After a year away and the NHL lockout seemingly over, I thought today would be a great day to return to LGP!
Now, it is time for Malkin and others to come home to Pittsburgh and get ready to win this thing.
Penguins Depth Chart
Forwards
1st: Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Pascal Dupuis
2nd: ? - Evgeni Malkin - James Neal
3rd: Matt Cooke - Brent Sutter - Tyler Kennedy
4th: Tanner Glass - Joe Vitale - Craig Adams
Bench: Eric Tangradi - Dustin Jeffrey
Minors: Beau Bennett - Paul Thompson
Defensemen
DP: Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
DP: Paul Martin - Deryk Engelland
DP: Matt Niskanen - Ben Lovejoy
Bench: Brian Strait
Minors: Simon Despres - Joe Morrow - Dylan Reese - Robert Bortuzzo
Goaltender
Starter: Marc-Andre Fleury
Backup: Tomas Vokoun
Questions
1 - Can Penguins General Manager Ray Shero accept going into the season with those options for the second line left wing? If not, how many general managers are going to be open and willing to trade a quality player right at the start of this abbreviated season?
2 - Does anyone think the Penguins have the defensemen to change what happened in the playoffs last season? I'm not sure I can stomach watching Martin, Engelland, and Lovejoy taking up 15-20 minutes per game.
3 - Has Dan Bylsma watched enough video and to make the necessary adjustments with the defensive scheme?
4 - What changes is he going to make with the penalty-killing unit?
5 - Will Bylsma finally figure out a system to make sure Crosby and Malkin can co-exist on the same power play unit?
6 - Is this the year that Malkin and Crosby get an opportunity to play the penalty-killing teams?
7 - The free agent signing of Vokoun is huge with a shortened season, what does his presence mean for Fleury and can the franchise goalie bounce back after a horrendous performance in the playoffs?
8 - Biggest question of them all, can Crosby stay healthy and keep the concussion problems as a thing of the past?
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