Sidney Crosby is insistent the Pittsburgh Penguins don't make a habit of missing the playoffs.

The club fell short of the postseason cutline this past spring for the first time since Crosby's rookie season in 2005-06, and getting back into the dance is the future Hall of Famer's primary goal heading into his 19th campaign.

"Motivation comes from not making the playoffs," Crosby told The Athletic's Rob Rossi.

"That's a bad feeling when you're watching and you're not in it. To know you were as close as we were - I mean, it was one point, basically, is the difference - you know how tight it is going in. But it's just not fun watching."

Pittsburgh's 91 points were one shy of the Florida Panthers, who secured the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins controlled their own destiny to close out the year but fell flat in their last two games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets - who finished 30th and 31st, respectively, in the league standings.

After the failed season, the Penguins fired general manager Ron Hextall and president Brian Burke before hiring Kyle Dubas to run the front office. Dubas was as busy as any executive in the league over the summer, making several prominent free-agent signings and orchestrating a blockbuster trade for reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson.

Crosby is encouraged by the new looks across the organization.

"When there's turnover and change, you just have to be open to it and make sure we're ready to go," he said. "I mean, there's always going to be a learning curve for any new group, but when there's a lot of turnover, that's just part of it."

Crosby appeared in all 82 games last season and notched 93 points, both personal bests since 2018-19.

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It was a clean sweep weekend for the BC sports teams, so no shortage of things to talk about on Monday’s show. Matt and Blake look back on a nice performance by the Canucks at the Young Stars Showcase in Penticton, plus, the C’s win the Northwest League title, the Lions win a comeback for the ages at BC Place, and the Whitecaps remain road warriors with a win in Toronto. Jeff Paterson from the Rink Wide: Vancouver podcast joins in to give his report card from the weekend games in Penticton, and picks a couple of players with a chance to make some NHL noise this season. JPat looks ahead to Canucks training camp starting later this week and discusses some of the top storylines to follow. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

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Columbus Blue Jackets majority owner John McConnell isn't planning to punish the club's front-office staff for the Mike Babcock debacle - at least not right now.

"Our ownership group is deeply frustrated and disappointed by the events of the past week," McConnell said in a statement Monday. "We have been in contact with (president of hockey operations) John Davidson, (general manager) Jarmo Kekalainen, and our management team throughout this process and were in full agreement with Mike Babcock stepping down and Pascal Vincent leading our team as head coach.

"We had candid conversations with our leadership after last season about our goals and expectations for growth and progress on the ice in 2023-24. Those expectations are still in place and can still be achieved, so we do not anticipate further changes to our hockey leadership team at this time. Additional disruptions would be detrimental to our players and coaches as they prepare for the opening of training camp in two days. We will continue to have regular communications with our hockey leadership and are looking forward to an exciting season."

Kekalainen and Davidson addressed reporters shortly thereafter, and the latter executive admitted they erred in hiring Babcock.

"We got it wrong, and that's on us," Davidson said, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.

Davidson said those who were critical of the Babcock hiring from the beginning may have been justified, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Kekalainen took responsibility individually for the decision.

"I believe that Mike Babcock deserved another opportunity to coach. Obviously, that was a mistake, and that responsibility's mine," the GM said, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

Kekalainen confirmed some of the Blue Jackets' players weren't comfortable with Babcock's methods, before adding the ex-head coach asked him for his phone as well.

"Personally, I had no problem with it, but I can see how it might put someone in an uncomfortable situation," Kekalainen said. The GM also mentioned that he apologized to the team Monday for the hiring.

Kekalainen and Davidson are now under the microscope after Babcock resigned Sunday amid an NHLPA investigation into allegations that he forced players - including Jackets captain Boone Jenner - to hand over their phones, scrolled through their camera rolls, and AirPlayed photos onto a larger screen.

The Blue Jackets issued denials from Babcock and Jenner shortly after podcast host Paul Bissonnette cited the allegations made to him by an unnamed player Tuesday. The NHL and NHLPA then began looking into the matter, as representatives from the latter organization travelled to Columbus to investigate.

The NHLPA was reportedly initially satisfied with explanations from Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau, but later changed course after hearing some of Columbus' younger players were uncomfortable with Babcock's actions.

Kekalainen has been the Blue Jackets' GM since February 2013, when Columbus made him the first European-born individual to occupy the role in NHL history. He's now the third-longest tenured current GM in the league despite the fact that the Jackets have won only one playoff series in his 10 full seasons at the helm.

Davidson hired Kekalainen in 2013. The former goaltender resigned as team president in May 2019 to take the same job with the New York Rangers and then returned to Columbus in his current capacity after the Blueshirts fired him in the spring of 2021.

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Buckle up, everyone. The tense scraps for wild-card spots and heavyweight bouts for the top place in each division are almost upon us. Ah, we missed the gut-wrenching anxiety and excitement that the hockey season brings.

We know nothing comes easy in the NHL, but we've gone ahead and ranked the divisions anyway, going from weakest to strongest.

4. Central

There's no debate about who the top two squads are in the Central. The Avalanche and Stars both project to be fearsome contenders in 2023-24.

Colorado finished one point ahead of Dallas for the No. 1 spot in the division last season despite an inordinate number of injuries to key players. The Avalanche had to retool parts of their lineup this summer and will once again be without Gabriel Landeskog, but the mere presence of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar makes them the favorites to finish atop the division for a third straight year. The Stars already checked all the boxes you need to go Cup chasing - a dynamite top line (Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson), a stud defenseman (Miro Heiskanen), and a great goalie (Jake Oettinger) - but they got even scarier by adding Matt Duchene, who fell into their lap after the Panthers bought him out.

Minnesota sits in the Central's next tier. The Wild will in all likelihood take the third spot, but they are really feeling the constraints from the pricey Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts from two years ago. With around $14.7 million in dead cap space, Minnesota could only add Pat Maroon this summer with the team basically stuck in a holding pattern.

The drop-off from here ranges wildly, which is why we put the Central in the No. 4 spot. The Jets are listing toward hot-mess territory after another inconsistent campaign and could get even worse if they move on from pending unrestricted free agents Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck during the season. Plenty of noise is expected to surround the team again, but that's becoming the norm for Winnipeg. The Predators are difficult to predict after an interesting first offseason under GM Barry Trotz where they parted ways with Duchene while adding the likes of Ryan O'Reilly and Luke Schenn. Depending on how things shake out, we could see both teams in the race for a wild-card spot, but it won't be easy given the stiff competition from the Central's Western Conference counterparts.

The Blues had a midseason fire sale in 2022-23, and now only six players remain who won the Stanley Cup in 2019: Robert Thomas, Brayden Schenn, Sammy Blais, Colton Parayko, Robert Bortuzzo, and Jordan Binnington. St. Louis had a quiet summer, adding just Kevin Hayes, Oskar Sundqvist, and Mackenzie MacEachern, and the club may be stuck outside the playoff picture again if the likes of Thomas, Binnington, Parayko, and Jordan Kyrou don't step up.

Finally, for the first time in what feels like forever, the Coyotes and Blackhawks will at least be exciting to watch, albeit not as surefire playoff threats. Arizona has more potential to surprise, though, after adding a large new cast of players, including Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba, not to mention youngster Logan Cooley. 2023 first-overall pick Connor Bedard, meanwhile, will make sure the media spotlight shines bright on Chicago all season.

3. Pacific

There's a thin margin separating the Pacific and the No. 2 division on this list, but we ended up giving the bronze to the reigning Stanley Cup champions and Co.

The Golden Knights will be virtually the same team as last year - sans Reilly Smith, Laurent Brossoit, Phil Kessel, and Teddy Blueger - which certainly isn't a wrong move given they're just three months removed from lifting Lord Stanley's Mug. The Oilers are the other major threat in the Pacific thanks to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Our money is on Vegas and Edmonton duking it out for the top spot.

The Kings, meanwhile, are an interesting case. They boast a fearsome one-two-three punch down the middle in Anze Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Phillip Danault, but you can't say the same about their goalies. The trio of Pheonix Copley, Cam Talbot, and David Rittich doesn't feel structurally sound, especially in a division that features two of last season's top-five offenses.

The first one is easy to guess - Edmonton led the league with 325 goals. The Kraken, however, ranked fourth with 289 while rebounding from their abysmal inaugural season. Seattle got it done by committee thanks to strong team chemistry and was largely able to keep the gang intact this summer. Like the Kings, goaltending is the Kraken's biggest concern, with much of the responsibility riding on Philipp Grubauer's shoulders.

There are a couple of wild cards in the mix out west, too. The Canucks revamped their defense by buying out Oliver Ekman-Larsson and bringing in Carson Soucy and Ian Cole. That should help goalie Thatcher Demko, who struggled last season, but we aren't rushing to pencil Vancouver into a playoff spot. No one can be certain what the Flames will look like - any number of Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm, and Mikael Backlund could still be moved - but a shift away from ex-coach Darryl Sutter's hard-nosed style could positively impact Calgary's place in the standings.

Finally, we've got a pair of stragglers in California. We think the Ducks are going to be better than they were last season, but the Sharks will be worse. San Jose finally moved on from reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, while Anaheim improved its ranks by being active on the veteran UFA market with the additions of two-time Stanley Cup champion Alex Killorn and heavy defenseman Radko Gudas.

2. Atlantic

It feels like the Atlantic Division is usually a lock for the No. 1 spot, but not this time. This isn't to say that it isn't filled with heavyweights, it's just that a few of the usual suspects have taken a step back.

The Bruins were dealt not one but two crushing blows after the retirements of Selke Trophy king Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Barring any other moves, Boston is entering the season with Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha as its top two centers. That's quite the drop-off for the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners, but they still boast at least one bona fide star in each of their position groups thanks to David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Linus Ullmark. The Bruins' spot in the playoffs isn't guaranteed, but this team can still compete.

The Lightning, meanwhile, saw their point percentage dip below the .600 mark for the first time since 2016-17 last season, and they're at risk of a further slide after a tight salary-cap situation forced them to lose key supporting players in Killorn, Maroon, Ross Colton, and Corey Perry. Staying in Florida, the Panthers are coming off a miracle run to the Stanley Cup Final, which was astounding given the way they struggled in the regular season. We project the Cardiac Cats to come back down to earth a little bit in 2023-24, with the main determining factor being Sergei Bobrovsky; Matthew Tkachuk may be confident that Bobrovsky will be the same game-breaking goalie he was last spring, but we aren't as convinced. Florida will also be without top defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour to start the season.

Rounding out the Atlantic's typical top dogs are the Maple Leafs, who could very well be the most realistic option to take the No. 1 spot at this point. Toronto is returning with its talented-yet-much-criticized core, but new GM Brad Treliving has altered his team's identity by injecting some "snot" in the form of Ryan Reaves, Max Domi, and Tyler Bertuzzi.

Now this is where the division starts to get really interesting. The Sabres, Senators, and Red Wings could all conceivably force their way into the playoffs after making strides in 2022-23. Buffalo was just one point away last year, and the young group is hungry to take the next step, while Ottawa is hoping new No. 1 goalie Joonas Korpisalo will have better luck getting the club over the hump. Detroit was the furthest from the postseason picture of the trio last season but made the most additions this summer, including Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Jeff Petry, and Shayne Gostisbehere.

Finally, the Canadiens ... are there. Someone has to finish eighth in the division, and we assume it'll be them.

1. Metropolitan

The Eastern Conference is stacked, and we predict the Presidents' Trophy will head to the Metropolitan Division.

This isn't a hot take: If it weren't for the Bruins having a historically good campaign, the Hurricanes would've been the league's best regular-season squad last year. However, don't count out the Devils. Only one point separated New Jersey and Carolina in the standings, and neither team took a step back this summer. The Hurricanes added gritty forward Michael Bunting, who gained experience playing with elite talent in Toronto, and they added to the league's best defense corps by bringing in Dmitry Orlov. The Devils will be getting a full season with Timo Meier, and they added Tyler Toffoli, who led the Flames with 34 goals and 73 points last season.

We have the Rangers pencilled into the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division simply because it would take a gargantuan effort by new head coach Peter Laviolette and his squad to supplant the Canes or Devils. New York will be good again, buoyed by goalie Igor Shesterkin, top defense pair Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren, and a strong forward group featuring Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibinejad, and Chris Kreider. The Islanders didn't change at all following a first-round exit at the hands of the Hurricanes, but they'll go as Ilya Sorokin goes. He could very well drag them into the playoffs again.

Similar to the Atlantic, the Metro's middling, non-playoff teams from last year will draw plenty of intrigue. The Penguins heavily underperformed in 2022-23, but new GM Kyle Dubas did his part to ensure Sidney Crosby and Co. will be back in the dance this spring by reeling in reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. As for Pittsburgh's biggest rivals, we refuse to believe the Capitals will be as injured as they were in 2022-23, so a return to the postseason for Washington is viable. Helping the Caps' case is Max Pacioretty, who, like many others on the team, will be looking to rebound from an injury-riddled campaign.

We have hope for one of the Metro's 2022-23 bottom-feeders. The Blue Jackets will have top defenseman Zach Werenski back, and they made some intriguing additions on the back end with Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov. Hopefully, they can make life easier for goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who had a hell of a time last season. We don't, however, have hope for the other bottom-feeder. At least top prospect Cutter Gauthier should be fun for Flyers fans to watch if he comes over once the NCAA season ends.

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Mike Babcock is out as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets without serving behind the bench for a single game.

The 60-year-old resigned from the position Sunday, with associate coach Pascal Vincent taking over the role, the club announced.

"Upon reflection, it has become clear that continuing as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets was going to be too much of a distraction," Babcock said in a statement issued by the team. "While I'm disappointed to not have had the opportunity to continue the work we've begun, I know it's in the best interest of the organization for me to step away at this time. I wish everyone in the organization well in the upcoming season."

Babcock came under NHLPA scrutiny Tuesday when podcast host Paul Bissonnette claimed a player told him the bench boss had repeatedly asked players - including Columbus captain Boone Jenner - for their phones, scrolled through their camera rolls, and projected the images onto a larger screen.

The veteran coach denied doing so shortly thereafter, and Jenner said they simply exchanged family photos.

The league and the NHLPA looked into the matter and were initially satisfied with Jenner's explanation, as well as a similar one from teammate Johnny Gaudreau, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. However, the league and the players' union reportedly changed their minds when several of Columbus' younger players said they weren't comfortable with what happened to them.

Among the most serious concerns for the NHLPA was a meeting that occurred away from team facilities that included several minutes of looking through a phone, multiple sources told Friedman.

"This was a difficult decision on everyone's part, but one we felt necessary to ensure our focus remains on the players and the team's upcoming season," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. "On behalf of the entire Blue Jackets organization, we want to thank Mike for his hard work and the professionalism he has shown in working together on a plan to step down."

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