Pittsburgh Penguins - Challenges

After assembling the most talented roster in the NHL, one of the few questions left for the Pittsburgh Penguins before the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs was their goaltending. For a second straight season, Marc-Andre Fleury struggled. This time, the Penguins had a viable Plan B, and Tomas Vokoun helped the team into the Eastern Conference Final. At that point, goaltending was far from the biggest question; the prolific Pittsburgh offense disappeared in a four-game sweep by the Boston Bruins. The Penguins remain loaded with offensive firepower. During the offseason they strengthened their ability to defend. Fleury and Vokoun are back, so much of the critical focus will be on the person who needs to play better in the postseason to remain a franchise goaltender. Marc-Andre Fleury turned 28 years old last season and has won 249 NHL games in the regular season. Martin Brodeur, the all-time leader in the category, turned 28 during the 2000 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had 242 regular-season victories to that point. The issue for Fleury has been the playoffs. Since winning the Cup in 2009, Fleury has four straight postseasons with a save percentage below .900, including a .834 two years ago and .883 in five games during the 2013 playoffs. Instead of finding the quickest means of parting with Fleury, the Penguins will try to find the player who produced a .933 save percentage during the 2008 playoffs and stonewalled the Detroit Red Wings in Games 6 and 7 of the 2009 Final. Fleury will have a new goaltending coach in 2013-14 with Mike Bales replacing Gilles Meloche. After losing defensive defenseman Rob Scuderi four years ago, the Penguins finally filled that hole … by re-signing Scuderi. There is going to be plenty of focus on the player nicknamed "Flower." After this season, there is one remaining on his contract. That would make him easier to trade or buy out if he can't find his previous form. It also would mean he can negotiate an extension if he can revive his status an upper-tier player. Cooke and Tyler Kennedy are gone to the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks, respectively. They had been part of the team's third line for much of the past five seasons, and when Jordan Staal was between them it was considered one of the best third units in the League. Brandon Sutter is, barring injuries, certain to center this line. His wings could be decided during training camp. Jussi Jokinen could be one. He played well in place of injured Sidney Crosby after arriving from the Carolina Hurricanes, and Jokinen is a versatile player. Dustin Jeffrey could be one. He's been in and out of the lineup the past couple of seasons. One of the team's low-cost free-agent signings could be one, with Matt D'Agostini the most likely to claim a spot. A young forward who is the subject of the next question could also land here.The top five forwards are set, and the sixth likely will play on a line with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Second-year forward Beau Bennett, who just misses the cutoff to remain a rookie after appearing in 26 NHL games in 2012-13, will enter training camp as the favorite to earn this coveted spot. Simon Despres was a first-round pick (No. 30) in the 2009 NHL Draft, and he's always been at the head of Pittsburgh's group of defense prospects the past few seasons. He played in 33 games for the Penguins in 2012-13, and three playoff games. This likely will be Despres' first full season in the NHL. He could end up playing with Kris Letang on the team's top pairing, or he could fit on the third pair with Matt Niskanen. The talent and potential is there, but the same can be said for a couple of the prized prospects who aren't far from challenging for a spot in Pittsburgh's top six. Cooke had been one of the team's go-to penalty killers for years. He was second on the Penguins in average ice time shorthanded among forwards last season. Douglas Murray also saw plenty of penalty-kill action after arriving in a trade, earning the fourth-most ice time per game shorthanded among the defensemen. Rob Scuderi is an obvious candidate on the back end to consume shorthanded minutes. Jokinen has been a contributor on the penalty kill in the past with the Hurricanes. Joe Vitale also is a candidate to earn more important minutes while centering the fourth line. The Penguins scored goals by the bushel during the regular season and through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Making decisions or assumptions about the offense after a four-game slump is a mistake. Pittsburgh will be among the most potent offensive teams in the League again in 2013-14. Preventing goals, and particularly the play of the goaltenders, will determine how successful the Penguins can be.