Playoff Prospecting: Pittsburgh Penguins

June 8, 2008 12:00pm CDT

The playoffs are without question the most exciting part of the NHL season, but the postseason can also be a critical time for fantasy hockey players. The NHL playoffs are a perfect time to start scouting players for next fantasy season and trying to unearth a few hidden gems to fill out your roster with on draft day. For this reason we will be looking at some post-season players and determining where they fit in on your draft board. In our final installment of Playoff Prospecting we will look at the Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pascal Dupuis, LW, (12g-15a-27pts) – Pascal Dupuis could either be a valuable fantasy asset or completely worthless in 2008-09. It will all depend on if the speedy winger re-signs with the Penguins in the offseason, as he will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. If Dupuis elects to join a new club he will hold little if any value to fantasy owners. Alternatively, if he returns to the Penguins he would most likely continue to skate on a line with Sidney Crosby and would almost assuredly have the best season. It would be hard not to when you consider that only once in his career has Dupuis scored more than 30 points in a season, and yet he had 12 points (2g-10a) in 16 games with the Penguins after arriving from Atlanta at the trade deadline. Dupuis managed only a meager seven points in the playoffs for the Penguins, but the regular season is a different situation altogether, and Dupuis would surely flourish skating alongside Crosby for a full season.

Marc-Andre Fleury, G, (19-10-2, 2.33 GAA, .921 SV% with 4 SO) – It was a tale of two seasons for Marc-Andre Fleury. The first half of the season was a constant struggle for Fleury that ended with a severe ankle injury just when he appeared to have turned his game around. After missing nearly three full months Fleury returned to the Penguins crease in late February and was the best goalie in hockey for the remainder of the regular season. Fleury continued his hot play into the postseason as he helped to carry Pittsburgh all the way to the Finals against Detroit. Fleury had some missteps against the Red Wings, but he also put on one of the best goaltending performances in Finals history with his 55 save, triple overtime Game Five victory in Detroit. Fleury was consistently playing on a level better than anyone had seen from him prior to his injury and he enters the 2008-09 season as one of the game's brightest young stars. The Penguins figure to be one of the stronger teams in the East next season and if Fleury can come back as the same player we saw at the end of this season and in the playoffs he could make a serious push to be the first goalie in NHL history to record 50 wins in a season. That is obviously a best case scenario for Fleury, but he has definitely established himself as one of the best goalies in hockey and he should be drafted accordingly.

Kris Letang, D, (6g-11a-17pts) – Kris Letang is probably still a year or two away from becoming a dependable fantasy hockey resource, but his talent level makes him hard to ignore. Letang is still developing his game at the NHL level and will continue to have stretches of ineffectiveness as his game matures. Despite that, Letang is a very gifted offensive defenseman who plays on one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL.He saw a lot of opportunities with the Penguins' power-play this season and his role in that regard should only increase next season. It is entirely possible that Letang will struggle for the Pens next season and have a very disappointing year, but he could just as easily make a giant leap forward and put up 40 to 50 points on the year. He will probably go undrafted in most fantasy leagues, but he may be worth taking a flier on in a deep league as a number four defenseman with some serious upside.

Ryan Malone, LW, (27g-24a-51pts) – Ryan Malone really came into his own this season after being placed on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Petr Sykora. Malone, like most of his teammates, struggled in the first half of the 2007-08 season, but he got his game on track after Sidney Crosby's injury and he proceeded to produce 37 points (18g-19a) in his last 44 games. Malone was outstanding in the playoffs as well for Pittsburgh as he scored 16 points (6g-10a) in 20 post-season games. Malone posted those numbers despite playing in the toughest parts of the rink and taking a pounding night in and night out. Nowhere was this more evident than in the Finals where he broke his nose twice and had his face rearranged by a Hal Gill slap shot in Game Five. Malone is one of those rare players who combines scoring and toughness and he could easily produce a 30-goal, 100-PIM season in 2008-09. The only question is if he will be doing it in Pittsburgh as Malone will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and will likely be courted by many teams.

Petr Sykora, RW, (28g-35a-63pts) – It was a dream first season in Pittsburgh for Petr Sykora. Sykora flourished on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Malone and that led to his best point total since 2000-01 in New Jersey. Much like his Malkin and Malone, Sykora really elevated his game when Sidney Crosby hurt his ankle as he put up 43 points (17g-26a) in his final 44 games of the regular season. Sykora was relatively quiet in the playoffs as he managed just nine points (6g-3a), but he became an overnight legend after his overtime "called shot" in Game Five of the Finals. Sykora will be back in Pittsburgh next season and should continue to ride shotgun with Malkin, and that could translate into a career year for Sykora. Barring injury Sykora should be a lock for at least 30 goals and 70 points in 2008-09. Those are solid numbers for one of the best number two right wings in fantasy hockey.

Ryan Whitney, D, (12g-28a-40pts) – The 2007-08 season was a tough one for Ryan Whitney, but through it all he still managed a very respectable 40 points, good for 19th best among NHL defensemen. Whitney struggled for long periods during the regular season. His production was also hurt by the fact that the Penguins did not seem to run as many set plays for Whitney while on the power-play as they did during the 2006-07 season. Whitney appeared to have lost the faith of Penguins Head Coach Michel Therrien at points during the regular season, but Whitney responded with a very solid postseason that was highlighted by an impressive performance in Game Five of the Finals when he lead all skaters for both teams in ice time during the triple OT thriller. Fantasy owners should feel comfortable expecting Whitney's numbers to come back up next season, especially considering all of the talent around him in Pittsburgh, but his disappointing season may cause his stock to fall in some drafts. That could help some lucky owners nab Whitney in the middle rounds of their drafts for next season.