No playing time for jank?

I think assuming that Zohorna can eat top 6 minutes is a little ambitious at this point. Wouldn't want Malkin to start going cold again. Maybe McCann can go to LW with Geno, then do Zucker-Blueger-Tanev, then ZAR-Rodriguez- (Zohorna or Laff or Sceviour)

He's arguably their 14th or 15th best forward. Gaudreau has been making him look bad

There you go. I edited it and flipped Zhorna and Rodrigues. I think it would be good to keep the ZAR line together.

Yeah and if we learned anything from the injuries we learned Gudreau brings more to a 4th line than Jank. I'm pretty sure he gets flipped for like a 6th or just becomes forward 13/14.

I don't think they would pair Dumo and Ceci. Neither one is particularly mobile.

Zohorna, played 8 minutes. It's way to early. The biggest issue was those 8 minutes were sheltered in the Ozone. 5-1 Ozone starts. Yeah he got a goal, but that isn't building confidence. If he wants a place on this team, it has to come in the Dzone. That's not really an argument.
I really like the idea of him and Angelo on the 4th line though. Both guys are willing to hit. But most likely the piece just don't fit together that way. Even though they really could use both those guys on the ice.

The biggest issue is ZAR, Blueger, Tanev is such a good line. That it means there really isn't a pure 3rd line on the team with a 4th line getting 8 minutes a night.
If you move zucker to 3rd line, it means that line probably isn't getting the time it should, or Zucker isn't skating the time he should.
And for what, so Malkin has to play with ERod, who really shouldn't be on his line. He doesn't have the skill to be a top 6.
It's a bit early. And taking sample sizes from games against BUF isn't really idea.
As for BOS games coming up, lets be honest, that team is in the ****ter to. They got 1 line and don't even have a real defense with Carlo out. On top of it they just lost their goalie.
I think a lot of this is hiding issues for the penguins. Which probably come out if we are rolling these lines against say, NYI.

The real question of what that "3rd" line should look like is asked by how much time the "4th" line should get. If you legitimately think that line should be getting 10-12 minutes a night, which it probably should given PK time etc.. Than what you got is an 8-10 minute 3rd line. Is Zucker an 8-10 minute player. No.
Reality is the Buzzsaw line is getting like 15 minutes on average. Given a part of that is PK time.
But they are munching minutes against hard competition. They are getting 80% of their starts in the Dzone and they are a +1 on ice in 5v5. That's really solid play.
I think this is why they won't panic on the 3rd line. They just don't have all that much time for them. Especially if Crosby and Malkin play 20 minutes a night.
They will probably average 18. and what ever the "3rd" line is will get like 9-10. 2+2+5 or 18,18,15.
At that rate, Angelo, McCann, and Zohorna. McCann is a good defender. Total waste of his shot not getting the ice time, but good defender. The other two can hit. Both have a little jump in their step. But reality is they need to play defense. If they can do that, they can roll a guy up in games they need to be more physical.

But to be honest, I don't think you are wrong on the assumption they won't add anyone. They have a top 6 and they have a "3rd" line. It's just not the line people want it to be.

Good write up. For defense I wasn't even looking at it but if I changed it I would do what we do currently:

Dumo-Letang
Matheson - Marino
Ceci - Petterson

For me without trades I go
Jake Sid Rust
McCann Malkin Kapanen
Zucker Blueger Tanev
ZAR Gaudreau Rodrigues