Refreshing playoff notes! A short trip to Coumbus. A short series will follow.
- The Penguins can’t beat Boston and probably wouldn’t beat Philadelphia. The Penguins aren’t as good as they were last year. The Bruins are better than last year, when they beat the Penguins in four straight. The Flyers may have permanent residence inside the Penguins’ heads: 9-1-1 at Consol Energy Center. Boston and Philadelphia are both grittier and more physical.
- If the Penguins do play Boston or Philadelphia, the last thing they should do is try to out-hit either. It’s also exactly what they will probably try.
- If the Penguins play Columbus, the New York Rangers and Montreal in consecutive playoff series, they will make the Stanley Cup final. And that could very easily happen. It’s all about matchups.
- If the Penguins lose and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is perceived as responsible, he gets traded in the off-season. Otherwise, he gets a new contract.
- Fleury’s recent playoff past is bound to make fans flinch once the postseason starts. Allowing a shaky overtime goal to Philadelphia Saturday didn’t help.
- It doesn’t matter who the backup goalie is. If Fleury gets hurt or falls apart, the Penguins can’t beat a good team. Tomas Vokoun couldn’t. Jeff Zatkoff can’t.
- If the Penguins make the Stanley Cup final, the current model will remain largely unchanged. If the Penguins fall short of the Eastern Conference final, major adjustments will be made. If the Penguins lose in the conference final, what happens is anybody’s guess.
- If Evgeni Malkin is unavailable for the first round, the Penguins could lose to Columbus.
- If Malkin is unavailable past the first round, the Penguins won’t beat anybody.
- Brandon Sutter has played well for the best part of a month. That must continue. He needs to be the Penguins’ third-line rock.
- Rob Scuderi has had a subpar season, one fraught by injury. Scuderi must regroup and be that classic defensive defenseman needed to win in the playoffs.
- Brooks Orpik is already playing how he needs to. Orpik struggled for part of this season, but he knows what time it is. If these playoffs are Orpik’s swan song with the Penguins, he’ll serve as the team’s conscience throughout. Like always.
- Robert Bortuzzo is a playoff-style defenseman. But who gets scratched to make room?
- If Malkin and Sidney Crosby don’t produce at their usual level, the Penguins won’t win. That’s been proven. The bottom-six forwards offer no unlikely heroes.
- James Neal is streaky. Entering the playoffs on a tear is invaluable.
- Is the Penguins’ breakout too complicated? It can take three passes to move the puck 10 feet. The Penguins definitely fudge too many clearing attempts.
- The Penguins’ bottom-six forwards can’t be on the ice for goals against. They pose little offensive threat. If you can’t help, don’t hurt.
- The Penguins need a Plan B. Last year’s demise was fueled by stubbornness and an unwillingness to adjust. Over a best-of-seven series, the Penguins are too easy to draw a bead on.
- For the Penguins, last year’s playoffs were a failure. They eliminated the postseason’s two worst teams and never got totally untracked against either. They got swept out by Boston. There is no way to rate that as anything besides unacceptable. The Penguins had a loaded team.
Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).
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