The 2014-15 NHL season is upon us, and the Penguins are coming in looking a lot different than in years past. After some recent playoff disappointments, the Penguins look to play with a sense of urgency under a new coach, who hopes to find instant success.

After last years heart breaking series loss to the New York Rangers, the Penguins organization felt it was time to make some changes. The Penguins are coming in with a new GM in the name of Jim Rutherford, who has had past NHL experience being the GM of the Carolina Hurricanes for 20 seasons.

He was busy right away having to hire a new head coach after the firing of Dan Bylsma. Rutherford finally brought in Mike Johnston to be the 21st head coach in Penguins’ history.

Johnston has had little NHL experience, but he spent some time as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. In 1998, he became the Los Angeles Kings’ head coach for one season.

As well, Rutherford hired former Penguin player Rick Tochet, who they will look to for a lot of leadership and discipline.

Other players are going to have to step it up this year after losing some of the top goal scorers in James Neal and Jussi Jokinen to trades and free agency.

Additionally, they need to fill the void on the defensive end after losing long time Penguin Brooks Orpik and the young, promising defenseman Matt Niskanin.

Some of the new players coming in include Blake Comeau and Steve Downie, who they will look to for grit, Patrick Hornqvist and Nick Spaling, who the Penguins acquired from Nashville in the James Neal trade, Christen Ehrhoff on defense, and Thomas Greiss, who will look to compete with Jeff Zatkoff  for the backup goaltender position.

Despite losing all these great players, the Penguins still have reigning MVP Sidney Crosby and superstar NHL player Evgeni Malkin.

Being asked about the recent changes in the Penguins’ offseason, Crosby had this to say in a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“There’s definitely a lot of change.  For me, just the way I am, I’m not the person who usually likes change. I’m pretty reliant on routine.

“That being said, when things have changed in the past, and in past experiences, it always kind of figured itself out at some point. I think you just have to have that confidence and ride the momentum that will hopefully carry from all the changes and a new perspective.

“All those things I think guys look forward to.  Some fresh faces are something that’s kind of inevitable at this point. There are things I think we can look to and, hopefully, allow us to turn the page on last year.”

The Penguins look a lot different than in years past, but the goal is still the same and that’s to win their fourth Stanley Cup.