Emil Bemstrom arrived in Pittsburgh after being acquired by the Penguins from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bemstrom will probably demand a small lineup adjustment in his first session with the Penguins.
Bemstrom skated with Matthew Phillips on the Penguins’ third line during his first skate with his new team, although he will most likely start against the Philadelphia Flyers. After a while, Phillips was moved to the Penguins’ second line, but Valtteri Puustinen’s outstanding play took his place.
Puustinen is still being praised by Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, and it appears that he will get another fantastic opportunity to play with Evgeni Malkin.
Bemstrom will probably take Phillips’ spot now that he’s in the starting lineup. After quickly moving from the third line to the second, Phillips has not scored a point in his three games with the Penguins.
Bemstrom is a recent addition and has a decent chance of succeeding already. It may come as a surprise to hear that, but Sullivan placed Bemstrom on the Penguins’ second power play unit because he believes it is a unit where he can thrive.
“There are several ways in which he can assist us,” Sullivan stated. He plays the power play, so he can assist us offensively. He’s got a very accurate shot. That’s one of his advantages, in my opinion.”
Bemstrom’s shooting attitude should help the remainder of the Penguins power play, which has been among the worst in the NHL all season, according to Sullivan.
“We’re trying to encourage our power play groups to shoot a little more,” Sullivan stated. “That’s an opportunity for him to help us in that regard.”
Bemstrom is a smart safety net addition for the Penguins in case of any uncertainty about their season-long strategy. He’s a good depth option if the Penguins have a winning run; if not, he’s an inexpensive asset who could not be around for the summer.
