2005-06 Finish: 22-46-14, 15th East
General Manager: Ray Shero (1st Season)
Head Coach: Michel Therrien (2nd Season)
2005-06 Goals For: 244
2005-06 Goals Against: 316
2005-06 Power Play: 19.0% (6th)
2005-06 Penalty Killing: 78.8% (29th)
Points Leader: Sidney Crosby (102)
Goals Leader: Sidney Crosby (39)
Assists Leader: Sidney Crosby (63)
Offseason Moves: Signed defenceman Micki DuPont, who had been in Germany; signed defenceman Mark Eaton, who had been with the Nashville Predators, to a two-year contract; signed right wing Jarkko Ruutu, who had been with the Vancouver Canucks; acquired centre Dominic Moore and left wing Libor Pivko from the Nashville Predators for a 2007 third-round pick; acquired left wing Nils Ekman and goaltender Patrick Ehelechner from the San Jose Sharks for a 2007 second-round pick; signed defenceman Wade Skolney, who had been with the Philadelphia Flyers; signed defenceman Matt Carkner, who had been with the San Jose Sharks, to a one-year contract; signed right wing Ronald Petrovicky, who had been with the Atlanta Thrashers; signed right wing Mark Recchi, who had been with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Goaltending: The Penguins reportedly weren't keen on shelling out the cash for the last year of Marc-Andre Fleury's contract last season. The team tried to develop him for another season in the AHL while leaving the big-league duties to Jocelyn Thibault and Sebastien Caron. But the Penguins struggled out of the gate, and Thibault and Caron were eventually brushed aside to make room for Fleury. The 21-year old appeared in a career-high 50 games and amassed a 13-27-6 record with a 3.25 goals against average and one shutout. With a new two-year deal in hand, Fleury will finally start the season as the No. 1 netminder. The first overall draft pick in 2003 showed flashes of brilliance down the stretch, and should only get better this season.
Defence: As expected, All-Star defenceman Sergei Gonchar was the top blueliner last season with 12 goals and 58 points to finish second in team scoring. Gonchar will likely put up the same kind of numbers this season, and will also be the veteran leader of a defensive work in progress. That includes young blueliners Ryan Whitney (38 points in 68 games), heavy hitter Brooks Orpik (124 PIM last season), and big blueliner Noah Welch (6-4, 212 pounder who scored four points in five games). Mark Eaton (acquired from Nashville) plays a very good positional game in his own zone, while Eric Cairns is always willing drop the gloves if any opponent gets out of line.
Forwards: There was a lot of pressure on rookie Sidney Crosby to produce last season, and when all was said and done, the Kid delivered. With 102 points in 81 games, he became the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. Needless to say, he's going to get better and make his teammates that much better as well. Colby Armstrong will be back on Crosby's line after scoring 40 points in 47 games last season, while Ryan Malone has all the makings of a blossoming power forward. Other up-and-coming forwards include Ryan Stone, Eric Christensen and Michel Ouellet. Anyone who wants to take liberties with the Penguins (namely Crosby, who was often agitated by opposing checkers) will have to deal with Andre Roy and Jarkko Ruutu, who play an intimidating, in-your-face style of hockey.
Welcome to the NHL: The 2006-07 season will finally mark the debut of heralded centre Evgeni Malkin. Scouts say the second overall selection at the 2004 draft is the real deal and a few have even said he's just as good as No. 1 pick Alexander Ovechkin. Penguins fans will have plenty to be excited about, envisioning Crosby and Malkin as an effective 1-2 punch at centre reminiscent of Yzerman and Fedorov in Detroit or Sakic and Forsberg in Denver.
General Manager: Ray Shero (1st Season)
Head Coach: Michel Therrien (2nd Season)
2005-06 Goals For: 244
2005-06 Goals Against: 316
2005-06 Power Play: 19.0% (6th)
2005-06 Penalty Killing: 78.8% (29th)
Points Leader: Sidney Crosby (102)
Goals Leader: Sidney Crosby (39)
Assists Leader: Sidney Crosby (63)
Offseason Moves: Signed defenceman Micki DuPont, who had been in Germany; signed defenceman Mark Eaton, who had been with the Nashville Predators, to a two-year contract; signed right wing Jarkko Ruutu, who had been with the Vancouver Canucks; acquired centre Dominic Moore and left wing Libor Pivko from the Nashville Predators for a 2007 third-round pick; acquired left wing Nils Ekman and goaltender Patrick Ehelechner from the San Jose Sharks for a 2007 second-round pick; signed defenceman Wade Skolney, who had been with the Philadelphia Flyers; signed defenceman Matt Carkner, who had been with the San Jose Sharks, to a one-year contract; signed right wing Ronald Petrovicky, who had been with the Atlanta Thrashers; signed right wing Mark Recchi, who had been with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Goaltending: The Penguins reportedly weren't keen on shelling out the cash for the last year of Marc-Andre Fleury's contract last season. The team tried to develop him for another season in the AHL while leaving the big-league duties to Jocelyn Thibault and Sebastien Caron. But the Penguins struggled out of the gate, and Thibault and Caron were eventually brushed aside to make room for Fleury. The 21-year old appeared in a career-high 50 games and amassed a 13-27-6 record with a 3.25 goals against average and one shutout. With a new two-year deal in hand, Fleury will finally start the season as the No. 1 netminder. The first overall draft pick in 2003 showed flashes of brilliance down the stretch, and should only get better this season.
Defence: As expected, All-Star defenceman Sergei Gonchar was the top blueliner last season with 12 goals and 58 points to finish second in team scoring. Gonchar will likely put up the same kind of numbers this season, and will also be the veteran leader of a defensive work in progress. That includes young blueliners Ryan Whitney (38 points in 68 games), heavy hitter Brooks Orpik (124 PIM last season), and big blueliner Noah Welch (6-4, 212 pounder who scored four points in five games). Mark Eaton (acquired from Nashville) plays a very good positional game in his own zone, while Eric Cairns is always willing drop the gloves if any opponent gets out of line.
Forwards: There was a lot of pressure on rookie Sidney Crosby to produce last season, and when all was said and done, the Kid delivered. With 102 points in 81 games, he became the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. Needless to say, he's going to get better and make his teammates that much better as well. Colby Armstrong will be back on Crosby's line after scoring 40 points in 47 games last season, while Ryan Malone has all the makings of a blossoming power forward. Other up-and-coming forwards include Ryan Stone, Eric Christensen and Michel Ouellet. Anyone who wants to take liberties with the Penguins (namely Crosby, who was often agitated by opposing checkers) will have to deal with Andre Roy and Jarkko Ruutu, who play an intimidating, in-your-face style of hockey.
Welcome to the NHL: The 2006-07 season will finally mark the debut of heralded centre Evgeni Malkin. Scouts say the second overall selection at the 2004 draft is the real deal and a few have even said he's just as good as No. 1 pick Alexander Ovechkin. Penguins fans will have plenty to be excited about, envisioning Crosby and Malkin as an effective 1-2 punch at centre reminiscent of Yzerman and Fedorov in Detroit or Sakic and Forsberg in Denver.