With all due respect to the football fans in the room, we have finally arrived at the best sports season of them all: hockey season! True, it’s just the beginning of training camp, but it’s a highly-anticipated one as there seems to be as much excitement surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins as there has been since perhaps 2015 when the Penguins were heading into camp with a shiny new summer acquisition in Phil Kessel. This time around, playing the role of Kessel in terms of individual excitement is the reigning Norris trophy winner, defenseman Erik Karlsson, who will definitely be bringing some strong offensive ability to a team which has been lacking in creativity in the past few seasons.
On that note I have a bunch of polls I’d like to pose to the community and see how we’re all feeling heading into the preseason. Naturally I have some thoughts as well, so let’s get on with it, shall we?
Loading ...This is a pretty straightforward one, and I don’t think the answer will be in much doubt amongst the fanbase. Pittsburgh was just one point away from making the playoffs last season and, unless things really go sideways for the Penguins this year (or there are some surprises from the other Wild Card hopefuls in the Eastern Conference), it would be something of a shock to see the Penguins miss the playoffs again this season.
Loading ...A little more detailed, but hopefully the answers here will roughly match the percentages above. Anything worse than fifth place is 100% out of the playoffs, so it stands to reason that anyone voting “yes” above will pick one of the first two answers here. For me, first or second in the division seems too far flung on paper, with Carolina and New Jersey seeming to be in competition for first in the Eastern Conference and perhaps the NHL overall. Third place is probably ideal in this circumstance, although fourth may be a path to a gentler proving ground for the Penguins (or however it shakes out with the Wild Cards that they would face the Atlantic Division instead). But I am getting ahead of myself here!
Loading ...It’s always interesting to consider who will be a team’s most valuable player, and in some cases that may tell the story of the team’s regular season overall. Betting on Captain Crosby here is probably safest, but there’s always a chance health concerns will derail one player’s season and lift up another’s. But if the answer is “someone else” besides someone in this top six, things will probably be much worse as a result.
Loading ...In case you haven’t been paying attention, this is the biggest question for me heading into the regular season. Good goaltending can keep a team afloat just as easily as bad goaltending can sink it, and with Jarry at 28.5 years old and with a new, five-year contract penned this past summer, it is time for Jarry to show everyone what caliber goaltender he is. Can Pittsburgh consider itself a serious contender without Jarry playing himself into the Vezina discussion?
Loading ...This could also have been titled: “What is your biggest concern with the Pittsburgh Penguins?” Is there enough forward depth to help take the heat off the top six? Will the defensemen actually do a good job defensively? Will the tandem of Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic have enough quality to keep the Penguins above average? Is the coaching staff getting stale? Will the Penguins stay healthy, or will their organizational depth be tested? All very important questions.
Loading ...The last poll I have for you here is a foreboding one. Only one player currently under contract for Pittsburgh has a contract going into the 2028-29 season: Ryan Graves, who will be 33 at this time in 2028 and in a contract year to boot. More to the point, Crosby will be 41, Malkin 42, Letang 41…all probably retired or retiring. (Letang, Rust, Rakell and Jarry will all be new UFAs that offseason.) Indeed, it’s a long way away and no one would like to consider that future right now, but I’m curious to see what everyone predicts for this not-too-distant future that will likely be without all of the stars of Penguins’ present.
