There are a lot of reasons for optimism with the Pittsburgh Penguins right now. They are in a good position in the standings, they are playing well for the most, they have some surprising forward depth, and Jeff Carter has made a strong first impression in his first three games with the team. Not only that, they still have returns for Evgeni Malkin, Brandon Tanev, and Kasperi Kapanen on the horizon for the start of the playoffs.
Are they a legitimate contender? They might be. If not, they are right on the line and ridiculously close to being a legitimate contender.