Bryan Rust’s status is the one that could sting Pittsburgh the most.
The Penguins forward exited last night’s preseason win over the Buffalo Sabres with an undisclosed injury, and head coach Dan Muse didn’t have an update afterward. That leaves Rust’s availability for Wednesday’s regular-season opener very much up in the air.
Pittsburgh is already juggling a crowded injury list up front. Blake Lizotte has been out of training camp with an upper-body injury, Ben Kindel is week-to-week after a lower-body injury on Monday, and Justin Brazeau is also dealing with a lower-body injury. Now Rust, one of the team’s most important forwards, has joined the list of question marks as the 2026-27 season approaches.
Rust matters because he’s not just another body in the lineup. The 34-year-old is a key offensive piece for Pittsburgh and holds a spot on the first power-play unit.
He has posted 65 points in back-to-back seasons, though he has also missed at least 10 games in each of the last three years. If this latest injury keeps him out, that pattern could start again right away.
There was also encouraging news out of Ottawa. Senators No. 1 defenseman Jake Sanderson left yesterday’s preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens with an injury, which naturally raised concern about his season-opening availability. But head coach Travis Green said after the game that Sanderson’s absence was “precautionary.”
Sanderson has been dealing with an injury, but the early read from Ottawa is that this is not expected to turn into a major setback. That would matter a lot for the Senators, since Sanderson is one of their most valuable skaters. He averaged nearly 25 minutes per game last season, handled both sides of special teams, and scored a career-best 54 points in 67 games.
In Buffalo, Jack Rathbone will miss time of his own. Rochester Americans head coach Mike Leone said the Sabres depth defenseman is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, according to Noted Hockey’s Joe Yerdon. Rathbone was placed on waivers yesterday and is expected to be a regular blueliner for the Amerks in 2026-27.
The 27-year-old spent the last two seasons in Rochester, where he put up 41 points in 112 games. He was once a top prospect in the Vancouver Canucks system, with Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranking him No. 3 in the organization in 2021, but most of his pro career has come as a steady AHL defenseman.
In Other News...
Senators Roster Picture Just Got Much Messier Before Cutdown Day
Ottawas training camp trim started in earnest over the weekend, with the Senators releasing five players from their camp roster and loaning 10 more to Belleville as the organization begins narrowing the field before NHL cutdown day. The moves were part of a familiar late-camp sorting process, but this one has felt a little more complicated for Ottawa, especially with the roster still being shaped by injuries, absences and a few moving parts in goal.
The crease picture shifted again after the Senators lost Leevi Merilainen on waivers, then brought in Jonas Johansson from Tampa Bay to help stabilize the depth chart. Elsewhere, the club is trying to make its final decisions while several players are already unavailable, including Jake Sanderson and Andre Burakovsky after both left Saturdays action with injuries, and Ridly Greig, who will miss the first two games because of a suspension. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Face One Huge Test In Their First Season Without Brady
The Senators are heading into the 2026-27 season with a very different feel after trading captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in June, and the challenge now is making sure the offense still has enough punch without the player who defined so much of their identity. Ottawas path forward leans on a broader cast, with Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Dylan Cozens and William Eklund expected to drive the attack while Jake Sanderson anchors a defense that has a chance to be a real strength.
The next layer of the test is in goal, where Linus Ullmark is slated to carry a big load with newcomer Samuel Ersson brought in to help support him. The Senators have spent the past few seasons learning how to play meaningful hockey again, and this year will be about proving that progress can survive a major roster shift, even as the club quietly weighs whether it has enough depth behind Ullmark to get through a long season. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Blue-Line Decision Signals Where Ottawa Is Headed
The Senators blue-line picture is starting to take shape as camp rolls on, and Ben Huttons brief audition was part of that process. Ottawa brought the veteran defenseman in on a professional tryout ahead of 2026-27 training camp, giving him a chance to compete for a depth role while the team sorted through a crowded group of defenders. He got into three preseason games, but the organization also had prospect Carter Yakemchuk pushing for attention and a few other players in the mix for roster spots.
Where that leaves the back end is a little clearer now, even if the full depth chart is still being finalized. Ottawa has moved on from Huttons PTO, leaving Nikolas Matinpalo in position as the extra defenseman and signaling that the Senators are leaning toward younger internal options as they map out their next step on defense. [Read more 🡒]