A variety of good and bad season outlooks coming out for the Penguins
A little something for everyone
It’s almost time for the Penguins to drop the puck on the 2024-25 season, which means it’s high time to check out various season previews and outlooks. The Penguins fit all over the map, depending on the model or prognosticator
The good
⬡⬢⬡ HockeyViz 2024-2025 Season Preview ⬢⬡⬢https://t.co/cTtYPZHuej
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) September 30, 2024
Detailed breakdowns for every team; entirely too many simulations, with an assist on important prospects from @HockeywthHannah. pic.twitter.com/cXdYvq2K1K
The HockeyViz model has the Penguins at a mean of 94.6 points, good for the third best Metropolitan division team this season. Micah Blake McCurdy says about the Pens, “Pittsburgh are still declining, broadly, but will remain competitive so long their admittedly old players remain extremely good, which looks likely to hold through this season at least”
The not so good
Pittsburgh Penguins — 2024-25 season preview
— dom (@domluszczyszyn) October 1, 2024
with @seangentille and @hayyyshayyy
For the first time since Crosby's sophomore season, the Penguins start the season as an unlikely playoff bet.https://t.co/u4g19WzPDX pic.twitter.com/mVz2bLg0SS
The Athletic’s model isn’t big fans of the Penguins, giving them just a 30% chance at the playoffs on a total of 88.5 points for the season. They bottom lined it as such:
Crosby and his counterparts, for now, have largely stayed ahead of the aging curve. Bet against him at your own peril. Still, expecting a return to the playoffs by an old team with a flawed supporting cast in a conference with several up-and-coming teams would be unfair.
Moneypuck isn’t much higher, at 33.6% playoff odds projected to start the season. That is good for fifth in the division, but this model preferred the chances of teams like Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo to take the final Wild Card playoff spot.
Hockey is back! pic.twitter.com/2pA41Vrh7o
— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) October 2, 2024
The Evolving Hockey model shows how difficult it may be to make the playoffs due to a potentially strong Atlantic Division. It puts the Pens at 87.8 points, fifth in the Metropolitan Division, but also projects the Atlantic to gobble up both the Wild Cards (with Tampa and Ottawa north of 93 points, and Boston at 91).
## Team Point Projections ##
— Evolving-Hockey (@EvolvingHockey) October 4, 2024
Summer is officially over. The '24-25 NHL Regular Season begins today. We've got you covered with a little Team Point Projections overview.
Get ready to set those expectations appropriately. https://t.co/vZG6BAo3Ey pic.twitter.com/CdzvPrj2np