2017-18 record: 47-29-6 (100 points)
Lost to Washington in Conference semifinals
Captain: Sidney Crosby
The Pittsburgh Penguins' quest for three in a row came to an abrupt halt in the second round to a team that they had previously lorded over in the Washington Capitals. Worse for them, they saw the same Capitals shed their legacy of failure and win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The goal remains the same for the Penguins, but the motivation has now changed. To get there, they hope changes on defense will work this time around.
Offense was once again not a problem, as the Penguins were fourth in scoring, led by Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. No real changes were made here, and barring injury, the Penguins should be fine here. Defensively, this is where things went off the rails, as the team finished 20th. Kris Letang was especially guilty of defensive gaffes during the Washington series, and the team had consistency issues even in the series win against Philadelphia. Their big addition was Jack Johnson, who was last seen as a healthy scratch in Columbus' short-lived playoff run against Washington. In goal, this is the biggest variable, as Matt Murray was never the player the Penguins hoped for as he was dealing with personal issues. Those issues are cleared, and now they hope his play will also improve. If there's anything good about falling short, the Penguins should be well-rested and ready to go again.
Prediction: 1st in the Metropolitan Division
Losing out on a chance for a three-peat stings for the Penguins. Doing so to their biggest division rival was salt in the wound. If nothing else, the Penguins should have little trouble finding reasons to succeed, particularly with both Crosby and Malkin just now exiting their primes.
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