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Can Penguins repeat? ... and 9 other NHL playoff storylines

With the NHL playoffs upon us, here are 10 storylines to keep your eyes on.

1. THE HEAT TO REPEAT

In a season saturated with aches and pains, the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins could not have received much worse news entering the playoffs. As much as losing heart-and-soul superstar captain Sidney Crosby or boy wonder puckstopper Matt Murray would be a staggering blow, the revelation that workhorse blue-liner Kris Letang will miss the entire post-season in order to undergo surgery for a herniated disc in his neck might be a roadblock that simply is too much to overcome.