5 Pittsburgh Penguins Poised for Breakout Seasons in 2014-15

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a valuable mix of veteran stars and promising young talent heading into the 2014-15 NHL season. Thanks to general manager Jim Rutherford and his productive offseason, it will be exciting to see how dominant this team could be in the regular season and beyond.

There are a few less heralded players who will be pivotal in the long run as the Pens look to make their first Stanley Cup Final since 2009.

Two are Rutherford’s recent summer acquisitions, while the others have been with the organization for quite a while now.

Based on new teammates, past performances and inter-squad competition, five Penguins players are now poised to have breakout years in 2014-15. Read on to find out who they are.

5. Thomas Greiss, Goaltender

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Thomas Greiss, formally an Arizona Coyote, was signed this summer by the Penguins in what was something of a head-scratching move made by Rutherford.

Now, it seems as if he was brought in to test Jeff Zatkoff for the backup goaltending position.

Greiss had a solid season last year backing up Mike Smith in Glendale, Arizona, stopping 92.0 percent of the shots he faced and posting a goals-against average of 2.29 over the course of 25 games.

While he hasn’t earned that coveted starting job yet in his career, the 28-year-old is still young for a goalie. His big break may be right around the corner.

Seeing as how Greiss is so close to earning a starting job, he will use that as motivation to challenge Marc-Andre Fleury for the position this season. This will result in the best season of his career yet. It may sound like a stretch now, but come midseason, don’t be surprised if we see both guys splitting time.

4. Robert Bortuzzo, Defenseman

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When taking a look at the Pens’ defensive corps, Robert Bortuzzo tends to get caught in the middle of things. Between the top two pairings and the deep prospect pool, Bortuzzo isn't much of a hot news topic.

However, he knows that as soon as training camp gets underway, he will impress his coaches.

Bortuzzo’s only flaw seems to be lack of offensive ability at the NHL level. Then again, he is a defenseman, and that should be the least of his coaches' worries. The 25-year-old is a simple, no-nonsense kind of blueliner, which will give him the breakout season he deserves.

If all the right scenarios happen for Bortuzzo—such as Kris Letang not returning to form or an injury happening on the top two units—he is a guy any GM would love to have on the first two pairings.

3. Nick Spaling, Winger

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Nick Spaling was brought over along with Patric Hornqvist in the trade that sent James Neal to the Nashville Predators on draft day. Spaling has been a very productive player for the Preds despite being the lesser-known of the two names in the transaction.

With the Predators, Spaling has played a solid role on offense. He knotted 13 goals and 19 assists in 71 games in 2013-14. His great penalty-killing is a plus as well.

His versatility, however, is his greatest attribute. This will allow him to thrive with the Penguins in a way he never could have with the Predators. Spaling can play either wing position, which will make things easier for the coaching staff when it needs to mix things up during the season.

With his new team, so many more possibilities will be available to him on offense, which is why he is poised for a breakout season.

2. Brandon Sutter, Center

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Sutter may not have the same level of talent as the guy he was traded for (Jordan Staal), but with this new lineup on offense, he will have two new guys on his wings that could finally get him over the hump.

Bruiser Steve Downie and the aforementioned Spaling could be those two coming out of training camp.

Sutter has had a decent career so far, but he is only 25 and could be destined for his biggest year this season if he can use his tools wisely. He is a confident, maturing hockey player, which is rarely seen in developing players.

The Hockey News wrote how these attributes will help him in the coming years.

“Plays with more grit and confidence with each coming season. Can shut down opposing centers. Will become more effective offensively as he gains further experience,” reads the scouting report.

Sutter has some time before he fully grows into the player he is destined to become. Pens fans have been waiting for him to become that special third-line center, and there is a good possibility that will happen this year.

1. Beau Bennett, Winger

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22-year-old Beau Bennett has had a shaky two-year career so far in the NHL, playing in only 47 games and scoring only six goals and 15 assists during that time.

We can’t forget to mention that injuries have played a huge role in this as well.

Even though a lot is riding on the former first-round draft pick, the 2014-15 season is when he will finally become the player his team expects him to develop into.

Like the other players listed before him, this year’s offseason has opened many opportunities that Bennett could take advantage of. Like Spaling, he can play either wing, and there are two holes that he could possibly fill this season.

The right-wing slot on the first line would give Bennett the chance to work with one of the best scoring tandems in the game. Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz can teach the winger a lot about the game, but there is a great deal of responsibility that comes with playing on the top line.

The second slot comes one line below. With Evgeni Malkin and Hornqvist, Bennett would still have two great veterans to work with. He would grow immensely if he were placed with them.

For now, it seems the only way is up for this kid.