PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan)- With a shutout of Buffalo on Saturday, the Penguins won the East Division and will await the 4-seed, whoever that may be, in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, whenever they may start.
It looks like the Penguins have a lot of good things going for them, winning games and getting healthier at the same time.
So, The Fan Morning Show asked Monday morning…what stops them from winning the Stanley Cup?
"Injuries," said Jim Colony simply.
Colin Dunlap went through the list of other potential questions.
"Here's the list that people bring up…goaltending. We think that's solidified, that was a big question mark heading into the year and as long as they stay healthy it doesn't feel like one. Depth scoring…man, has that been answered in a big way. A lot of got answered with the addition of Jeff Carter.
What about buy-in? What about playing within their structure? Now people will say, 'Well have you watched Letang this year? When Malkin's been healthy, have you watched him?' I have. I've also watched times where they haven't done it and they have to buck a bad trend."
Chris Mack went a similar route, but calling "buy-in" by a different name.
"Philosophy. I think they can, for example, survive a round of the playoffs even without one of the big three. Even without Crosby, Malkin or Letang they can survive a round of the playoffs if they play the right way, if they play in Sully's structured approach.
If they do that, they can win games 2-1 and 3-1, and that's the way they are going to progress in the playoffs is to win games that way and understand that's the way to do it as opposed to trying to win games 5-4 or 6-4."
Jim agreed and wants to see that kind of thing play out without having to be in dire circumstances.
"That's why it's puzzling. If they tighten up their game when they're missing a star player or two or three, then imagine how successful they'd be if they did that with everybody, with everybody in the lineup. They could actually survive without Sid or Geno for a series if they had to."
Colin circled around to making this claim about this year's squad…
"They'll go 6 with the Islanders I think if they play them, I don't think if you chart it all out and draw it all up, there's a team that's better than them or potentially better than them unless they make mistakes to hurt their own cause."
Chris set what his standards are for this year's playoff run.
"I think they're a final four team. I said it a couple weeks ago, if they lose in 7 to Boston, I'm not necessarily going to look at it as a crushing disappointment. I would understand, I wouldn't be happy, but I would understand. But the closer and closer we get to the playoffs…they're a final four team and they ought to get out of their division."
