Did the Pittsburgh Penguins do enough to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
TSN: TSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron answering Hot or Not on whether the Pittsburgh Penguins have done enough this offseason to be Stanley Cup playoff team this season.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Sarah Davis: “Now. It’s been bleak in Pittsburgh the past couple of seasons, both ending without a postseason birth. Now, the Penguins, they did enough this offseason to return to the playoffs. Is that hot or not, Marty?”
Biron: “Not. I don’t see Kyle Dubas and his group of hockey operations doing enough this summer.
Look, they lost Guentzel last year, although they were better after the trade deadline without Jake Guentzl, I still think that over 82 games, this is a piece that was not replaced for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Will Sidney Crosby Play in the Playoffs Again with the Pittsburgh Penguins
And we’re looking at (Sidney) Crosby, (Evgeny) Malkin, (Kris) Letang, (Erik) Karlsson, again as being the leading force. They don’t have enough around them to be able to get into the playoffs.
And I don’t see the Metropolitan division putting four or five teams in the playoff picture this year. So I’m saying ‘Not’ when it comes to making the playoffs for the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
How many Canadian teams will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
TSN: TSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron answering Hot or Not on whether four Canadian teams will make the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Sarah Davis: “Okay, let’s see if you see some other teams in the playoff pictures. Four Canadian teams did make the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. That number will increase this season, Hot or Not?”
Biron: “Very hot summer take right there. I see that number going to five. Look, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, the Jets, they’re a lock for me. They are definitely in.
But when I look at the Atlantic Division, look Florida and Toronto are, you know, in a class apart. But then after that, you have Boston, Tampa, Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa. I think there’s going to be three teams that are going to get in out of those five teams.
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And I see the addition of Linus Ullmark with the Ottawa Senators being that last card, right? That, that way into the playoffs. So, yes, the Ottawa Senators are going to make the playoffs.
So, that will make five Canadian teams in the playoffs in 2025. So Hot take right there.”
Davis: “Sounds like Ottawa will be just squeaking in.”