Since we have more than a few days until the Penguins open the post-season, there is some time to reflect on what was a most enjoyable regular season, one full of some notable performances and several pleasant surprises – which isn't surprising seeing as the often injury-ravaged Pens finished first in the NHL's strongest division.
It's customary to give out end of the season report cards but I figure that would be pretty redundant since so many players merit an A.
If I were to grade on some sort of a curve that would be unfair to, say, John Marino since so many players excelled I'd have to give him a D and Marino did not have a poor season.
Instead, I will hand out some Penguins Superlatives, like the Senior Superlatives I'm sure all of you enjoyed as much as I did when we were graduating high school!
Most Valuable Penguin – Sidney Crosby Of course we all know Sid was the best and most valuable Penguin. He scored 24 goals and assisted on 38 others – 62 points in 55 games. Despite a slight regression in a few of the final games, he was steady if not spectacular throughout season with the team missing many key contributors. If not for Connor McDavid averaging 2 points per game, Crosby would be in the thick of the Hart Trophy conversation. As such, I am making up a category.
Most Valuable Penguin Not Named Sidney Crosby – Kris Letang Okay, this is more like it since it is a tight race among 4 others behind the captain. Brian Dumoulin gets consideration since the Pens were only a .500 team when he didn't play. Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust played in every game despite, especially in Guentzel's case, taking quite a bit of punishment for players who aren't the biggest and also scoring over 20 goals. But the nod goes to Letang who only missed one game and compiled 45 points, tied for third among NHL defensemen, with a plus-19 rating which helps demonstrate that he is playing a more disciplined game.
Best Coaching Job – Todd Rierden Mike Sullivan is a strong candidate for NHL Coach of the Year and should get more consideration than he probably will. So this is not to downplay the job that Sullivan did but I am going to throw a little love Reirden's way. He kept afloat a defensive corps that went through 12 players because of early-season injuries. He molded Mike Matheson and Cody Ceci into one of the NHL's top second pairs. He oversaw a power play that finally developed some consistency, even after Evgeni Malkin was injured. Reirden has really made a difference.
Most Improved Player – Jared McCann McCann lugged a 25-game goal-scoring drought into the season (plus, he was a healthy scratch in one of the play-in games) and when he finally scored this season it was actually knocked in by an opposing player. He then had overcome a pair of injuries and by the time he returned, Evgeni Malkin was out of the line-up.
McCann score 9 goals over the final 23 games, 6 of those after taking Geno's spot on the power play. In a short time has also developed a nice rapport with Jeff Carter which should give the Penguins unmatched scoring depth in the post-season.
Most Pleasant Surprise – Cody Ceci Three other players I considered were Kasperi Kapanen and Jeff Carter but they're supposed to be good – they're former first round picks and Carter is a future Hall of Famer. Still, Kapanen's hands and Carter's speed at age 36 impressed me.
Freddie Gaudreau has also been a pleasant surprise; he pretty much came out of nowhere and figured to open the playoffs with a regular spot at right wing.
Ceci, however, was revelation. He was also drafted in the first round but was merely decent in Ottawa and didn't do much last season in Toronto. Plus, he was benched after just one game this season. But, after sitting out 3 more games, Ceci was forced back into the line-up due to injuries and – as mentioned previously – ended up being a more-then-reliable defensive pair with Mike Matheson. Ceci finished with a plus-18, tied with Dumoulin just behind Letang.
Among the best $1.25 million that Jim Rutherford ever spent.
Biggest Disappointment – Branden Tanev's injuries Tanev is such a joy to watch - non-stop all the time – that as entertaining as the Penguins can be its never as much fun without him in the line-up. He was at his role-playing best (7 goals, 15 points and 133 hits over the first 30 games) when he suffered an upper-body and missed 6 games. Then, he aggravated the injury his second game back and had to sit out the final 18. The encouraging news is that Tanev is expected to be ready once the playoffs begin.
In all, there is plenty to feel good about as the Penguins prepare for the post-season. Now the trick is to not let it all disappear in the first round as it did the last 2 years.
