The Pittsburgh Penguins haven't had an easy season, but things should lighten a bit down the stretch.
At this moment, there is not guarantee that the Pittsburgh Penguins streak of postseason appearances will be extended to 17.
Through their first 50 games of the season, the Penguins have a 25-16-9 record, good enough to barely hold on to the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
While it’s never a good idea to bet against players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, they are going to need all the help they can get.
How about one of the easiest remaining scheduled amongst Eastern Conference teams? That should go a long way in keeping the Penguins in the win column.
According to tankathon.com, of the 32 teams in the NHL, the Penguins remaining schedule ranks 19th in difficulty.
That number sounds fairly middle ground, but of the 13 teams with easier schedules, only one hails from the Eastern Conference.
Of Eastern teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the lone team with an easier remaining schedule than the Penguins.
Tankathon believes that the Penguins have a strength of schedule sitting at 1.1 for their final 32 games.
Some of the easiest opponents in the NHL are still on the docket for the Penguins, and that starts with their current California road trip.
Two of the Penguins next three games come against a pair of the worst teams in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.
The hardest spots remaining for the Penguins likely falls to their last contest against the Boston Bruins and battling the New York Rangers three times in a week.
The Penguins need all the help they can get, and a lighter strength of schedule should play into their favor.
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