Several reasons could be given as to why this NHL season just “feels” different.  The compressed schedule has teams playing back-to-back games more often with the obvious potential of burning out some players.  The rash of injuries, some of the more bizarre variety, has teams utilizing more creative coaching solutions including the heavier use of AHL call-ups.  Additionally, especially for teams that had decent playoff runs last year, it seems that certain high caliber players are simply not playing up to their potential (I won’t name names, but feel certain each of us could come up with at least one example).

The Penguins are obviously not immune to all of the above, and for this reason their early season success has become so much more important.  Since jumping out of the gate with a blazing 11-3 record for the month of October they have since become a very mediocre team.  November hit the team hard, with numerous players going down to injury (at one point they had 5 defensemen out).  Still, they managed to turn in an 8-6 record.  Respectable, but hardly stellar.

As linemates started returning to the lineup it seemed as if the Pens were poised to turn in a strong December, yet that was not the case.  The team lacked cohesion and Fleury stumbled out of the Christmas break.  The team ended the month with another average performance, going 7-5-1.  January seemed to the time when the Pens could really start asserting themselves in the East but to date they are 7-6 during the stretch.

Last year the team made a tremendous push at the end of the season to propel themselves from 10^th place into the playoffs.  Given the number of players on the team that will not be getting a two week respite during the Olympics a similar push seems unlikely (and at this point, thankfully unneeded).  This really illustrates the importance of the Pens quick start.  Should the team hold its own throughout the rest of the season it will be that early season run the Pens will have to thank for getting them into the playoffs.