Dan Muse Not Surprised By Hot Start From Penguins’ Veteran Players

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse isn’t shocked that the team and his veteran players are off to a hot start.

The Penguins are off to a 7-2-2 start and coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. A key reason for the hot start is the success of the veteran players, such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin is tied for fourth in the NHL in points with 16 through 11 games, while Crosby has 15 points in 11 games. It’s been a hot start for the two veteran stars, and although it’s been a bit of a surprise to some, it isn’t to Muse.

“These guys have been playing at a very high level for a very long time,” Muse said postgame on Tuesday about Crosby and Malkin. “They’re continuing to do it, and I think we’re also getting contributions from other guys throughout the lineup. And we need that. We need it to be everybody. And so, am I surprised that we’re getting that from them? I’m not. We need to make sure, though, (that) it also continues to be contributions from everybody.

“That goal (Justin Brazeau) Braz scores, that was a big one there to start the game, and obviously it ended up factoring in to help us get a point. And on different nights, it’s other guys that are chipping in. Those guys hold themselves to a very high level. They’re going to continue to. That’s not going to change. We need other guys, also, to be coming in and making those contributions, which a lot of nights we have had. So, again, (the) third period was better, (the) second period, we got a lot to clean up there.”

Although Crosby and Malkin appear to have turned back the clock to begin the season, Muse expects it to continue all season long.

The Penguins will return to the ice on Thursday on the road against the Minnesota Wild at 8 p.m. ET.

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