Hello, all. Yes, I am aware that the NHL season has already started. But I don't care. Here are 7 predictions for the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins hockey season, from the mind of Joseph Arthur Smeltzer
#1. Fans will start to complain about Mike Sullivan
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| Photo Creds to HNGN.com |
Pittsburgh sports fans have a short memory. They like to complain, and as far as the head coach goes, it seems to be the worst in hockey, as there are plenty of games and, as a result, plenty of bumps in the road. Should the Penguins stumble at any point, the currently respected head coach Mike Sullivan will be the target of abuse from yinzers. I don't want to see it, but it is inevitable.
#2. Conor Sheary develops into a star
If you watched the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, you saw the potential that Conor Sheary has. He is smart, he is quick, and he is capable. I think Sheary's first full season will be one with a lot of excitement and encouragement as far as the future of the Penguins goes. Sheary has the combination of talent and hard work that should lead to him being a solid player in this league.
#3 Phill Kessel wins the Rocket Richard Trophy
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| Photo creds to HFBoards |
Phill Kessel is a sniper. This is a bold prediction, with guys like Alexander Ovechkin routinely scoring 40+ goals, but I have a gut feeling that Phill Kessel will have the best year of his career, banging home 41 goals to lead NHL. Kessel is a great player, and I feel that he is due to win some major individual hardware.
#4 Both goalies split playing time
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| Photo creds to CBC |
Once Marc-Andre Flury is in net, it's hard to get him out. Once Matt Murray is in net, it's hard to get him out. So, in my opinion, once Murray gets back from injury, he and flower will split playing time, with Fleury getting more starts. It won't be, say, alternating between games, but a 3-for-1 type of deal, with Fleury starting three games to Murry's 1, is not out of the question. By doing this, Mike Sullivan will keep both goaltenders fresh for when the games start to count in the postseason.
#5 Geno's temper holds him back
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| Photo creds to Boston.com |
Evgeni Malkin has always had the potential to be a top 5 player in the world. The two main factors that have kept this from happening are;
1. Injuries
2. His temper
How many times have we seen Geno take a dumb penalty? What separates him from his teammate, Sidney Crosby, is that Sid can turn the other cheek and just play the game. Malkin is not able to do that for whatever reason. Until Malkin learns just to play the game, he will never reach his full potential on the ice.
#6 Sidney Crosby will win the Art Ross and Heart
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| Photo creds to Si.com |
Yes, the concussion issues are always a concern. But Sidney Crosby has already cemented his legacy as an all-time great, putting all doubt to rest with his playoff performance this spring. I feel that, if not for a slow start, Crosby could have taken home some of the NHL's most prestigious individual hardware last season. This season, Sid will not start slow. Once he is cleared, he will pick up right where he left off, and leave no doubt as to who the best player in the world is.
#7 The Penguins season will end with a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals
The Penguins have Stanley Cup talent. So much so that I think they are the best team in the NHL. However, one cannot understate how difficult it is to repeat in the National Hockey League. No team has been able to go back-to-back since the 1998 Detroit Redwings. Over the past decade, the Penguins have shown themselves to be better off when they fly under the radar. This season, they are not under the radar. Instead, we expect a lot from them, and they have the target on their back. I hope I am wrong, but the strain of being repeat champs, in my opinion, would be too much for the Pittsburgh Penguins to overcome.
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