What's Your #1 Concern about this season?

[Pens15]

Aside from injuries, my biggest question marks are 2. 1-- Staal, will he get his scoring touch back and become a top six winger? If he does, that bodes very very well. And 2-- Fleury, will he put inconsistency behind him for good and be the top notch goalie that he is being paid like now, and that he looked like in the playoffs most games?

[Troy Loney]

My main concern is injury. I don't think this year's team has the scoring depth to cope with losing Crosby or Malkin for an extended period of time. If fleury goes down the season is pretty much over.

[Guido]

I hope they don't come out stagnet. Sometimes, teams that achieve a lot the previous year will start off slow since they know the grind they have to go through to get back to where they were.

I would agree with this...Little Stanley Cup hang over...Although they didn't win it, so they shouldn't be hung over from anything!

Well, let's look at it this way...

Anaheim won the Cup, started the season in Europe and then on a bit of a road trip. They had a grueling start but eventually pulled together a respectable season, even though they flopped in the first round to a hot Dallas team.

The other side of that Stanley Cup Finals was Ottawa, who was unquestionably the hottest team to come out of the gate last season. They lost, what, 3 of their first 15 games, or something ridiculous like that. Then, sometime after December, they collapsed. Injuries, fatigue, goaltender drama...

My point is, I do not buy into the whole 'Stanley Cup Hangover' because you can find teams that win or lose the Stanley Cup and still come out hot. Then again, if it's a team that lacks discipline or focus after losing/winning the Cup they could be prone to a slow start, but I think it's more of a result from their lack of focus than the Stanley Cup Finals.

[LeopardLetang]

i guess i'm concerned about how well satan and fedex will play. but even if they both stunk, we'd still make the playoffs.

[Samsdog]

It's early, I'm not really thinking too much about concerns before the puck drops, I'm a little more interested in what could happen. If I have to pick though it's probably guys not living up to their contracts, but all in all I'm feeling pretty good about this season especially after training camp when there wasn't really anything that seemed to need a lot of work.

[cojac]

Matt Cooke jersey. End of story.

I'm getting an Orpik jersey

[wallflower]

As always, injuries.

[newarenanow]

I'm worried MCM is not going to say "Your Welcome" after I thank him for his grades after each game.

I'm also worried Kicksave will yell at me for all of my thank yous.

[jaysmiter]

I hope they don't come out stagnet. Sometimes, teams that achieve a lot the previous year will start off slow since they know the grind they have to go through to get back to where they were.

Combine that with starting overseas...

[Kicksave]

I'm worried MCM is not going to say "Your Welcome" after I thank him for his grades after each game.

I'm also worried Kicksave will yell at me for all of my thank yous.

Thanks

[newarenanow]

I'm worried MCM is not going to say "Your Welcome" after I thank him for his grades after each game.

I'm also worried Kicksave will yell at me for all of my thank yous.

Thanks

You're welcome.

[iseeguins]

I'm worried about our hole on Crosby's left wing .. where Dupuis just doesn't cut it .. and that Therrien is apparently not going to give Pesonen a chance to play there. Pesonen is simply better than Dupuis as a scoring winger .. yet Therrien will probably waste Pesonen on the 4th line where Pesonen could become frustrated (and I wouldn't blame him). I'm also worried about Yeo and Therrien forcing Malkin (and maybe even Crosby) to play the point(s) on the powerplay.

[meecrofilm]

I'm worried about our hole on Crosby's left wing .. where Dupuis just doesn't cut it .. and that Therrien is apparently not going to give Pesonen a chance to play there. Pesonen is simply better than Dupuis as a scoring winger .. yet Therrien will probably waste Pesonen on the 4th line where Pesonen could become frustrated (and I wouldn't blame him). I'm also worried about Yeo and Therrien forcing Malkin (and maybe even Crosby) to play the point(s) on the powerplay.

your mom.

[Scott]

Biggest concern.

Team chemistry and the tightness of that group (last year) in the locker room.

BGL, Ruutu, Malone, Conklin etc. etc.

These guys may very well have been replaced and may even be exceeded either with stats or the role they play on the ice...
But, and this is the BIG BUT....
Will the new guys blend into a closeness that last years team seemed to have? That doesn't mean a whole lot in October or even the regular season. It means the world come playoff time! (The don't let your buddy down attitude that you need in the playoffs)

To be determined

[Idoit40fans]

Chemistry is overrated here. They will develop chemistry in time, but players like Satan and Crosby will put up numbers even if they don't click immediately.

[Scott]

Chemistry is overrated here. They will develop chemistry in time, but players like Satan and Crosby will put up numbers even if they don't click immediately.

Chemistry is not automatic. Even after a full 82 games, they might not just be on the same page with each other. (Everyone with everyone..not just Crosby)

Sure they are going to score, but will they be a force in the Playoffs when everything tightens up?

[Idoit40fans]

They'll find something that works by then. They did just fine with line juggling till they found somethign that worked the last couple years.

Also, I just realized that my #1 concern is where I'm gonna park for games now that I don't live at Washington Plaza

[bhaw]

What would make you think they aren't all fine together in the locker room already.

Cooke has already been noted as teaching some of the guys some fighting tips. Satan wanted to play here, so I don't see him being a problem.

It actually takes a pretty special person to NOT fit in somewhere, especially on a young team. I have no worries about off-ice chemistry, given the team is largely full of guys from last year.

[Idoit40fans]

What would make you think they aren't all fine together in the locker room already.

Cooke has already been noted as teaching some of the guys some fighting tips. Satan wanted to play here, so I don't see him being a problem.

It actually takes a pretty special person to NOT fit in somewhere, especially on a young team. I have no worries about off-ice chemistry, especially since the team is largely full of guys from last year.

This. Very much this. Exactly this in fact.

[JoseCuervo]

Cooke has already been noted as teaching some of the guys some fighting tips.

Cooke can't fight.

[bhaw]

Cooke has already been noted as teaching some of the guys some fighting tips.

Cooke can't fight.

He could beat up your mom.

[JoseCuervo]

Cooke has already been noted as teaching some of the guys some fighting tips.

Cooke can't fight.

He could beat up your mom.

My mom is a professional boxer

[vital beach]

Chemistry is about the last thing I'm worried about. Everyone made a big stink about it when Colby was shipped out and it really didn't have any impact on the team's continuity. The team will gel in time.

Injuries are my biggest concern. You'd think the Pens built up some sort of injury karma after last year, but our D is already dropping like flies.

[WWGRD]

Beech was cut. I now have no concerns.

[JoseCuervo]

My biggest concern would be living up to this board's expectations.