Atlantic

Pittsburgh

Penguins

LAST SEASON 22-46-14, 15th in East

KEY ADDITIONS D Mark Eaton, C Evgeni Malkin, C Dominic Moore, RW Ronald Petrovicky, RW Mark Recchi, LW Jarkko Ruutu
KEY LOSSES G Sebastien Caron, F Andy Hilbert

There's no denying how scary-good the center-ice tandem of second-year man Sidney Crosby and rookie Russian import Evgeni Malkin can be, but the Penguins' playoff hopes rest with their ability to keep the puck out of their net. Pittsburgh has let in the most goals for two seasons running (310 in 2005--06) and returns virtually the same lineup on the blue line. The Penguins did improve after coach Michel Therrien took over in December, partly because he coaxed more-disciplined play out of veteran defenseman Sergei Gonchar. To take the heat off underperforming goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Therrien will have to make a similar impact on unproven backliners, such as Brooks Orpik and Ryan Whitney.

New York

Islanders

LAST SEASON 36-40-6, 12th in East

KEY ADDITIONS G.M. Garth Snow, Coach Ted Nolan, D Sean Hill, F Viktor Kozlov, D Tom Poti, C Mike Sillinger, LW Chris Simon, D Brendan Witt KEY LOSSES None

This season won't be any more entertaining than the club's summer. First, owner Charles Wang hired Ted Nolan, a former coach of the year with the Sabres, who had been out of the NHL for nine years. Then he hired Neil Smith, who built a Cup winner with the Rangers 12 seasons ago, to be his G.M.--only to fire him 40 days later over philosophical differences. Next, he made his backup goalie, Garth Snow, the G.M. Finally, Wang, who apparently didn't learn from the foolish 10-year contract he gave center Alexei Yashin (box, above) in 2001, signed goalie Rick DiPietro to a record 15-year, $67.5 million deal. Although Smith did sign 6'2", 220-pound defenseman Brendan Witt and 6'3", 220-pound forward Chris Simon, both of whom add needed muscle, it won't be enough to help DiPietro live up to his salary.