5 Reasons Why Pittsburgh Penguins Fans Should Be Worried in 2014-15

Pittsburgh Penguins fans should have a lot to be excited about this season. A new coach, new general manager and new players breathe a breath of fresh air into a team that is so close earning that coveted fourth Stanley Cup title.

The Penguins have just finished up two of their six preseason games with their next set for Thursday against the Minnesota Wild at 7 p.m. ET. Between then and opening night (Oct. 9), almost anything can happen to shake up the club for better or worse.

For example, we already saw quite a few big injuries occur for other squads like the New York Rangers' Derek Stepan and the Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal, who both broke their legs. 

And it’s not just injuries Penguins fans should watch out for this year. There are many factors both on the ice and off it that should scare them. Read on to find out.

Kris Letang

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Why Pens Fans Should Worry

Kris Letang has always been a valuable piece on the Pens’ blue line due to his ability to play like a fourth forward. Despite being undersized somewhat at 6’0”, 201 pounds, Letang can still provide a level of physicality as well. Remember, in 2013 he was a nominee for the Norris Trophy. He is an outstanding offensive defenseman but only when healthy.

His career took a massive hit last season when he was diagnosed with a stroke in early 2014. He also has suffered quite a few other injuries over the course of his eight-year career. If he happens to find himself on the injured reserve list again, he and his eight-year, $58 million contract could hit the team hard, and he may never be the same player he was.

Why Pens Fans Shouldn’t Worry

Of all the seasoned Penguins, Letang may have the biggest question mark hovering over his head, but he knows that and will use it as motivation to go above and beyond what he has accomplished in the past. He is also getting a fresh start this season and will have a number of solid D-men on his side to help him get back on his feet. 

New Faces

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Why Pens Fans Should Worry

GM Jim Rutherford signed on six (seven if you count Daniel Carcillo’s tryout contract) new faces to the club this year in hopes of building a more Stanley Cup-ready team. While none of them are really "big-name" guys, each provides a different tool that could help get the job done; however, it might not be the right tool for this exact job.

The offseason project could backfire if these guys don’t get acquainted in time. One player who doesn’t click could set the whole thing awry, but we won’t be able to judge that until the playoffs have concluded. 

Pens fans will keep the James Neal for Patric Hornqvist/Nick Spaling trade in the back of their mind too. A fan favorite for two lesser-known guys is a risky move no matter how good it looks on paper. 

Why Pens Fans Shouldn’t Worry

No one should expect this team to be that dominant force it was in the past regular seasons. Even if the Penguins don’t win the division crown, they are aiming for what really matters: a strong postseason run. Like I said, we won’t be able to truly assess the job until next summer.

Mike Johnston

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Why Pens Fans Should Worry

Head coach Mike Johnston was brought in because Dan Bylsma’s system became stale. Relying simply on high-risk, high-reward stretch passes doesn’t work anymore in the ‘Burgh. Per NHL.com, Johnston wants his team to be a puck-possession squad as well have a center-driven game plan. This system may work, but it’s Johnston’s character that will be highly scrutinized this season.

Johnston has had a lot of experience coaching elite talent in both the NHL and WHL. He did, however, get himself into hot water a few seasons ago in his time spent as the head coach of the Portland Winterhawks. Johnston was suspended for most of the 2012-13 WHL season after getting caught providing improper benefits to his players. While it wasn’t anything major, it is still a mark on his record.

Why Penguins Fans Shouldn’t Worry

What Johnston did was wrong, but there are worse things in the world. It’s not like he can pull the same stunt with NHL guys anyway. If Johnston wants to be successful both as a coach and as a person, he must realize what he has right now, which is control over one of the world’s most talented hockey franchises. You’d have to be an idiot to mess this up.

Another Early-Round Playoff Exit

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Why Pens Fans Should Worry

It’s starting to become do-or-die for this Penguins team. Another early-round playoff exit will leave its fans, as well as the league, in utter disbelief. Now I’m not calling for a Stanley Cup this year, but with this level of talent, another dismal postseason run will not be acceptable.

If that does seem to happen again, next offseason will put this summer’s one to shame, and we could see a lot more than a one-time 40-goal scorer (Neal) on his way out of Pittsburgh. 

It’s not Stanley Cup-or-bust yet, but it may as well be Eastern Conference Final-or-bust now.

Why Pens Fans Shouldn’t Worry

You’re going to hear this a lot in the coming months: a change of pace. Heck, I already alluded to that twice in this article. This new look could finally be what gets this team back in the right direction.

New players and a new system are two surefire ways to get a team to click. The core is still there, but you can’t win a championship on that alone. For now, the players need to focus on getting to know their new teammates as well as taking the time to go over Johnston's new system. 

Competitive Division

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Why Pens Fans Should Worry

The Metropolitan Division may not be the toughest division in the NHL, but it does boast some pretty good storylines. The Penguins have rivalries with almost all of its members, including the Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals and, more recently, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Don’t forget the New York Rangers too, who are the defending Eastern Conference Champions and the guys who knocked the Penguins out in seven games last year after being down three games to one.

There is no love lost for the Penguins in the Metro. Each of the aforementioned teams will be gunning for its defending division crown this year, which means the Penguins will have their hands full.

Why Penguins Fans Shouldn’t Worry

When you look at the Penguins’ roster, there are a number of hungry players who will be up for the challenge of earning a second straight division title. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the others know that despite a recent overhaul, they are ready to prove to the league and their fans that they will never be the dynasty that never happened.