With Malkin and Fleury back, what’s to come this year?

With the summer coming to a close, hockey season is just a few short months away.

That… With the summer coming to a close, hockey season is just a few short months away.

That means the Pittsburgh Penguins are inching ever closer to the drop of the opening puck to reclaim their hold atop the Eastern Conference after falling to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Despite the label of national runner-up, the Pens had plenty of roster turnovers from their playoff quest in the offseason. But most of the young core remains intact for another shot at a title in 2008-09.

The Pitt News Penguins experts tackle the vital questions from the summer free-agency period and the upcoming year.

How much will the loss of Marian Hossa hurt the Penguins? Should the Pens have done anything different with him?

Nick LaMantia: With Hossa, the Pens received everything they asked of him. He helped carry the team through the Stanley Cup Finals, and when it came time to resign him, Hossa opted to play for the better team: the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. No, the Pens did what they could with Hossa, even offering a multi-year deal to stay in the ‘Burgh.

Jay Huerbin: When you lose a player like Hossa, there’s no question that you will also be losing a player who brought more than just a scoring touch to a team. Sure, he’s one of the best wingers in the league, but he also has the skillful touch of being a great backchecker and, after yet another playoff run, experience.

As for keeping him here, there is nothing the Penguins could have done differently. All throughout his time in Pittsburgh, Hossa talked about how much he enjoyed this city. A long-term contract, like the one the Penguins offered him, is what he wanted. And just like Two-Face, Hossa will say one thing and do another.

Hossa wasn’t the only name to leave. Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Georges Laraque, Jarkko Ruttu, Adam Hall and Ty Conklin all left for greener pastures. What are the impacts of these moves, and did the Pens do enough to replace them?

NL: The loss of Malone, the team’s sixth leading scorer in the regular season, will force someone to step up and contribute This is very possible. While the rest of these players served valuable depth and experience roles on the team, the Penguins can only move on and learn from their departures.

JH: Aside from Malone, who in my opinion had the greatest upside, all of these players are role players and can be replaced. It can be tough to say sometimes, but as much of a fan-favorite some players like Malone and Ruttu were, other players could come into this organization and take over the same role. Were you thinking of Colby Armstrong while watching the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals? It’s the nature of the business, and this team will be just fine.

What do you think of the Finnish sensation Janne Pesonen? Will he be a big contributor in 08-09?

NL: Pesonen, who won four Finnish championships in five years, has a history of winning. With his 2008 SM-Liiga scoring championship, he brings secondary scoring that should help offset the loss of Malone.

JH: I have not seen much more than a few highlight videos on YouTube, but what I’ve been reading about him, he seems to be the perfect no-risk, high-reward type of player the Penguins organization needs. As he has shown playing in the SM-Liiga, Pesonen can score and play some defense. He looks to be a quick skater, but his size might come back to hurt him — literally, actually — in the NHL.

Considering the potential he brings, I would not be surprised to see him skating alongside Sidney Crosby sometime this upcoming season.

The Pens signed Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury to long contract extensions. What are your thoughts about those deals in general?

NL: The extensions given to Malkin and Fleury show the team’s commitment to keep the core together for a long time. The fact that the players took less to stay in Pittsburgh is an added bonus that shows they are devoted to winning over the long term.

JH: These deals are great. While the loss of Hossa seems to be taking over the Penguins’ offseason, the long-term contracts of these franchise players continue to be overshadowed. Knowing that Malkin and Fleury are here for a few more seasons gives me hope that a Cup coming back to Pittsburgh is in the near future.

Pittsburgh might start to rely more on younger players like Alex Goligoski, Jonathan Filewich, Ryan Stone, etc. Who do you expect has the early inside track on a breakout season?

NL: With Malone, Laraque and Roberts on the outs, Stone, a checking-line forward, should be given an ample opportunity to step up and fill a role on the team’s bottom two lines. Filewich, who needs top-two line ice time, will probably start the season in the minors. Goligoski, however, can succeed at this level, but should start the season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton because of a crowded backend in Pittsburgh.

JH: If he continues his rapid improvement through the minor leagues, look for the Penguins fourth-round pick in 2007, Luca Caputi, to begin to make an impact in the NHL. A tough player to get a read on since the draft, Caputi seems to be the perfect mix between Jordan Staal and Maxime Talbot. After finishing fourth in the OHL in scoring in the 2007-08 season, the Penguins signed Caputi to a three-year contract. He jumped right into the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ playoff run and had a solid appearance.

In your eyes, do the Pens need to make any more moves before the season begins?

NL: Aside from a few depth acquisitions, like Adam Hall last season, Pittsburgh’s roster should be pretty much set.

JH: If I were in general manager Ray Shero’s shoes, I’d work hard to get Staal signed for another few seasons. And, as always, the longer the contract, the better. Other than that, work on signing the draft picks and make sure the other prospects in the Penguins affiliate programs are happy and work on signing them, as well.

Early prediction time, where do the Penguins rank in the Eastern Conference right now?

NL: With teams like the Flyers and Canadiens making strides, the Penguins rank in the top three in the East. However, a lot is dependent on the team’s secondary scoring and the development of Staal into a consistent, all-around player.

JH: In all seriousness, I do see the Penguins as the No. 1 team in the East. Losing Hossa does not hurt the team as many are making it out to be, and aside from Tampa Bay, other teams in the East did not improve as much this year.

The West got better and the East stayed the same. The Penguins still have the perfect blend of firepower in the offensive department and an effective defensive system. Along with Fleury’s continued improvement, there is no reason why this Penguins team will not be at the top of the East come April.