger minutes could benefit him in Pittsburgh. 

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And don’t forget Tristan Broz, who will be knocking on the door from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Broz, 23, only got one NHL game last season because of bad injury luck. But he is NHL-ready and will be the first one called upon if the Penguins need help down the middle. 

Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2026-27 Lineup Projections: GoaltendersEven if the Penguins’ goaltending tandem may seem set for 2025-26, there are no guarantees – and there’s certainly a lot of talent to go around.

The verdict

The Penguins’ most balanced, optimal lineup probably comes with Rakell centering the second line. Kuzmenko or Robertson are worth a shot next to Crosby and Bryan Rust, and Novak being on the third line to give it more defensive conscience is not a bad thing, especially for a guy on an upward trajectory like Kindel. Plus, that second line could certainly provide a lethal offensive punch, and Malkin can help ease some of Rakell’s faceoff concerns.

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So, Pittsburgh should roll Crosby, Rakell, Kindel, and Lizotte down the middle next season.

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