NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, three important questions facing the Pittsburgh Penguins.
[Penguins 32 in 32: Season preview | Top prospects | Fantasy breakdown]
1. Was keeping the core together the right move?
Sidney Crosby, 35, will play his 18th NHL season in Pittsburgh. The captain will have familiar company with center Evgeni Malkin36, and defenseman Kris Letang35, each returning on a new contract.
There was little drop-off from the core three last season.
Crosby tied linemate Jake Guentzel for the team lead in points with 84 (31 goals, 53 assists) in 69 games; Letang led the defensemen with an NHL career-high 68 points (10 goals, 58 assists) in 78 games. Malkin still averaged more than a point per game, with 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) in 41 games after having offseason knee surgery.
They’ve delivered three Stanley Cup championships (2009, 2016, 2017) and 16 straight Stanley Cup Playoff appearances. The Penguins believe Crosby, Malkin and Letang remain their best chance to be competitive.
“For me, the Penguins gave me my chance,” Letang said July 7. “They took care of me like a son. … When you have that feeling, sometimes it’s just natural. You want to finish there.”
2. Is Tristan Jarry the answer?
Jarry became the unquestioned No. 1 goalie in 2020-21, then two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray was traded to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 7, 2020. In two seasons since, he has yet to match his predecessor’s postseason success.
In the regular season, Jarry has been solid, with a 93-47-13 record, 2.57 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in six NHL seasons. But he is 2-6 with a 3.00 GAA and .891 save percentage in the playoffs.
A lower-body injury kept Jarry out of the first six games this past postseason before returning with 26 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round. Because of that, Jarry has yet been able to prove he can help lead past the regular season.
“It’s tough,” Jarry said after the Game 7 loss. “You wish you could be out there.”
Video: Top 15 Tristan Jarry Saves from the 2021-22 Season
3. Can Mike Sullivan lead Pittsburgh to a series win?
After being hired Dec. 12, 2015, Sullivan won the Stanley Cup in each of his first two seasons. But the Penguins haven’t won a playoff series since defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2018 Eastern Conference First Round.
Sullivan remains well respected in the locker room. Recent regular seasons have been defined by his ability to keep the Penguins consistently competitive despite injuries to high-profile players. But that has been met with being immediately eliminated from the postseason.
At this point, keeping the playoff streak alive might not be enough. It’s time for Sullivan to deliver another long run.
“We try to look at each experience as objectively as we can,” Sullivan said. “Remove some of the emotion that’s associated with these experiences. … It’s my job to coach these guys. We care about them a lot.”
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