These games include either the next game or all remaining games. Does the team want to call up the slim group who have NHL experience? Pittsburgh Penguins: Breaking Down First-Round Playoff Scenarios 0 of 3 The Pittsburgh Penguins are sitting pretty at the top of the Eastern Conference, … He may have only played eight games with the team but he might have the most drive out of anyone in the locker room. Just like the Rangers, the Senators can be nigh-impossible to score upon when they are clicking. Reducing his role is good for Johnson, he isn’t an offensive threat but did lead the team in blocks.As we inch closer to a season restart, the question of who will be the Penguins netminder is becoming more and more clear. Youngsters like Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare had standout preseason NHL games and even better seasons in the QMJHL.Pierre-Olivier Joseph has received praise throughout the organization since coming over in the Phil Kessel trade. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. How a quality control coach has taken up a full-on QBs coach role behind the … Letang is able to use his offensive touch while Dumoulin can be the stay-at-home defenseman to shutdown opposing breakouts.This second pairing is one of the youngest you’ll find in the NHL. Johnson, however, played a lot of the season filling in for Dumoulin on the first pairing and came out with some inflated minutes. Especially if the Penguins don’t get healthy in time for the first round, this series could be much tighter than Pittsburgh fans might think. The The Penguins have handled the Islanders so far this season, but the playoffs are a different animal. Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin feed off of each other’s play so well, they are one of the more perfect defensive duos in hockey. The Penguins used the break to get healthy, so most people thought they would cruise through this series. That cuts down the pool of possible playoff opponents considerably. In the 22 games Guentzel played without Crosby, he scored 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points.The season Rust and Malkin put together, with or without a consistent third skater, was magical. Granted it is a long shot these players see any real playing time, but given the way injuries have gone for the Penguins this year, you shouldn’t completely rule them out.Having young prospects along with a healthy mix of call ups that have previously seen NHL time should be a recipe for success, even if it would take great failure to have them reach the ice. It's a surprise to see the Islanders here after they missed the playoffs the previous two years, but now they prepare for the Penguins. Every hockey fan has heard it countless times, but a hot goalie equalizes every playing field. Now, with the stacking of the lines, he falls to the third line, which is a perfect spot for his style of play. John Marino and Marcus Pettersson, both with May birthdays, only recently became 23 and 24, respectively. He was part of the first group of Penguins to retake the ice at the beginning of Phase 1, and is hungry to gain an NHL spot again.The guys that have seen a fair share of ice time this season with the long list of injuries, with an exception for DeSmith. Pittsburgh Penguins (100 points, 42 ROW) I’m not sure that their game plan will be to get into a shooting match with the Penguins, but if the Rangers can slow down Pittsburgh’s attack, they have the horses to sneak a decisive goal home.The other half of the New York contingent poses a different challenge for Pittsburgh. And his spectacular season wasn’t based on numbers rather than his hand on the shutdown line.This is how the defensive lineup read when the season was shut down and there is no need to change it. The Montreal Canadiens finished the shortened regular season with a record of 31-31-9. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix. Aston-Reese may not be superstar across the league, but his role on the Penguins is vital. There is value to be had at every position and a wealth of depth to back it all up.Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. PITTSBURGH — For the Penguins, the simplest way to get into the playoffs is to win. Win, and they’re in. From starting lineups to a chunk of the black aces, this combination should give the black and gold the best chance to win their sixth Stanley Cup.Before the season came to a halt, Sidney Crosby and Jason Zucker A majority of Guentzel’s season was spent with Malkin and Bryan Rust on the top forward unit. 3. Everyone is well aware of the ability Jarry possesses and how he is able to win games, but for the time being, sticking with the old guard is the better option.Even past Jarry, in the worst-case scenario, there’s Casey DeSmith as a third-string goalie who’s ready to redeem himself in an NHL role. He’s nearing the end of his career and this could be his last chance to win the Stanley Cup.As Hornqvist’s tenure with the Penguins continues, we continue to see him be tossed all over the lineup. Marino was one of the biggest surprises for the Penguins this season. The same is true for tracking the Steelers playoff scenarios beyond Week 16. Or do they dig into the well and bring in youngsters who are in the midst of development? With multiple key pieces expected to return to the Penguins lineup, many questions are beginning to arise about where exactly they will be playing.The following will be a prediction of what the Penguins’ roster will look like come game time. friday’s nhl playoff scenarios Flyers 3, Canadiens 2 (Flyers win series 4-2): Philadelphia will play the Islanders in the Second Round. Malkin wanted to prove he could still be one of the best players in the league, and Rust had his coming-out party, putting up career-high numbers.Has anyone else forgotten that Patrick Marleau is a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins? The Penguins are going into the 24-team playoff format with one of the deepest selections of players in the league.