Problems with the Pittsburgh Penguins

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

In the hockey world, there is no greater honor than winning the Stanley Cup. I almost feel like the cliche' police should come and arrest me for saying it, but that just gives credence to the statement.

This past June, the Pittsburgh Penguins managed to do just that and win the Cup, hoisting it high above their heads after a brutal seven-game series against the uber-talented Red Wings.

The season was over and Pens fans, like yours truly, had to twiddle their thumbs and wait patiently for the next season; for the Pens to defend their championship. With that season about to get underway, I'm going to take a look at five serious issues that face the reigning champs and threaten to spoil their upcoming title defense. 

Issue No. 1: Secondary Scoring

It goes without saying that the Penguins are blessed with offense talent: Sidney Crosby (103 points) and Evgeni Malkin (113 points). The two-headed monster combined last season for 216 points in 159 games. That is offensive talent that any team would love to have.

The Pens rode on the backs of these two workhorses for most of the season. Each had their ups and downs, but overall, they were consistent and productive. Now here is where it gets interesting.

These two superstars did have a deep, talented pool of players supporting them, true, but their next highest point earner was trade deadline pick-up Chris Kunitz (53 points), followed by Jordan Staal (49 points) and their other big deadline player, veteran Bill Guerin (48 points).

Now, you could look at this and say: "That's solid scoring from your secondary players." True. But hear me out. Three of the players mentioned above, Crosby, Malkin and Staal are centers. This is great, but the Pens have experimented with Staal playing wing and it isn't his best fit. So that means you have an issue with scoring from wingers.

While Guerin is likely to have a good year, playing on Crosby's top line, I guess in the 40-50 point range again, he isn't getting any younger at 38. And Kunitz, well, he is good for 60+ plus this season, but he is streaky. He could go 10 games without a goal in all seriousness. Remember him in the playoffs? I sure don't.

To say the Penguins are stretched at the winger position, is an understatement. Kunitz and Guerin lead the bunch, but that's only your top line. You need more than three players to show up and preform consistently to have a successful title defense.

And of the Penguins' next highest point getters last season, Petr Sykora (46 points), Ruslan Fedotenko (39 points), and Miroslav Satan (36 points), only Fedotenko is still with the team.

The Pens re-upped him to a one year deal. This was a good move by GM Ray Shero, but he needed to do more. Sykora, while absolutely invisible in the playoffs, could have been retained cheaply and provided solid offense talent. It look's like he will sign with Minnesota. And Satan, well, he was just a big disappointment all around.

The Pens have players like Matt Cooke (31 points), Tyler Kennedy (35 points) and scrappy Max Talbot (22 points) who can all play wing, but Cooke and Kennedy need to step up and Talbot is out at least until November following surgery.

That means on a second line, playing with Malkin, will be Fedotenko and whomever else. Some Pens fans say Eric Tangradi will be ready to play, but I doubt it.

Granted, if Pens coach Danny Bylsma put you, me and Malkin on a line, Geno would make us look good, but the Art Ross Trophy winner needs more help than little, old Fedotenko. Which leads me into my next issue.

Issue No. 2: Offseason Signings

GM Ray Shero has done wonders at keeping the Penguins intact. He resigned Malkin, Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and D-man Brooks Orpik to multi-year deals last offseason. He also convinced players like Guerin and and Fedotenko to take significant pay cuts to stay with the team this year. With these positive things being said, here is my criticism: No big names free-agents.

Do you know who the Pens signed in the first few days of July? Tough guy Mike Rupp and Shot-Blocker Jay McKee. McKee was a good signing. He was cheap and will help take the spot left by Rob Scuderi, who left for LA and $13 million. But Rupp makes no sense. Last year, Rupp had 136 PIM, earned mostly from five-minute majors.

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