The Penguins opened their 50th anniversary season in the NHL as defending Stanley Cup champions, raising their commemorative banner on October 13, 2016, in a shootout victory over Washington. The Penguins faced the Columbus Blue Jackets in the opening round of the 2017 playoffs, defeating them in five games. In the second round, they played against their divisional rival, Washington, and faced them for the second-straight year in the same round, winning a seven-game series. In the conference finals, the Penguins eliminated the Ottawa Senators in seven games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced the Nashville Predators. The Penguins won the first two games of the finals and then lost the next two matchups before dominating the fifth and the sixth games of the series to win the Stanley Cup for the second straight year. By defending their title, the Penguins became the first team since the 1997–98 Detroit Red Wings to defend their title successfully and the first to do so in the salary cap era.
the penguins opened their 50th anniversary season in the nhl as defending stanley cup champions raising their commemorative banner on october 13 2016 in a shootout victory over washington the penguins faced the columbus blue jackets in the opening round of the 2017 playoffs defeating them in five games in the second round they played against their divisional rival washington and faced them for the second-straight year in the same round winning a seven-game series in the conference finals the penguins eliminated the ottawa senators in seven games to advance to the stanley cup finals where they faced the nashville predators the penguins won the first two games of the finals and then lost the next two matchups before dominating the fifth and the sixth games of the series to win the stanley cup for the second straight year by defending their title the penguins became the first team since the 1997–98 detroit red wings to defend their title successfully and the first to do so in the salary cap era