Puck drop is tonight, and it comes with a storyline built in. The Penguins open the regular season in Philadelphia — the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last spring in six games, after Pittsburgh clawed back from down 3-0 in the series.
Nobody saw last season coming. Pittsburgh was projected as a lottery team and instead finished 41-25-16, second in the Metropolitan Division, even without Crosby and Malkin for stretches in March. Crosby led the way with 74 points in 68 games, extending his own NHL record to 21 straight seasons averaging a point per game — at age 39. The core is back, but aging: Crosby, Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang are all playing on expiring deals, with the front office trying to balance one more playoff push against developing young pieces like Rutger McGroarty.
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