7 Things the Pittsburgh Penguins Must Do to Win the Stanley Cup

2. Superstar Back-checking

Do you know what the previous five Stanley Cup Champions have in common? Each team has superstars that not only score goals, but also superstars that play defense at a high level.

2014 Los Angeles Kings: Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter.
2013 Chicago Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews.
2012 Los Angeles Kings: Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter.
2011 Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron.
2010 Chicago Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews.

The old adage that “defense wins championships” does not only apply to defensemen, but also to team defense as a whole.

Once a team gets deep into the playoffs, the offensive talent and skill is mind-boggling. This is why superstar centers need to play exceptional defense to give their teams a chance at Lord Stanley’s Cup.