TYT Sports: NHL 2014-2015 Season Preview
It’s October 8th! Hockey’s finally, finally officially back in arenas and on televisions with games that count in the standings.
In honor of my favorite time of the year, I was invited to sit down with Michael Shure on TYT Sports to preview the season and talk about key players and teams to watch:
1. SIDNEY CROSBY, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Last season saw Sidney Crosby return to superhuman form. After injuries and a lockout prevented the NHL’s most dynamic player from participating in several full 82-game seasons, Crosby came back racking up points like he hadn’t missed a beat. His 104 points in the regular season was 17 more than runner up Ryan Getzlaf. Crosby captured his second Art Ross Trophy, his third Ted Lindsay Award, and his second Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
Now the question is whether he can do it again under a new coach. Crosby himself has mentioned that he’s not a big fan of change, but hockey operations switches for the Pittsburgh Penguins replaced head coach Dan Bylsma with Mike Johnston. A more defensive-minded coach means a system focused a little more on shutting down other teams. Crosby’s proven that he’s an offensive master time and time again. Now he and the Penguins have an opportunity to prove whether they can be a strict defensive squad, too.
Best case scenario could see Crosby enter those Selke conversations alongside Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, and Patrice Bergeron, but in the meantime, the Penguins want to tighten up their bottom six production.
2. TYLER SEGUIN, DALLAS STARS
Boston didn’t necessarily lose the Tyler Seguin trade, but the Dallas Stars definitely won big in his first season as their top line center. The Stars went from a non-playoff team to taking the Anaheim Ducks to six games in the first round of the playoffs. Seguin scored three hat tricks during the 2013-14 season and his 84 points had him place fourth overall in scoring. Should he stay healthy and continue to progress alongside steady winger Jamie Benn — a juggernaut in his own right — there’s a chance Seguin could be a fun challenger to Crosby as the Art Ross favorite this year.
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