Jake Guentzel, Jason Zucker lead the Penguins from the left wing

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

Jake Guenztel’s place in Penguins history is secure. He ensured that during the 2017 postseason when he set a handful of franchise postseason scoring records while helping the team win a Stanley Cup title.

But this spring, after a third consecutive postseason with limited production, Guentzel put the blame squarely upon his shoulders.

“I let a lot of people down,” Guentzel said in May. “I’ve got to find a way to put the puck in the net, make plays and be better there.”

Guentzel would have likely been a 40-goal scorer each of the past two seasons were it not for a debilitating shoulder injury he suffered in December of 2019 as well as the pandemic shortening the 2020-21 season.

So his ability to produce during the regular season is not in question. He almost certainly will be the Penguins’ top-line left winger once the 2021-22 season opens.

But he can’t afford a fourth straight postseason with limited results.

Below him is another established producer in Jason Zucker. But little of that production has taken place since he became a member of the Penguins in February of 2020.

Aside from a brief outburst while playing alongside Sidney Crosby during the 2019-20 season, Zucker largely has struggled to find the net consistently. The Penguins’ uncertainty at center — with Crosby and Evgeni Malkin sidelined to open the season — won’t help Zucker, whose primary value lies in his goal-scoring abilities.

With Jared McCann off to Seattle, unrestricted free agent signings Brock McGinn or Danton Heinen will be expected to step in on the third line. McGinn and Heinen are capable of playing either wing but offer different games.

McGinn is an energy player who will forecheck, pester and annoy opposing defensemen while also offering a respectable offensive threat. Heinen is a complementary player who can supplement more talented linemates with a willingness to go to the net.

On the fourth line, Zach Aston-Reese returns. After recovering from shoulder surgery during the 2020 offseason, Aston-Reese reestablished himself as one of the team’s top defensive forwards and even enjoyed a boost in production despite a shortened season.

As a pending unrestricted free agent next offseason, a productive season could benefit Aston-Reese considerably.

Diving into the team’s depth, the Penguins brought back a familiar face in Dominik Simon after he spent a season with the Calgary Flames. Capable of playing either wing, Simon can step in on just about any line. While he can frustrate with regards to generating shots, he has earned the trust of Crosby through his ability to make passes in tight spaces.

As a rookie in 2020-21, Drew O’Connor was fast-tracked to a place on the NHL roster but never seemed to get comfortable. As a result, he underwent some much-needed refinement with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL), putting up 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 20 games.

Sam Lafferty, a native of Hollidaysburg, has shown a willingness to throw his body around, but his limited offensive touch always will hinder his chances of claiming a regular spot in the lineup.

Sam Poulin, a first-round pick in 2019, is capable of playing left wing but is better suited for the right side.

Filip Hallander, a second-round pick in 2018, was reacquired via trade in July. As one of the organization’s leading prospects, he offers plenty of intrigue but has yet to play a minute of professional hockey in North America.

Evan Rodrigues, Radim Zohorna, Bryan Rust and Michael Chaput can step in on the left when the occasion calls for it.

Follow the Penguins all season long.