Nearly two years ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins sat atop the NHL world. They’d become the first team in 19 years to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Captain Sidney Crosby became the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1992 to win consecutive Conn Smythe Trophies.
During those seasons, the Penguins reset the template for a Stanley Cup franchise. With foundation players Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, they relied on a swift-skating style aided by the addition of youngsters such as Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, and Conor Sheary.
Forwards Phil Kessel and Patric Hornqvist and defensemen Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta also played crucial roles helping the Penguins win those two Cups.