My expectation is that we will at least make the ECF this year. Crosby has something to prove this season and if he doesn't get injuried I think he will.
This will also be the first time in a Loooong time that we will have the 2 headed monster going at 100% at the same time. If we get the Crosby/Duper/Kunitz line going that was a terror before Crosby's concussion combined with the Malkin/Neal/ ? line that was a terror last season we will be hard to stop.
Our only real concerns will be that our defense/goalie can do their part. Part of that is system, part personnel. Martin has to be better this year and I think he will be, I'm not a big fan of him, however he did get concussed and he says he played the first 3 games with concussion symptoms. There is a good chance that Orpik has a rebound year.
http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/i...a-lockout-plus
While Staal is a horse that anyone would miss, I don't think we'll miss him as much as we might think. Staal was supposed to be in a shutdown role, he abandoned that and was a direct contributor of us losing game 1 in OT because of it. Sutter will embrace the 3rd C shutdown role. We need that, and frankly I think we needed that out of Staal more then the points he put up, especially on the PK where he was terri-awful.
To be successful in the playoffs you have to have a shutdown line, and hopefully your fourth line is grinding the puck away in the other teams zone as well.