PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) — TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joined The Fan Morning Show on Thursday to break down the Pens’ 5-2 Wednesday loss to the Maple Leafs, and to offer perspective on how the team fits into the NHL landscape at large.

He wasn’t overly concerned about the result of Wednesday’s game.

“I still rank the Pittsburgh Penguins as my top contending team,” Dreger said.

He pointed out that parity should be as strong as ever in this shortened season, and that unusually sloppy play across the board could cause some of that.

“You do have to be mindful that there was a very short training camp and no preseason,” Dreger said. “That might be frustrating for the fans, and it’s certainly frustrating for the coaches.”

The interview can be heard here: