Brian Dumoulin remains the standard on the left side of the Penguins' blue line

In advance of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ upcoming training camp, the Tribune-Review will look at the team’s depth. Today, the left-handed defensemen:

Despite having been a vital member of the Penguins’ success over the past half-decade, Brian Dumoulin did not break into the franchise’s top 100 career scorers until this past April.

But then again, Dumoulin hasn’t established himself with his offense. Defense is his forte, and he remains one of the NHL’s most reliable blue-liners in his own zone.

Primarily teamed with his long-time running mate Kris Letang, Dumoulin logged an average of 22 minutes, 21 seconds per game last season, including a team-best 2:45 on the penalty kill.

Blessed with a lanky 6-foot-4, 204-pound frame, Dumoulin uses his reach well and is adept at using his stick to clutter shooting or passing lanes. Additionally, he has adequate mobility and just enough physicality to deal with seemingly every type of forward in the league, whether it be slick waterbugs such as Boston’s David Pastrnak or imposing battle rams such as Washington’s Tom Wilson. Additionally, Dumoulin has emerged as one of the team’s most vocal leaders.

Given Dumoulin’s style of play as well as the fact he just turned 30, durability increasingly becomes a concern. After all, he has missed 56 of a possible 125 games over the past two seasons because of injury.

Assuming he is able-bodied, Dumoulin remains entrenched as the team’s top left-handed defenseman.

Marcus Pettersson opened last as second on that depth chart but eventually gave way to Mike Matheson.

Acquired via trade in September 2020, Matheson was seeking a fresh start after failing to live up to immense expectations with the Florida Panthers. He largely got that reset, but not without some growing pains (and literal pains given the 12 games he missed because of various injuries).

As dynamic of a puck-mover you will find in the NHL, Matheson’s slick skating and aggressive nature make him an ideal fit for the Penguins. But a lot of that success came while skating on a pairing with the steady Cody Ceci, now a member of the Edmonton Oilers. Matheson will need to establish chemistry with a new partner in 2021-22.

As for Pettersson, he, by his own admission, did not play at a sufficient level in 2020-21 and that was partially why he and his partner, John Marino, were demoted to the third pairing during the late stages of the season. Pettersson’s underwhelming play was scrutinized further given he was in the first year of a new contract with a meaty salary cap hit of $4,025,175.

Pettersson wasn’t awful by any means last season. But he needs to be better.

Waiting in the wings is P.O Joseph. A first-round pick (No. 23 overall) of the Arizona Coyotes in 2017, Joseph was acquired in a 2019 trade and has spent most of the past two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the American Hockey League (AHL). Injuries to the NHL roster allowed him to break into the NHL last season with 16 games and five points (one goal, four assists).

Arguably the Penguins’ best prospect, Joseph is stuck in a numbers game considering the surplus of NHL-caliber southpaws the penguins have on their back end.

Then there’s Juuso Riikola. A free agent signing out of Finland in 2018, Riikola always has teased with potential but has yet to claim a full-time role. In three NHL seasons, he has played 75 games, including two last season.

Riikola probably could play regularly for a number of NHL teams, but the Penguins don’t appear to be one of them. Given his salary cap hit of $1.15 million, management likely would prefer to jettison him off the payroll.

Should injuries become an issue on the NHL roster in 2021-22, left-handed prospects Cam Lee or Niclas Almari could merit a recall over the course of the season.

Follow the Penguins all season long.