2014-2015 Penguins Preview: Addition by Subtraction

What do you get when you subtract the 2013 NHL General Manager of the Year winner (Ray Shero), the 2011 Jack Adams Award-winning coach (Dan Bylsma), a former 40-goal scorer (James Neal), a 46-point defenseman (Matt Niskanen) and one of your top grinders on defense (Brooks Orpik)?

The 2014-15 Pittsburgh Penguins are about to find out, and they're hoping it's a case of addition by subtraction.

With two of the NHL's elite talents -- Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin -- still on board in Pittsburgh, the standards are rightfully high for an organization which hasn't hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup since winning the championship in 2008-09.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that owner Mario Lemieux and company gave the former management duo of Shero and Bylsma an extra get-out-of-jail-free card after the team stumbled in the 2012-13 Eastern Conference Finals, scoring a total of two goals in four straight losses to the Boston Bruins.

Last season, a second-round loss to the Rangers and a fifth straight unfulfilling postseason finally led to change, starting with a new GM (Jim Rutherford), new coach (Mike Johnston) and a host of new skaters, including Patric Hornqvist, Christian Ehrhoff and Steve Downie.

Johnston, a 57-year-old with no prior head coaching experience in the NHL, is thought to favor an offensive, up-tempo style of play with an emphasis on puck possession. Whereas Bylsma liked to dump the puck, Johnston is looking for his players to carry the puck. Defenseman Kris Letang, who recovered from a stroke during the 2013-14 campaign, could prove to be a prime benefactor from the coaching change.

Meanwhile, Crosby, the team's unquestioned superstar, won his second Art Ross Trophy with 104 points (36 goals, 68 assists) but scored just one goal in 13 playoff games. A wrist injury -- which was bad enough for Crosby to consider summer surgery -- appears to the culprit for his drop in production, but there has also been talk that a shoulder injury limited his numbers. Because of these injuries, training camp has actually held a certain amount of relevance and importance for the 10th-year vet.

Malkin will be playing with a new set of linemates after Pittsburgh traded Neal to Nashville and let free agent Jussi Jokinen walk. Hornqvist is pretty much guaranteed of a plush spot next to Malkin, and should bring 30-goal potential as a result. Beau Bennett, provided he can finally stay healthy, could also break out playing alongside Malkin.

Ehrhoff is another newcomer set to improve upon some of his counting statistics after leaving Buffalo. His minus-27 rating figures to return to positive numbers, and it's possible he doubles his power-play point total from 12 to 24.

Finally, the much-anticipated prospects Pittsburgh has cultivated on the blue line might be ready to help fantasy owners. Derrick Pouliot, who played under Johnston for WHL Portland, could crack the lineup once he returns from a shoulder injury. He needs refinement defensively, but his offensive potential is huge. Other young defensemen, such as Brian Dumoulin and Scott Harrington, project as two-way players. Simon Despres also might get an honest-to-goodness chance with Bylsma out and Johnston in. And finally, winger Kasperi Kapanen, reputed as the best European player taken in the 2014 draft, has an outside shot of cracking the Opening Night lineup. A summer finger injury might make the decision to give him time in the AHL an easy one, however.

The Penguins could see in-season change if Rutherford decides goalie Marc-Andre Fleury or defenseman Paul Martin better serve team needs as trading chips. Both players are in their final seasons of five-year, $25 million deals and Pittsburgh is up against the salary cap.

The Big Guns

Sidney Crosby, C (RotoWire Position Rank*: #1): After winning his second Art Ross Trophy with 104 points in 2013-14, Crosby scored just one postseason goal in 13 games. The team revealed he played with a wrist injury late in the season, and there have been rumors he's also dealing with a shoulder injury. The star center said he'll play through the wrist pain, but there's still a chance he could undergo surgery at some point. Pittsburgh is expected to once again start Crosby with Chris Kunitz on his left wing and Pascal Dupuis on his right, but both players are in their mid-30s, with the latter coming off knee surgery. At any rate, so long as he's healthy, Crosby will pick up points regardless of his linemates. In fact, more than one-third of Crosby's points (38) came on the power play. Most likely, Crosby will be just fine after a summer of rest, but training camp takes on added significance for him, given his questionable health status.

*RotoWire Position Ranks reflected for points-based leagues*

Evgeni Malkin, C (RotoWire Position Rank: #6): When Malkin started last season with only three goals in his first 22 games, fantasy owners were alarmed. Sure enough, the Russian rallied to net 23 goals in 60 overall games. Still, something was missing from the former Hart Trophy winner's game. Whether it was missing his regular linemate (James Neal) on occasion or was playing through knee pain, Malkin wasn't his dominating self. He entered 2013-14 taking 3.69 shots per game, but averaged more than half a shot less per game (3.18) than his career average. The center has put together just one huge season (he compiled 109 points in 75 games in 2011-12) since Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup in 2008-09. Neal was traded in the summer to Nashville, with Patric Hornqvist expected to take his spot alongside Malkin. It's possible Geno reclaims his elite status at age 28, but he's no longer a sure thing.

Christian Ehrhoff, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #17): Ehrhoff, who led Buffalo in ice time last season (23:54 TOI/G), might be able to better relax as a member of Pittsburgh's defensive corps. With veterans Paul Martin and Kris Letang on the blue line, the recently-signed free agent probably won't deal with nearly the level of pressure he saw in Buffalo, and his numbers could see an uptick accordingly. Provided the 32-year-old hasn't lost a step or two, its not difficult envisioning him piling up the production like he did for Vancouver, where he scored 14 goals and 50 points in 2010-11 (including 28 power-play points.) Moreover, he's auditioning with the Penguins for a long-term deal after signing a one-year, $4 million contract, so the German has additional incentive for a strong campaign.

Marc-Andre Fleury, G (RotoWire Position Rank: #11): Despite Fleury's well-documented postseason struggles, the goalie has put up remarkably consistent regular season numbers. Over the last four campaigns, the netminder has posted GAAs between 2.32 and 2.39, with save percentages between .914 and .918. "The Flower" has also served as Pittsburgh's primary starter, but he may not see as huge of a workload with a new management regime in place. With one year remaining on a five-year, $25 million contract, Fleury will be playing for a new deal. Frankly, it wouldn't be surprising to see new GM Jim Rutherford move the goalie in an effort to further distance the organization from past postseason failures.

On the Rise

Olli Maatta, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #51): At age 19, Maatta surprised observers with an excellent rookie season at both ends of the ice. Picked 22nd overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Finnish defenseman scored nine goals and 29 points in 78 games. He also helped fantasy owners with 112 blocks and even saw a little power-play time, netting three goals and three assists on the man-advantage. Maatta will serve as a top-four blueliner in 2014-15, though he might miss the first handful of games or so due to offseason shoulder surgery. He's thought to be more of a two-way player than an offensive defenseman, but his freshman campaign gave fantasy owners more than a little hope he can become a regular contributor in the scoring column.

Beau Bennett, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #87): Bennett, a 2010 first-round draft pick, has played in a total of 47 games (with 21 points) the last two seasons due to wrist injuries. Not surprisingly, he again underwent hand/wrist surgery following the Penguins' dismissal from the playoffs in the spring. While he's expected to be ready for training camp, the persistent wrist issues give him an added level of risk in fantasy. Pittsburgh wants him to take a top-six spot, as there's little depth or competition on the roster, but he just can't stay healthy. Bennett projects as more of a setup man than as a sniper, making him a better fit with Evgeni Malkin than Sidney Crosby at even-strength. The upside he offers makes him an intriguing fantasy pick, though it would be unwise to pencil him in for a certain number of points, given his injury history.

Two to Watch

Patric Hornqvist, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #9): Hornqvist turned a slow start (28 points in 51 games) in 2013-14 into a respectable overall showing, on the strength of his 12 goals and 25 points in his last 25 games. The 27-year-old Swedish native arrived Pittsburgh in the offseason as part of the James Neal trade in June. He is expected to skate on the Pens' second line with Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz. If Hornqvist finds chemistry with those two and goes hard to the net, he could put up career numbers. The Pens don't have much depth among their top six forwards, creating a big opportunity for the winger. The team will look for him to contribute somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 to 60 points.

Paul Martin, D (RotoWire Position Rank: #159): Due primarily to a broken leg, Martin played in only 39 games last year, scoring three goals and 15 points. The 33-year-old saw big minutes last season, averaging a team-high 24:34 time on ice whenever he was healthy. He figures to take a lead role once again in 2014-15, but there's a chance the team could move him, given that he's in the final year of a five-year, $25-million deal. Some argue that Pittsburgh's power play operates best when Martin is quarterbacking it -- 47 percent of his points have come on the man-advantage the last two years. Christian Ehrhoff and youngsters like Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot could eat into Martin's power-play time, but with Matt Niskanen leaving for Washington there might be a little less competition -- at least to start the season. In the end, Martin is thought of as more of a puck-moving defenseman than as a true offensive threat, but he can also chip in with his fair share of points.

Don't Overrate

Chris Kunitz, LW (RotoWire Position Rank: #4): Kunitz set career highs in goals (35) and points (68) in 2013-14, but tailed off as the season progressed. The 35-year-old left winger totaled 55 points in 54 contests through January, but ended the campaign with only 13 points in his final 24 games. Furthermore, he produced just two power-play points during his slump. It's possible that the first-time Olympian simply wore down during the long season. He'll line up next to Sidney Crosby once again in 2014-15 and fellow linemate Pascal Dupuis will also return after missing much of last year. Even if Kunitz doesn't challenge his career numbers again, he's a good bet to reach the 50-point plateau.

Pascal Dupuis, RW (RotoWire Position Rank: #58): Most 35-year-olds whose greatest asset is speed suffer a decline in play over time, let alone when they're coming off season-ending knee surgery. Dupuis will attempt such a comeback under those circumstances in 2014-15. He is probably best suited for third-line play, but his ability to skate with Sidney Crosby has pushed him into a first-line role for the past several seasons. Dupuis got off to a strong start last year with nine points in 10 games, but he managed just 11 points in his next 29 contests before getting hurt. Fantasy owners will want to note that he rarely sees time on the man-advantage -- Dupuis has totaled only four power-play points since the 2006-07 season. There's a chance the right winger returns to the 50-point mark, as he's shown he can produce even without Crosby, but fantasy owners might not want to be too aggressive pursuing Dupuis because of his age and recent injury past.

Top Prospects

Derrick Pouliot, D (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #13): Pouliot underwent shoulder surgery in the spring and may miss the opening month or so of 2014-15. The eighth overall pick in 2012, Pouliot has produced tons of offense while playing for Portland in the WHL. He totaled 70 points (17 goals, 53 assists) in 58 games and added an additional 32 points in 21 playoff games. Make no mistake, the 20-year-old blueliner is all offense, all of the time. Pouliot showed off his skill for Team Canada on the World Junior roster and played in one playoff game for the Wilkes-Barre Penguins. He's expected to skate for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during his first professional season, but there's a chance the big club could call him up at some point. Pouliot's keeper league value is high; single-season owners will want to keep an eye on his progress after he returns from shoulder surgery.

Kasperi Kapanen. RW (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #45): Kapanen makes for a strong pickup in keeper leagues. The Penguins have stated that the son of former NHLer Sami Kapanen will get a long look at training camp to make the team. He certainly impressed scouts during this summer's rookie camp with his combination of vision and speed. Still, it's unlikely the 18-year-old makes much of a fantasy impact in 2014-15. He suited up against older players -- including his father -- for KalPa in Finland last season and scored seven goals and 14 points in 47 games. Taken 22nd overall by Pittsburgh as one of the best European prospects on the board, Kapanen will have to really impress management to crack the squad this season. Even if he doesn't, however, his future as one of Pittsburgh's few elite forward prospects is bright.

Scott Harrington, D (RotoWire Prospects Rank: #71): Though he lacks the offensive upside of fellow Penguins defense prospect Derrick Pouliot, Harrington could be the first of the duo to arrive in the NHL, thanks to hockey smarts that are beyond his 21 years. As an effective puck-mover and a defensively-responsible blueliner, Harrington and his solid all-around game could make an appearance with the Penguins at some point in 2014-15, though likely not immediately out of training camp. Once he reaches the NHL, don't expect him to ascend to fantasy relevance right away, but he could develop into a consistent 25- or 30-point scorer over time.

Tristan Jarry, G (RotoWire Prospects Rank: NR): A second-round pick in 2013, Jarry exceeded expectations with a marvelous WHL season for the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2013-14. He compiled a 44-14-3 mark with a 2.24 GAA and .914 save percentage, while recording eight shutouts. As a 19-year-old, Jarry remains too young to play in the AHL, so unless he surprises everybody by breaking camp with the Penguins, Jarry will return to the Oil Kings for another season. As such, Jarry has little-to-no value in single-season leagues, but may be worth stashing in keeper leagues. New GM Jim Rutherford has a history of going with young netminders, as evidenced by his aggressive promotion of Cam Ward in 2005-06, giving Jarry hope for a rapid ascension when he turns pro.