Ducks face Penguins in season opener Thursday
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks are aiming high after disappointing postseason finishes, though it may take some time for the clubs to adjust following offseason changes.
While new center Ryan Kesler plays his first game with visiting Anaheim, the Penguins may go without one of their stars Thursday night when they debut under new coach Mike Johnston.
Evgeni Malkin says it's "50/50" whether he'll take the ice because of an undisclosed injury as Pittsburgh (51-24-7) begins its quest to raise the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2009.
The 2012 MVP provided the reigning Metropolitan champs with a good sign Tuesday, practicing with his teammates for the first time after missing almost all of training camp.
"It feels great," said Malkin, who had 23 goals and 49 assists while being limited to 60 games last season. "I need to get in better shape, but I'm glad to be back."
Johnston, who replaces Dan Bylsma, said he'll wait to see how Malkin's body responds before getting too optimistic about whether the star will be available against the Ducks. Johnston has said he's toying with the idea of moving Malkin to right wing while forward Beau Bennett recovers from a leg injury.
Captain Sidney Crosby seems ready to help the Penguins move past their seven-game loss to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, a series they led 3-1 before collapsing.
Crosby finished with 36 goals and a league-leading 104 points while playing in 80 games for only the third time in nine seasons. He skipped the start of the preseason with a wrist injury before missing two games while attending his grandmother's funeral.
The reigning MVP headlines an attack that may have to adjust after James Neal (27 goals) was dealt to Nashville.
"I think in different situations change can be a pretty good thing," said Crosby, who has three goals in his last three meetings with the Ducks. "But it's all about your attitude and your mentality toward it too."
Although defensemen Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen left for Washington in free agency, defenseman Kris Letang and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury remain with the Penguins. Fleury ranked 10th with a 2.37 goals-against average last season and after a handful of tough springs, he posted the second-highest postseason save percentage (.915) and second-lowest GAA (2.40) of his career. He's 4-1-0 with a 2.00 mark in five career home starts versus Anaheim.
Pittsburgh signed veteran defenseman Christian Ehrhoff to help fill the void left by Niskanen and Orpik. He tallied six goals and 33 points with Buffalo last season.
The Ducks (54-20-8) averaged an NHL-best 3.21 goals per game en route to a club-record 116 points in '13-14. The West's top seed, though, scored two goals or less five times in a seven-game loss to the Los Angeles Kings in the second round.
In an effort to improve around Corey Perry (43 goals) and Ryan Getzlaf (31), the two-time defending Pacific Division champions added Kesler (25) and fellow center Nate Thompson, defenseman Clayton Stoner and left wing Dany Heatley.
Kesler could prove to be one of the best offseason acquisitions by any team, with his two-way play and offensive ability a rare combination. His acumen on faceoffs fills a glaring need, and his defensive durability will free up Getzlaf, who accepted stringent defensive responsibilities last year.
The Ducks said goodbye to some slowing veterans, losing beloved Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu to retirement, third-leading scorer Nick Bonino in the Kesler trade and Mathieu Perreault via free agency.
"We got a few pieces we needed," said Getzlaf, who ranked second behind Crosby with 87 points last season. "We've also given some young guys an opportunity to step up and take a big role for us. Those guys have earned the chance to do that, and now we'll see where it takes us."
Getzlaf has four goals and five assists and Perry has scored seven times in their nine career meetings with the Penguins, though Anaheim has dropped five of its last six visits to Pittsburgh.
The Ducks are going with untested goaltenders Frederik Andersen and John Gibson after allowing former All-Star Jonas Hiller to leave as a free agent. Andersen had a 2.29 GAA in 28 games last season, while Gibson had a 1.33 mark in three.
Anaheim has its own injury concerns with Heatley (groin) and Kyle Palmieri (high ankle sprain) out and defenseman Cam Fowler (leg) questionable for the opener.
