2. Young forwards developing further
Forwards Jake Guentzel, 22, Conor Sheary, 25, and Bryan Rust, 25, have undeniably impressed early in their NHL career. Sheary and Rust have won the Stanley Cup twice, and Guentzel won it as a rookie last season.
Guentzel led the NHL with 13 playoff goals joining Sheary on a line centered by Crosby. Rust has become known for scoring high-pressure goals, most notably his two goals in a 2-1, Game 7 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2016 Eastern Conference Final.
They'll have to continue that trend when they transition from young role players into dependable veterans. Sheary was the first to experience some turbulence; he scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in 22 playoff games and was temporarily removed from Crosby's line.
If the Penguins hope to compete for a third straight championship, they'll likely need Sheary to rebound while Guentzel and Rust avoid similar slumps.
3. Murray remaining consistent
Goalie Matt Murray's poise was heralded throughout his first two seasons and likely will be again. The 23-year-old, who rarely has two straight poor games, is 41-12-5 in the regular season and 22-9 in the playoffs since making his NHL debut on Dec. 19, 2015.
When he did struggle, Murray could always lean on Fleury, who he referred to as a mentor. That won't be the case this season with Murray the definitive starting goalie and Antti Niemi backing him up.
Murray said he thinks he'll hold up fine while starting more games.
"It's just about trying to be prepared for anything that comes my way," Murray said. "I think that will give me that confidence that when you're out there, you can play without worrying about it and just kind of know your body is strong enough and flexible enough to handle anything that comes your way."
