Counting down the final 30 days to puck drop on the 2014-15 NHL season, Sportsnet previews all 30 NHL teams in reverse order of how we believe they will finish the regular season.
A dozen reporters and analysts from Sportsnet’s hockey brain trust — Doug MacLean, John Shannon, Chris Johnston, Damien Cox, Mark Spector, et al. — submitted a list ranking all the teams in order of how they think the NHL season will shake out. We crunched the numbers and will be unveiling our consensus standings prediction from worst to first.
Pittsburgh is our fifth-ranked team.
More NHL on Sportsnet:
Subscribe: Rogers GameCentre Live
Rogers Hometown Hockey | Broadcast Schedule
Division: Metropolitan
2013-14 finish: 51-24-7, 109 points, 6th overall; lost in second round to New York Rangers
Leading scorer: Sidney Crosby (104 points)
General manager: Jim Rutherford
Head coach: Mike Johnston
Captain: Sidney Crosby
Opening night starter: Marc-Andre Fleury
Key acquisitions: Christian Ehrhoff, Patric Hornqvist, Thomas Greiss, Nick Spaling, Steve Downie, Blake Comeau, Mike Johnston, Jim Rutherford
Key departures: James Neal, Matt Niskanen, Joe Vitale, Jussi Jokinen, Chris Conner, Tanner Glass, Brooks Orpik, Deryk Engelland, Dan Bylsma, Ray Shero
Off-season grade: B+. After a second-round exit, this team—which isn’t built simply to make the playoffs—needed change. They started in the front office, firing general manager Ray Shero and head coach Dan Bylsma. Losing Matt Niskanen to free agency (and to the division-rival Capitals, no less) is a big blow to the blue line, but new GM Jim Rutherford added a huge piece to the defensive corps in signing free agent Christian Ehrhoff to a one-year, $4-million contract. Ehrhoff is a puck-possession guy who likes to dish it up to the forwards and get it moving. He should fit in well. Rutherford also got backup goalie Thomas Greiss on a cheap, one-year deal.
Check here for previews of all 30 NHL teams
Greatest strength: Is that a question? When Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are your No. 1 and No. 2 centres, your strength is offence. The Penguins ranked fifth in the NHL in regular-season goals per game, with 2.95—and Malkin was out of the lineup for more than a quarter of the season. The losses of James Neal and Jussi Jokinen will hurt—Neal is a former 40-goal scorer, and last year those two combined for 118 points, playing on either side of Malkin. But Patric Hornqvist will likely fill one of those holes on the No. 2 line. The 27-year-old Swede shoots a lot and likes to go to the net, and he’s coming off a career-high 53 points with the Predators. Put him on a line with Malkin, and we’re betting he’s in for another career-high in 2014-15.
Greatest weakness: Defence is the question mark. Kris Letang missed 45 games due to injury last season, including a stroke in late January. If the Norris Trophy finalist of two seasons ago can stay healthy, continue to contribute offensively and play big minutes, he’ll help fill the gap left by the departures of Orpik and Niskanen. Of course, between the pipes, the supremely talented Marc-Andre Fleury is a wildcard. He’ll have to keep his lapses and inconsistent play to a minimum this season. Good news is, in Greiss, the Penguins have a proven backup who can fill in when needed. In 25 games last season, the 28-year-old German posted a .920 save percentage and 2.29 GAA.
Biggest story line to watch: Yes, Mike Johnston is taking on his first-ever NHL head coaching gig after major success with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. So that’s big. But this is Crosby and Malkin’s team, and the biggest story to watch is the health of the two big guns. Crosby showed he’d shed the concussion worries last season when he played 80 games and won the scoring title, but he also battled a right wrist injury from March on. Crosby opted for an injection instead of surgery, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be firing on all cylinders. And Malkin hasn’t put together a full campaign since 2008-09, when he won the scoring title and the Conn Smythe en route to the Stanley Cup championship. Pittsburgh hasn’t won the Cup since. Coincidence? Maybe not.
2014-15 prediction: The Penguins should win the Metropolitan division again—but the real test comes after that.
[polldaddy poll=8342382]
