The Pittsburgh Penguins have a long road ahead of them to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
The Pittsburgh Penguins enter the 2016-17 Stanley Cup playoffs as one of the favorites to win it. They’ll try to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1996-97 and 1997-98 to repeat as champions. However, it won’t be easy. They have huge targets on their back and everyone would love to bring down the king. But in order for any Eastern Conference team to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, they’ll either have to best the Penguins or best a team who beat them.
Pittsburgh enters the postseason with virtually the same cast from last season’s title team. Once gain, their offense runs through three players. Sidney Crosby remains the best player in the world after winning his second Rocket Richard as the NHL’s top goal scorer. It’s also his first individual Richard, since he shared it with Steven Stamkos in 2009-10. Evgeni Malkin’s health is key. He hasn’t played in a bit, which is concerning. But Malkin at 80 percent is still better than most centers. If he comes back fully healthy, the Pittsburgh Penguins are back in business.
Phil Kessel is impossible to hate. His style of play is fun to watch and he’s extremely skilled. Kessel will lead the Penguins third aforward line as Pittsburgh will likely go back to work worked for them last year. Connor Sheary, Bryan Rust, Patric Hornqvist and the timeless wonder Matt Cullen provide the Penguins with impressive forward depth. No team scored more goals in the regular season than Pittsburgh.
Last year, the Penguins defense was a strength. Due to the loss of star defenseman Kris Letang, this won’t be the case this season. However, don’t overlook their defensive depth. They will likely adopt a committee approach to replacing their best defenseman. Justin Schultz, a successful reclamation project from the Edmonton Oilers, should play a huge role in replacing Letang. Brian Dumoulin will once again see heavy minutes as one of their top shutdown defensemen.
Trevor Daley got injured in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, so it’s a bit ironic he’ll play a part in replacing Letang. He’s a very offensively gifted defenseman who can move the puck efficiently and effectively. Without Letang to lead breakouts, expect Daley and Schultz to carry the load. Of course, having Matt Murray in goal helps.
Why They Can Win
As long as the Pittsburgh Penguins have Crosby and Malkin, they’re impossible to count out. No other team has two elite centers who rank in the top five. Having both makes it impossible for opponents to hone in on stopping one of them. It’s a symbiotic relationship, as both benefit from the other. Kessel is getting hot around playoff time, which is huge. If he can get the third forward line going again, the Penguins will be as difficult as ever to stop. Murray will need to be especially sharp for Pittsburgh to bring home the Stanley Cup again, but his experience from last season should serve him well. He has shined very bright in big games, albeit in a small sample size.
Why They Can’t Win
Losing Letang could cost the Pittsburgh Penguins big time. The Pens rely very heavily on him. During last season’s Stanley Cup run, Letang averaged over 28 minutes of playing time. Head coach Mike Sullivan must devise a committee to replace him, but this might be a task too difficult for the Penguins.
Ron Hainsey, Mark Streit, Olli Maatta, Ian Cole, Daley, Schultz and Dumoulin are a solid committee, but is it good enough to win the Stanley Cup? Recent history says no. Each Stanley Cup winner since the 2005 lockout has one thing in common – a franchise defenseman. Without Letang, the Penguins don’t have a true number one defenseman like Nicklas Lidstrom, Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith or Drew Doughty.
X-Factor
The Pittsburgh Penguins had to replace Daley in the playoffs last season. Now he’ll have to step up and help replace Letang. This is why hockey is so wonderful. After not fitting in with the Dallas Stars or Chicago Blackhawks, a trade to the Penguins saved his career. Sullivan has utilized Daley’s unique skill set perfectly, as Daley has become one of Pittsburgh’s best defensemen at getting the puck out of his zone. He’ll have to be huge for the Penguins to win the Stanley Cup. With a strong performance, Daley, who’s a free agent after this season, could earn himself a nice raise.
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Prediction
As great as the Penguins are, losing Letang might prove to be too insurmountable a hill for them to repeat. However, don’t count them out. Crosby and Malkin are capable of carrying the team for extended periods of time. The Penguins also have a solid committee to replace Letang. However, is the committee enough?