Penguins must make up for losing key players

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is taking a look at where each team stands. Today, the Pittsburgh Penguins:
After winning the Stanley Cup in 2016, the Pittsburgh Penguins kept most of their roster intact for last season and overcame plenty of injuries to become the first repeat champions in the NHL since the Detroit Red Wings in 1998.

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Winning three seasons in a row will be an even more difficult challenge though after they lost several key players in the NHL Expansion Draft and free agency. Despite that, with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Matt Murray and Kris Letang (expected to be ready for the start of this season after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs following neck surgery) among those coming back, the Penguins should again be Stanley Cup contenders. But no team has won it in three consecutive seasons since the New York Islanders' run of four in a row from 1980-83.
Here is what the Penguins look like today:

Key arrivals

Antti Niemi, G: He signed a one-year, $700,000 contract July 1 to back up Murray. A Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, Niemi, who turns 34 on Aug. 29, went 12-12-4 with a 3.30 goals-against average and .892 save percentage in 37 games (30 starts) for the Dallas Stars last season. … Matt Hunwick, D: The Penguins signed Hunwick to a three-year, $6.75 million contract July 1. The 32-year-old had 19 points (one goal, 18 assists) in 72 games and averaged 17:58 of ice time per game for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. … Ryan Reaves, RW: Acquired in a trade from the St. Louis Blues on June 23, Reaves (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) is expected to provide a physical edge and protection for the Penguins' skilled forwards. Reaves, 30, had 13 points (seven goals, six assists) and 104 penalty minutes in 80 games last season.

Key departures

Marc-Andre Fleury, G: The 32-year-old was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with Pittsburgh, played a pivotal role in the Penguins' repeat run, taking over when Murray was injured in warmups before their playoff opener and going 9-6 with a 2.56 GAA, a .924 save percentage and two shutouts before Murray returned during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. … Chris Kunitz, LW: A four-time Stanley Cup winner (three with the Penguins, one with the Anaheim Ducks), Kunitz signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1. Kunitz, who turns 38 on Sept. 26, had 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 71 games last season. … Nick Bonino, C: The 29-year-old signed a four-year contract with the Nashville Predators on July 1. He had 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) in 80 games last season and seven points (four goals, three assists) in 21 playoff games. … Trevor Daley, D: A two-time Cup winner with the Penguins, Daley, who turns 34 on Oct. 9, signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1. He had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 56 games last season and five points (one goal, four assists) in 21 playoff games. … Ron Hainsey, D: The veteran signed a two-year contract with the Maple Leafs on July 1. After being traded from the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 23, the 36-year-old had three assists in 16 games and eight points (two goals, six assists) in 25 playoff games. … Matt Cullen, C: The 40-year-old has not decided whether he will retire. … Rick Tocchet, assistant coach: After winning the Cup the past two seasons in Pittsburgh, he was hired as coach of the Arizona Coyotes on July 11.

On the cusp

Daniel Sprong, RW:A second-round pick (No. 46) in the 2015 NHL Draft, Sprong played 18 games (two goals) for the Penguins in the first half of the 2015-16 season and might be ready for another look. The 20-year-old had 59 points (32 goals, 27 assists) in 31 games for Charlottetown of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. … Zachary Aston-Reese, C/RW:He signed with the Penguins as an undrafted free agent March 14 after leading the NCAA with 31 goals and tying for first with 63 points in 38 games for Northeastern. Aston-Reese, who turns 23 on Aug. 10, had three goals and five assists in 10 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

What they still need

Depth at center. No team has a better 1-2 punch at the position than the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin, but Bonino's departure and Cullen's uncertain future potentially leave a hole in the middle on their bottom two lines. Though Carter Rowney can shift from right wing to center, general manager Jim Rutherford has said he plans to trade for a third-line center at some point even if Cullen returns.

Pete Jensen's fantasy focus

The Penguins repeated despite being without Letang for half of the regular season and the entire postseason because of a neck injury that required surgery. Letang is a top-tier scoring defenseman when healthy; he had 34 points (five goals, 29 assists) in 41 games last season and with an average of 0.64 points per game in his NHL career is tied for third among active players at his position with P.K. Subban behind Erik Karlsson (0.82) and John Klingberg (0.67). Even if Letang were to miss the start of this season, he's worth targeting as a potential bargain in the 61-75 range. Letang's status will determine whether Justin Schultz can finish among the top 10 fantasy defensemen again.

Projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Conor Sheary
Patric Hornqvist -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel
Carl Hagelin -- Carter Rowney -- Bryan Rust
Scott Wilson -- Greg McKegg -- Ryan Reaves
Olli Maatta -- Kris Letang
Ian Cole -- Justin Schultz
Brian Dumoulin -- Matt Hunwick
Matt Murray
Antti Niemi