Pittsburgh Penguins - Season Preview

After another disappointing Playoff performance, the Penguins have rung the changes with new management and a very different roster. The biggest question is, are the changes worth the risk?

Pittsburgh were eliminated in the Second Round despite a 3-1 series lead against the New York Rangers heading back to home ice for Game 5. The Penguins scored just one goal in each of the last three games and were outscored by seven. In five years since winning the 2009 Stanley Cup, the Penguins have yet to return to the Stanley Cup Final. The dissatisfaction with postseason futility led Pittsburgh to make notable changes throughout the organization. GM Ray Shero was fired May 16, followed by coach Dan Bylsma on June 6. New GM Jim Rutherford, who was hired the same day Bylsma was let go, and coach Mike Johnston replaced the duo that played a key role in establishing Pittsburgh as one of the preeminent franchises in recent years.

While coaching the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, Johnston employed an up-tempo system that seems catered to how the Penguins are built to play. Pittsburgh has two of the NHL's best players in Crosby and Malkin centering their top two lines, which should help the Penguins transition into Johnston's scheme. Tradionally Johnston's teams like to come out as a pacl where there are more options for the puck carrier. If you stretch the zone too quick, the puck carrier becomes isolated and has to dump the puck as there's no support.

One of Johnston's first acts as Penguins coach was to reach out to forward Sidney Crosby, who decided against having offseason surgery on an injured wrist. Rutherford didn't take long to make his mark on the team, firing Bylsma and hiring Johnston as well as trading forward James Neal during the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft to Nashville in exchange for forwards Patrick Hornqvist and Nick Spaling. Neal, a former 40-goal scorer, was a regular on Pittsburgh's second line alongside Evgeni Malkin.

Neal was criticized for making questionable decisions on the ice, which played a factor in him being traded, Rutherford said. Hornqvist will most likely take the place of Neal or forward Jussi Jokinen, who signed with the Florida Panthers during free agency, next to Malkin. Hornqvist could benefit from playing next to Malkin in much the same way Neal did after being traded to Pittsburgh from the Dallas Stars during the 2010-11 season. Defenseman Matt Niskanen, who was also involved in the Neal trade, signed with Washington during free agency alongside Brooks Orpik. Deryk Engelland who sometimes dressed as a fourth-line forward last season has also left to join Calgary. With gaps left on the blueline Christian Ehrhoff arrived from Buffalo.

The expected defensive pairings of Kris Letang with Paul Martin, and Olli Maatta with Ehrhoff seem set, but there remains opportunity for a young player to make a mark on Pittsburgh's third defensive line. Simon Despres could receive another chance alongside Rob Scuderi while Brian Dumoulin, who has played in six NHL games, and Derrick Pouliot, who is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, could also earn a spot on the roster. Robert Bortuzzo, Scott harrington and Philip Samuelsson are also in the frame. Letang had a hard time last season which included suffering a stroke, but once back and healthy looked good paired with Martin, who has been under-apreciated at times. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury improved massively during last season's playoffs as the two previous years he was a disaster. Thomas Greiss has played at least 16 games in each of the last three seasons and posted a .912 save percentage over the last four. Having an above average goaltender could make a huge difference.

The Penguins still have plenty of familular faces with Crosby, Malkin, Letang and goalie Fleury, but many have changed. Tanner Glass (Rangers), Joe Vitale (Coyotes) and Brian Gibbons have all gone, while in come Blake Comeau (Columbus), Steve Downie (Flyers) and ex Sharks goalie Thomas Greiss (Coyotes).

With Neal gone, a lot of extra pressure is placed on the top-line. It remains to be seen just how fit Crosby and Pascal Dupuis will be. Crosby opted against hand surgery to repair the damage that blunted his playoff out-put while Dupuis was out for half a season with a torn-ACL and given his age will take some time to get back to full fitness. Johnston traveled to Russia to meet with Malkin in addition to his meeting with Crosby. His intention has been to meet with several players in order to eliminate some of that uncertainty. Last Season the Malkin-Neal-Jokinen line was the team's most consistent. How will Geno cope with two-new line mates? It is likely that Hornqvist and youngster Beau Bennett will line up alongside him, and with Malkin having a reputation for making those around him better, he will need to deliver that again. With Crosby and Malkin in the team Pittsburgh are one of the best teams in the league, without them they struggle. Hornqvist really needs to step up to replace Neal's goal-scoring, while Nick Spaling and Steve Downie could be strong additions on the third-line with Brandon Sutter. Blake Comeau and Marcel Goc will improve a fourth-line that was amongst the worst in the NHL last year.

Likely Line up:

Kunitz – Crosby – Dupuis

Hornqvist – Malkin – Bennett

Spaling – Sutter – Downie

Comeau – Goc – Adams

Martin – Ehrhoff

Maatta – Letang

Despres – Scuderi