The Pittsburgh Penguins can be a very good team even without the biggest star and best player in the NHL, Sidney Crosby. But with a healthy Crosby, the Pens are certainly among the league?s elite and a perennial Stanley Cup favorite. The question is: When will Crosby be healthy enough to play again? Pittsburgh is 10/1 on Bodog?s NHL futures odds to win the Stanley Cup this spring, with an over/under points total of 100.5.
Of course Sid the Kid missed the final 41 games last season as well as the playoffs after suffering a concussion at the start of January. Crosby still hasn?t even been cleared for contact, although he has been practicing with Pittsburgh in camp. The Pens open their season on Thursday night at reigning Western Conference champion Vancouver and Crosby won?t be on the ice. No one is truly sure when he will be.
The Penguins are being cautious and conservative during Crosby's recovery to make certain he is fully recovered. But Crosby and the team are encouraged because he has had no setbacks since training camp began Sept. 17. Before getting hurt, Crosby (66 points in 41 games) was on pace for the highest point total by an NHL player since 1995-96.
The good news is that fellow All-Star Evgeni Malkin is healthy after he went down for the season in early February with torn ligament in his knee. Malkin is apparently very motivated this year because even before the injury he wasn't quite the same player who tallied over 100 points in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Malkin reported to camp in the best shape of his career as well. Sans Crosby and Malkin, the Pens? power play sunk to 25th in the NHL last year and was 1-for-25 in the playoff loss to Tampa Bay.
The fact that Pittsburgh still managed 106 points last season ? and Jordan Staal missed the first half of the year ? shows how much talent there is on this club other than the two superstars. The team played defensive hockey when the two stars went down and led the league in penalty-killing. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury had a 2.16 goals-against average in his final 56 starts and won 36 times. If he plays at that level once the Pens are fully healthy, this might be the team to beat.
Bet on 2011-12 NHL futures odds now at the Web?s gaming leader!
Of course Sid the Kid missed the final 41 games last season as well as the playoffs after suffering a concussion at the start of January. Crosby still hasn?t even been cleared for contact, although he has been practicing with Pittsburgh in camp. The Pens open their season on Thursday night at reigning Western Conference champion Vancouver and Crosby won?t be on the ice. No one is truly sure when he will be.
The Penguins are being cautious and conservative during Crosby's recovery to make certain he is fully recovered. But Crosby and the team are encouraged because he has had no setbacks since training camp began Sept. 17. Before getting hurt, Crosby (66 points in 41 games) was on pace for the highest point total by an NHL player since 1995-96.
The good news is that fellow All-Star Evgeni Malkin is healthy after he went down for the season in early February with torn ligament in his knee. Malkin is apparently very motivated this year because even before the injury he wasn't quite the same player who tallied over 100 points in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Malkin reported to camp in the best shape of his career as well. Sans Crosby and Malkin, the Pens? power play sunk to 25th in the NHL last year and was 1-for-25 in the playoff loss to Tampa Bay.
The fact that Pittsburgh still managed 106 points last season ? and Jordan Staal missed the first half of the year ? shows how much talent there is on this club other than the two superstars. The team played defensive hockey when the two stars went down and led the league in penalty-killing. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury had a 2.16 goals-against average in his final 56 starts and won 36 times. If he plays at that level once the Pens are fully healthy, this might be the team to beat.
Bet on 2011-12 NHL futures odds now at the Web?s gaming leader!
