Pittsburgh’s preseason got messy in a hurry Monday, and the hits kept coming beyond the scoreboard.
Benjamin Kindel was the first Penguin to go down, leaving the team’s preseason game early with a lower-body injury, according to a team announcement. He had been skating on a line with Andrei Kuzmenko and Bryan Rust, and the trio generated two shots across six shifts before Kindel’s night ended. In his place, Pittsburgh bumped Connor Dewar and Tristan Broz into the mix.
Kindel’s status is worth watching as the 2026-27 campaign approaches. He broke out in his rookie season with 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games, production few expected from a player many thought would still be outside the pro ranks. Now he looks like a real part of Pittsburgh’s top-nine, with room to take another step.
The Penguins also had another injury scare later in the day when Ville Koivunen left practice after taking a puck to the face, per King Jemison of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Koivunen was ruled out of Monday’s preseason action, which opened the door for Avery Hayes and Tanner Howe to get more run.
The 23-year-old winger signed an eight-year extension this offseason, and that deal has already put a spotlight on his 2026-27 season. He had seven points in 39 NHL games last season and added 41 points in 34 AHL games.
It’s still unclear whether Monday’s issue will affect his availability for the start of the season.
Elsewhere around the preseason, the New York Rangers lost Adam Sykora in the first period of their matchup after he sustained a lower-body injury. The team announced the injury, and Sykora appeared to be dealing with his right knee after a collision with New Jersey Devils defenseman Mikael Diotte.
He needed help getting off the ice after the hit. Before leaving, he had one shot block in four shifts.
Sykora was trying to win a bottom-six job with New York after posting five points in 11 NHL games last season. He also put up 29 points in 62 AHL games during his third full season in the league. Depending on how serious the injury turns out to be, his absence could disrupt the Rangers’ plans heading into the season.
Columbus defenseman Dante Fabbro also had a shortened night, exiting Monday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings after the second period with an upper-body injury. He logged seven minutes, blocked one shot and delivered one hit before leaving.
Last season, Fabbro averaged 16:34 of ice time over 74 games with Columbus, finishing with 11 points, a minus-16 rating and 33 penalty minutes. If he’s healthy, he should still be in line for a third-pair role, though that could change if the injury carries into the regular season.
In Other News...
Penguins Suddenly Have A Worrying Injury Question At Center
Ben Kindel gave the Penguins a promising look in Mondays preseason game against the Sabres, skating on a line with Bryan Rust and Andrei Kuzmenko before the night took an unwelcome turn. Pittsburgh said the center left after the first period because of a lower-body injury, cutting short what had been a strong start to the evening.
The immediate concern for the Penguins is less about one preseason game than what Kindels absence could mean for a spot that is already worth watching closely. There was no update on the severity of the injury, leaving the team and the player in a familiar early-season holding pattern while they wait to learn whether this is a brief setback or something more disruptive. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Camp Battle Already Took An Early Turn Fans Wont Like
The first night of Penguins preseason hockey offered the usual early-camp mix of promise and uncertainty, with Pittsburgh handling the Sabres while a few players made strong first impressions. It was the sort of opener that can help shape how a roster battle looks in late September, especially when coaches are sorting through young players, depth pieces and the first few signs of who is ready to push for a spot.
But the game also brought an immediate setback, with Ben Kindel exiting the picture after an injury report surfaced. For a camp that was already set to be defined by competition, that development adds a layer of frustration before the battle really settles in, and it leaves the Penguins watching closely to see how quickly the situation changes and what it means for the rest of the lineup race. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Came Much Closer To A Fleury Reunion Than Fans Knew
Marc-Andre Fleurys name still carries a different kind of weight in Pittsburgh, and a recent revelation from former Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford adds another layer to that lingering connection. Speaking on a podcast, Rutherford said he came much closer than fans realized to bringing Fleury back after his run with the Vegas Golden Knights, with trade talks taking place around the 2021 offseason before the idea fell apart.
For Penguins fans, it is the sort of near-miss that invites a lot of what-if debate, even if Rutherford suggested the reunion would have been more memorable than transformative. Instead, Fleury wound up going to the Chicago Blackhawks, leaving Pittsburgh to wonder how different it would have felt to see one of the franchises most popular players return in black and gold for another run. [Read more 🡒]