The defending Stanley Cup champions have made it back to the final, despite injuries to key players and numerous setbacks throughout the playoffs. Here's a look at how they made their way back to the final and what they'll need to do to win.
The Penguins ended last season on the highest possible note: beating the San Jose Sharks in six games to capture their fourth Stanley Cup. Although they had come out of the gate sputtering, a December coaching change and the emergence of a rookie goaltender proved to be just what they needed. Matt Murray backstopped the team's dominant performances against the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and finally the Sharks.
In June, the Penguins announced that they would permanently be switching to black and "Pittsburgh Gold" uniforms from their previous black and "Vegas Gold" uniforms (modeled here by a smiling Phil Kessel). No, really, that was the off-season move that made the biggest splash - making their alternate jersey colors their permanent jersey colors. The move has been well-received by fashion-conscious hockey fans everywhere.
The Penguins signed defenseman Justin Schultz, a player they had acquired via trade from the Edmonton Oilers but who had decided to test free agency, to a one-year contract. This move would later prove to be extremely prescient.
Their other big move was really a non-move but proved to be just as prescient. The Penguins did not trade goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury amid conditions that made for constant speculation about a trade. At the time, rookie goalie Matt Murray had taken over his starting spot and Fleury still had three years left on his contract at $5.75-million. There was (and still is) the looming possibility that the team would lose him for nothing in the upcoming Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft. Fleury stayed put, however.
The Penguins cruised to second place in the Metropolitan Division as well as the overall league standings with 111 points. They had no regulation losses at home in either October or December, and posted a whopping 12-1-2 record in December. The team struggled a little bit in March and April, thanks to injuries to key players, but ultimately landed a comfortable spot in the standings. Sidney Crosby led the league in goals.
Days before the NHL trade deadline, depth defenseman Ron Hainsey was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for a second round draft pick and AHL forward Danny Kristo. The Penguins blueline has had an injury-prone year, so adding depth defensemen as rentals made sense. Hainsey had played 907 regular season NHL games without ever playing a playoff game before April of this year.
On trade deadline day, the Penguins added another depth defenseman. Mark Streit made his way to Pittsburgh via two different trades, first going from Philadelphia to Tampa for Valtteri Filppula and two draft picks, and then being flipped to the Penguins for a fourth-round draft pick, all within the span of a couple of hours.
In early April, the Penguins announced that their top defenseman, Kris Letang, would be undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in his neck and would be out until next season. This was universally seen as a devastating blow to the Penguins' Stanley Cup chances, given that Kris Letang is the anchor of the team's defensive and transition game.
Before their very first game of the playoffs, Penguins starting goaltender Matt Murray left the ice during warm-ups, seemingly having tweaked his groin. Murray would not return until the third round. The odds kept getting stacked against the Penguins, but they did have the advantage of starting the playoffs against somewhat of a paper tiger team in the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Marc-Andre Fleury has faced much criticism throughout his career due to his inconsistent play, despite being a generally above-average goaltender. Part of the reason is due to his draft position - he was picked first overall in 2003, in Nashville. After being the backup for most of the season, Fleury was thrust back into the starting spot when Matt Murray was injured, and he proceeded to play the hero for almost three playoff series. For much of the second round, he was the biggest reason the Penguins stayed playoff contention.
The Columbus Blue Jackets had an exceptional regular season, going on a 16-game win streak and finishing with 108 points. The emergence and dominant play of rookie defenseman Zach Werenski was a major driver of their season. However, the Penguins were able to send them packing in five games after leaping to a 3-0 series start. Werenski is seen here with a facial frature he suffered during that series.
The Washington Capitals ended the regular season winning yet another President's Trophy, awarded to the team with the most points in the standings. This edition of the team was the deepest they had ever been at every position, and they were poised for a long playoff run. The Penguins, ever their greatest nemesis, managed to send them packing after seven games, mostly due to a mediocre performance by Washington goaltender Braden Holtby and a phenomenal performance by Marc-Andre Fleury.
No hockey team goes through a playoff run of any length without getting at least a little banged up. However, the Penguins have been particularly unlucky on that front, as if losing their starting goaltender and best defenseman wasn't enough misfortune. Key injuries have at various points in the postseason included forward Patric Hornqvist (seen here performing his signature move of parking himself in the opposing goalie's face), defenseman Justin Schultz, forwards Bryan Rust and Conor Sheary, and defenseman Trevor Daley.
The Penguins even had to go without their captain and best player in the world, Sidney Crosby, for a brief spell. After getting hit in the head by an Alex Ovechkin stick chop and then receiving a cross-check to the head from Matt Niskanen as he fell, Crosby left Game 2 of the Washington Capitals series with a concussion. He sat out Game 3 but returned from Game 4, prompting much discussion about the long-term effects of his concussion issues.
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has been faced with a number of difficult lineup decisions due to the injuries the team has incurred. However, he has had no shortage of players that have adapted to new or increased roles. During the Eastern Conference Final, he told reporters that he loves that none of his players are looking for excuses, but all are rather opportunities to step up and get back into the lineup.
The Ottawa Senators have arguably been the biggest surprise of the postseason. At times during the regular season they were not even expected to make the playoffs at all. However, once they did, fans and experts alike kept predicting they would be eliminated each round. They managed to take the Penguins to two overtimes in Game 7, before a heartbreaking goal by Chris Kunitz eliminated them in double overtime.
In Game 3 against the Ottawa Senators, the Penguins turned out a miserable performance and lost 5-1. Fleury's hot streak appeared to have definitively come to an end. Coach Mike Sullivan made the difficult decision to start Matt Murray in Game 4. From a hockey standpoint, the decision made sense, as Murray was the starting goaltender all along. However, from a sentimental and emotional standpoint, the move was a gutsy one, as Fleury has long been a fan favourite in Pittsburgh. The gamble worked, and the Penguins might not ever look back.
The Nashville Predators have made it to the Stanley Cup Final (and past the second round at all) for the first time in franchise history, doing it in style. Nashville might prove to be Pittsburgh's biggest test yet, as they have seen contributions from every position in their lineup and their goaltender is playing the best he has in years. The only thing we can expect for sure in the final is there will be an inordinate amount of yellow.
The Predators under-performed during the regular season, which led many to doubt that they would go far in the playoffs. Their regular season record is deceptive, however, and to beat them, the Penguins will have to contain both Nashville's forward lines and their defensive corps, and then solve their hot goaltender. It's a tall order, but Mike Sullivan's team has proven time and again that they cannot be counted out, especially with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup.
Both teams in the Stanley Cup Final boast some of the most exciting players in the league, even with players like Ryan Johansen and Kris Letang out of the final. Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, and P.K. Subban are just a few Predators to look out for. If you like bruising hits, pretty goals, and heart-stopping saves, this final is shaping up to be the most exciting one in a long time.
Jason Clinkscales is a media industry analyst and freelance writer based in his native New York City. He waits with bated breath for a Knicks championship parade at @asportsscribe on Twitter and Instagram.
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