How much will Penguins falter without Gonchar?

With Sergei Gonchar expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a broken wrist, the Penguins will be without their top defenseman for an extended period of time for the second straight season.

Last season, Gonchar missed the first 56 games because of a shoulder injury. During that time, the Penguins went 27-24-5 and slid to 10th place in the East. After his return — which also coincided with former head coach Michel Therrien’s firing — the Penguins went 18-4-4 en route to a 4th place finish while Gonchar racked up 19 points in 25 games, then added 14 points in 22 playoff games while battling a knee injury suffered at the hands of Alex Ovechkin.

It’s really no question that Gonchar has been the Penguins’ best all-around defenseman the past few years, so the question now is: how much will the Penguins falter while Gonchar is out?

Last year, rookie Alex Goligoski filled in for Gonchar, so look for him to have an even bigger role while Gonchar is out. In 9 games this season, Goligoski already has 7 points and is a team-leading +9 while paired with Jay McKee on defense.

Kris Letang will also need to step up, as it appears coach Dan Bylsma will be using the team’s two young offensive defensemen in multiple situations to cover for the loss of Gonchar. Veteran defenseman Martin Skoula, who has yet to play a game this season, should also help fill-in for the loss of Gonchar.

Unlike last season, the Penguins are better equipped to handle the loss of their top defenseman, but with Gonchar eating up around 25 minutes of ice time per game, there will be a large gap to fill on the blueline.