NHL Hockey Betting - Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL Betting 2007 – Pittsburgh Penguins
Manager: Michel Therrien
Arena: Mellon Arena
Last Season: 47-24-11 (2nd Atlantic, 5th Eastern Conference
2008 Prediction: 4th Eastern Conference

Preseason Odds to win Stanley Cup: +1200

Last year they made the jump. This year they have to live up expectations.

Reigning Hart Trophy winner, Sidney Crosby, returns with Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal to seek revenge for the spanking they received in the first round of the 2007 Playoffs. This third ranked offense from last season returns intact, and the young guns of the NHL are coming out with guns blazing.

The Penguins are a team you simply do not want to make mistakes against. Their fifth ranked power play will be just as good, if not better, as Ryan Whitney returns to manage the point. Simply put, the Penguins are a young, dynamic offensive team that can fly around the puck and kill any team on the scoreboard.

Marc-Andre Fleury has been somewhat of a letdown for Penguins fans, but it’s hard for any goalie to fail with an offense lighting the lamp as much as this team does. Fleury will have to steadily improve as the season goes on to give the Pens a reasonable shot at the President’s Trophy. With Sergei Gonchar, Whitney and Darryl Sydor guarding the crease, it makes Fleury’s job a lot easier.

As with last year, the problem with this team is going to be about toughness. The Penguins learned the hard way that the playoffs are about physicality, passion and grit. While they have the latter two, the former is something the Penguins lack. They are a finesse team, and need to bring in some hard nosed bangers to protect Sidney Crosby. Re-signing Gary Roberts was an excellent start.

The Penguins will be forces of nature in the regular season, and will have to prove that the chemistry and youthful energy they used to tear up the NHL last year was not a flash in the pan. Sidney Crosby’s legend grows, and the Penguins chances of hoisting Lord Stanley grow with it – not to mention the chances of NHL betting.

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Official Website: www.pittsburghpenguins.com