Pittsburgh Penguins 2024 Stanley Cup Odds
For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023. As a result, the front office was shown the door. However, respected head coach Mike Sullivan returns for his ninth season. But Sullivan runs a team with a weird hybrid of a very old core and youthful support. New general manager Kyle Dubas arrives from the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he won in the regular season and flopped in the playoffs. Dubas is an analytics geek, which the NHL media loves, but old-school observers see as fool’s gold.
2024 Stanley Cup Betting Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Betting Lines
The 2022-23 Pittsburgh Penguins were 40-31-11 straight up and 35-42 over/under the total. Also, Pittsburgh was 5th in the Metropolitan Division playoff standings. Pittsburgh was 22 points behind the Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division race. Pittsburgh had NHL rankings of 16th for goals scored and 14th for power play efficiency. In comparison on defense, the Penguins had NHL rankings of 25th for goals against and 16th for penalty killing.
First among Pittsburgh scorers was Sidney Crosby with 33 goals, 60 assists, 93 points, and a +8. Goaltender Tristan Jarry had a .909 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average. His record was 24-13-7, with two shutouts.
Head coach Mike Sullivan will enter his eighth full season with the Penguins. The 2022-23 campaign was the first time under Sullivan that Pittsburgh didn't reach the postseason, and it's no surprise there was a serious front-office shake-up (GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke are out; new president of hockey ops Kyle Dubas and assistant GM Jason Spezza are in). What does that mean for Sullivan's security with the Penguins? This season should tell us plenty.
New executives often want to make their own coaching hires. However, given Sullivan's tenure with the organization and his back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning pedigree (from Pittsburgh's runs in 2016 and 2017), you can expect Dubas won't be hasty making any switch behind the bench. But Sullivan must show he can still get the most out of these Penguins.
Dubas came to Pittsburgh on a mission. He started acquiring top-six forward Reilly Smith for only a third-round pick to give the Penguins a real boost up front. Then Dubas' targeted a haul of free agents, with the prize likely being defenseman Ryan Graves, who should slot next to Kris Letang on Pittsburgh's top pairing (a spot previously held by the departed Brian Dumoulin). Noel Acciari and Lars Eller provide fine depth to the forward ranks. And Dubas inked Tristan Jarry to a five-year deal that indicates he has true confidence the netminder can bounce back and produce again for the Penguins.
On paper, it's about as good a start for Dubas in Pittsburgh as the club could have hoped for. And after the Penguins' free fall out of playoff contention last season, it's the exact shot in the arm the club needs heading into a pivotal campaign.
Season-by-Season Record (Last 5)
SEASON |
GAMES |
WINS |
LOSSES |
FINISH |
PLAYOFFS |
2022–23 |
82 |
40 |
31 |
5th, Metropolitan |
Did not qualify |
2021–22 |
82 |
46 |
25 |
3rd, Metropolitan |
Lost in First Round, 3–4 (Rangers) |
2020–21 |
56 |
37 |
16 |
1st, East |
Lost in First Round, 2–4 (Islanders) |
2019–20 |
69 |
40 |
23 |
3rd, Metropolitan |
Lost in Qualifying Round, 1–3 (Canadiens) |
2018–19 |
82 |
44 |
26 |
3rd, Metropolitan |
Lost in First Round, 0–4 (Islanders) |
Pittsburgh Penguins History
Founded in 1967 as part of the NHL's "Great Expansion," the Pittsburgh Penguins struggled for most of their existence until the arrival of Mario Lemieux in 1984. Since then, they have been one of the NHL's marquee franchises. Pittsburgh has won a total of five Stanley Cup championships in its history. Sidney Crosby took the mantle from Lemieux as the franchise's marquee man. Lemieux is now a part-owner of the team.
It may be hard to believe in this era where the Penguins are one of the NHL’s most successful franchises, but the NHL was often not a sure thing in the Steel City. For the first several years in business, the Penguins lost money and had to change owners several times. Additionally, there were several close calls in which the franchise nearly left Pittsburgh or faced the possibility of folding.
But the arrival of Mario Lemieux in 1984 completely transformed the franchise. Lemieux is one of the most dominant players in NHL history and led the Penguins to their first two Stanley Cup Championships and their first long-term glory era. And then, in 2005, when the Penguins were bankrupt, Sidney Crosby arrived to save the franchise again. Crosby has led the Penguins to three Stanley Cups and was the marquee man that made the Penguins so attractive that they could get the financing for a new arena. PPG Paints Arena has been filled ever since for a franchise that is one of the best run in any sport.
NHL Teams
Eastern Conference - Atlantic
Eastern Conference - Metropolitan
Western Conference - Central
Western Conference - Pacific
Log into BookMaker Sportsbook and get the best NHL Betting Odds, NHL Betting News and information about this and all other sports betting events!