Column: These Penguins can come full circle

"I just want to get going." You and me both, Best In The World. Let's get going. Great preview, DK.

Han Solo stares out of the Millennium Falcon after reading DK's take on the Penguins and utters out of character "I've got a good feeling about this"

Awesome stuff as always, Dejan. Best move you ever made was going solo. Looking forward to your coverage this season.

First time since that Crosby points streak a million years ago that I'm excited to see what this team is going to do.

Very nice piece DK. I liked how you got away from simply running through the depth chart and instead wrote about what effect the tangible changes made by the Pens will have on the team chemistry. The "intangibles" if you will. Time to drop the puck! Thank you.

WOW. This is the best Penguins article in the long offseason, especially among all the negative Nellies. Great work DK. Pumped for the season.

Awesome article. Can't wait to see this team come playoff time. Love Ehrhoff's German accent. Sehr gut :)

Fantastic read. Especially the bit about Downie/Dubinsky. This is why subscribing to your site is essential to every hockey fan in Pittsburgh.

My only complaint about the column is that it isnt longer. Personally, Im looking forward to this season a good deal more than the past 3. Have to agree with Burkle, wish this change wouldve happened a year ago. Lets go Pens!

Great preview. Definitely ready for some hockey! Will be there in Columbus in December. Go Pens!

Great column. Can't wait for the season and the app. Lots of practice time available for the team in the 1st 2 weeks as I believe there are only 4 games.
Interesting fact I realized today. All 3 Penguin Stanley Cups have come in the Head Coaches first season. So there's hope

Thanks for a great read DK. Got so very tired of reading about all the negatives since the end of the season. Time to look forward at what should be a very interesting year with, I'm certain, many different twists and turns. Let's get 'em Pens! Good luck boys!

Really looking forward to the season. I can't stress enough how the new system involving puck support will benefit this team. Dan was a nice guy but I was done with him after the Philthy debacle. Out-coached every spring.

Damn, I'd pay good money for this kind of journalism.

Wonderful column. But Sid, Mr. Crankypants, maybe a good thing. After Jordan left it seemed Ray lost his mojo on direction of team. Maybe now the team has the way forward. Still think we are a couple of top two wingers short for a cup.

Is it true - Kapanen on his way to Finland?

Great story, DK - I especially like the parts about Fleury and Crosby having an edge as well as Downie staring icicles. This team needs some attitude.

Fabulous column. Ticked all of the key boxes for Pens this season.
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Particularly looking forward to seeing Ehrhoff (very smart D-man) and Hornqvist (net presence) in action on Thursday.

Blue Jackets games quickly becoming Flyers-West.

Can't wait to see how this team puts everything together. Can't wait for the PP with legit net front presence. Can't wait to boo the Flyers n Caps! I also can't wait to see DK continue to give the best coverage $1.50 a month can buy. See yunz guys in the chat room Thur. GO PENS!

This is what I'm talking about. A fantastic take on the upcoming season. So glad I subscribed. Love the comment above about rookie coaches & Cups. Keep that streak going.

Nice column, DK. Would have still loved to see more youth on the roster. Sill and Ebbett aren't youth and have zero upside, and they aren't strengthening that 4th line. Despres is only under 24 player added. Why bring in another defenseman, Chorney, when already loaded w/ em.

A wise coach once said, "You can't expect performance before learning." Coach Johnston stated, "But if you see things happening on the ice that you know are going to make you a stronger team in the long term, you’ll take that." Fans should be patient during the learning phase.

A great preview. I do find myself wondering just how much of a difference it can make if Sid, Kuny, and Duper can make it through a season of decent health. Their chemistry, along with new players and coaching, could be a great mix over the 82 plus ahead.

Top notch Dejan!

Anyone know if Zatkoff cleared waivers?

You really touched in the most important thing: The house-cleaning means a complete change in the way everything is done.

It seems like everyone is wiling to take the time needed to do it right, the fans just need to be patient. It's going to be fun to watch hockey again.

Most improved player this year will be Letang. Can't wait to see him in a system that doesn't have him covering 200 feet of ice for 25 minutes a game playing a position equivalent to a midfielder in soccer. It will be a little disconcerting to all the players bringing the puck up the ice to only see 3 teammates in front of them with one lurking behind or somewhere nearby, but I am sure they will get over it.

Thanks as always DK great read and the absolute best Sports coverage not only in the #Burgh but anywhere!
I am not thrilled with the roster set by the Pens once again all the can't miss blue line talent sent down to minors. Did the team actually get older?

The Pens will get younger on defense once Scuds and martin are gone. Not sure about Ehrhoff as any new offer Pens have three younger wingers and add Sutter and Hornqvist who will be entering their prime years with Sid and Geno, that makes three very good lines to work with.

One thing I do wonder about. The assistant coaches have been around the NHL level of the game more than the HC has been. Will the players respond to Johnston, or, as with the GM, do we have a bunch of "coaches in waiting" in place here?

I still think this team is at least a GM, Coach and Letang trade away from a cup. It's nice to be hopeful before every season and there are some new and/or upcoming players to be excited about, but regardless of how it's spun, the pieces now in place don't = Stanley Cup for me.

"I just want to get going"... 87 is locked in, can't wait for the puck to drop!

To all of you Pens/Hockey fans out there: Happy Puck Day! Have a great season!

Assume a 60% chance of winning each playoff series. Means there's a 13ish% chance of winning the cup each year. That's about 1/8. They got their one cup in the first 8 years of this core.

Time to really start expecting another one. I feel good about this year.

The baseball Giants and the Cardinals are two teams that sure show up in the fall. Now, that the final four are set does anyone have a World Series prediction?

I guess I really don't understand the tactics of hockey that well. In my mind I would think you would want to spread out a defense if you have talented and fast offensive players. Grouping seems to make it easier to cover talent with more players nearby. we will find out

Such a breath of fresh air to read a writer who can, y'know, write. And in this case, report. Sounds like the Pens plan to employ the Lombardi sweep. Wonder if we'll see a later adjustment if there's rarely someone on the off-wing to pass to; it'll be fun to find out.

Hot dang! Hockey is back like an old friend to carry me through the hellish polar vortex months! Great opening day. I would love to see the Habs trounce the Leafs in front of their preternaturally obnoxious fans. And then the banner raising in Hollywood to honor one of the

I'm scared because I don't know how this season is going to go but I like it. The last few seasons you didn't know what team would show up.There was no identity. Now there is some and we will see it more and more during the season. We might not see it at first but we will later

The Pens will be watchable again. I expect the new coaching staff to not be so over matched in matching lines, and other so many obvious Bylsma non concerns. Bylsma was a joke of a coach and he was kept way to long. At least George Siefert by the niners was fired when he stunk.

I am anxious for the season to start but this team is still as sofffff as butter. We need a bigger presence in the bottom 6

Finally a great article diving into the Penguins organization. Great work Dejan! I will take this any day over the crap Rossi has been posting! Can't wait to enjoy an actual season again, and new(ish) organization.

Dont want to read too much into those roster moves but if Sill and Ebbett are our "young" forward representatives, I guess we haven't imporved the forward depth after all...

I'd liked to see Sill pick it up and make the 4th line. Love his grit.

Would have been nice for someone in a Pens sweater to discover Dubinsky's a p-nsy last April.

I'll settle for this October though.

I really think the beginning of the old regime's downfall was their public neutering of Matt Cooke. Sure he needed to tone it down at times, but they turned him into the abominable snowman after Yukon Cornelius pulled his teeth. They got soft & that came from the top.

Just heard that Geno more than likely playing tomorrow night . . . . but playing RIGHT WING to Sutter at Center, because Geno doesn't yet know the Center defensive responsibilities.
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I thought the Oct/Nov records "didn't matter" while Pens learned new system. Bad feeling!

Can you all help me out with my survivor league pick? Who is more likely to win on Sunday? The Packs who are away at Miami, the Bengals who are home against Carolina, the Titans who are home against Jacksonville, or the Ravens who are away at Tampa Bay.

Just read 7 out of 10 NHL games last year did not have a fight. (Toronto Globe).

I won't miss those cross ice passes that started those short handed odd man rushes on many a power play. The cross ice power play pass....the bubble screen of hockey.

This is exactly why your the best DK......LETS GO PENS!!

Not going to win until they hire Mike Babcock. Johnston is no better than Bylsma.

DK--I think you are underestimating the thinness--literally and figuratively--in this squad.

Anyone watching the SC playoffs saw big, tough, and fast players skating, banging, and scoring. The GM still is slipping small, fast guys under the cap.

Mike Milbury just said on NBCSN that it's time for fighting to be eliminated from the league. Hell just froze over.

Bang on - i love this site