Heading into last season, Vegas oddsmakers gave Pittsburgh a 91% chance of missing the playoffs for the fourth year in a row before the Penguins went on to flip the script.
After Pittsburgh advanced to the postseason, they got eliminated by Philadelphia in six games. While it was a gut-wrenching finish, overall, there was so much to like – and one Bryan Rust called “one of my most fun years.” Going into this season, the Penguins want to build on the strides that they made.
“The expectations probably weren't as high going into last year, and with getting to the playoffs and taking a step there, they're probably a little bit higher having gone through that,” Sidney Crosby said. “So, I think for the guys that are back, it's good for us to hopefully build on what we did last year and be better. It’s a good challenge for us coming into this season.”
With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement taking effect, there is another challenge of sorts with the condensed training camp, which has gone from 20 to 14 days. The preseason has been shortened to four games, and the regular season has been extended to 84 games. Pittsburgh’s opener is September 29 to accommodate that.
“With the new setup with camp, I think it'll be intense,” Crosby said. “Guys are going to be battling out there for spots, and I think that's something that should help everybody, regardless of your position or kind of where you're at. That should make us better.”
The Penguins invited 69 players to training camp (the roster and complete schedule is here). Here are the groups:
