The Pittsburgh Penguins enter the 2016-17 season with high expectations after a galvanizing run to the Stanley Cup less than four months ago.
The Penguins' season caught fire when coach Mike Sullivan took over from Mike Johnston in mid-December. He instituted an aggressive, high-tempo style that caught opponents by surprise and brought out the best in stars like Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang as well as role-players like Conor Sheary, Matt Cullen and Trevor Daley.
Now, the trick is to see whether the Penguins can pick up where they left off. Captain Crosby seems to be at the peak of his game and is ably supported by Evgeni Malkin down the middle.