Penguins Off-Season Look Ahead

The Penguins arguably overachieved in 2010-2011 due to the vast majority of injuries but the standard didn't change for the Penguins brass and that was competing for a Stanley Cup.

After a first round outster, laying out the blueprint for the 2011 off-season now becomes the focus for the Penguins hockey operations staff.

Unlike previous seasons, they have over two months to prepare for free agency.

The Penguins enter the off-season with $54.866 million committed to 16 players for next season: 7 forwards, 7 defensemen and 2 goaltenders. The salary cap is expected to rise to the $62.5 - $63.5 million range. However, the Penguins won't have a lot of cap space to address their most pressing need of a scoring winger.

Walkout meetings are on Friday for the players and the Penguins brass are at least a few weeks away from formulating a plan to attack their group of pending unrestricted free agents. A group that doesn't include a Sergei Gonchar but includes several valuable role players.

Among the most pressing issues that must be addressed is where the team envisions Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin fitting in the lineup. This season the plan was for Staal to center the second line and move Evgeni Malkin to wing.

Have the Penguins seen enough from Staal where the team may feel now that he doesn't have the instincts and offensive skill to be a top-2 line center? If the intention is to go back to the three center model and let Staal do what he does well, it could seal the fate of a valuable player like Max Talbot who really appears to be finding his niche as a third line center in this league.

Last year upgrading the blueline was the top priority and upgrading the winger position will surely be the top priority this off-season.

It's a little early to be throwing names out there but remember the name Curtis Glencross who sources indicate will be a top target of the Penguins.

The Penguins normally don't begin serious negotiations with pending unrestricted free agents until June and look for them to address their restricted free agents first.

The top priority will be 24 year old Tyler Kennedy who is arbitration eligible.