Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang added another line to their already crowded place in NHL history on the opening night of the 2026-27 season.
The Penguins’ longtime core helped Pittsburgh roll past the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0, and with that win the trio picked up their 494th regular-season victory together. That gives them the most regular-season wins by any trio in league history.
The old mark belonged to Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who were teammates with the San Jose Sharks from 2006 to 2019.
For Crosby, Malkin and Letang, this is just the latest milestone in a partnership that has stretched all the way back to the 2006-07 season. Over that span, the Penguins have reached the Stanley Cup Final four times and won it three times, in 2009, 2016 and 2017. They also helped Pittsburgh secure a playoff spot in 16 straight seasons from 2007 through 2022.
A year ago, they became the first trio in NHL history to play 20 seasons together.
The hardware tells the same story. The three future Hockey Hall of Famers have combined for three Hart Trophies, four Art Ross Trophies, three Conn Smythe Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards and one Bill Masterton Trophy.
Crosby, 39, has 654 goals and 1,108 assists for 1,762 points in 1,421 career regular-season games. In 186 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he has 72 goals and 134 assists for 206 points.
Malkin, 40, has piled up 534 goals and 874 assists for 1,403 points in 1,270 regular-season games. In 183 playoff appearances, he has 69 goals and 114 assists for 183 points.
Letang, also 39, has 178 goals and 629 assists for 807 points in 1,236 regular-season games. He has added 25 goals and 67 assists for 92 points in 155 playoff contests.
In Other News...
Penguins Just Sent The Flyers A Message Fans Will Love
A road trip to Philadelphia turned into a loud statement night for the Penguins, who left Xfinity Mobile Arena with a 7-0 win and the kind of performance that travels well in a rivalry. Pittsburgh controlled the game in shots and scoring chances from the opening stretch, while Artus Silovs had a relatively quiet workload, facing 12 shots in the first 40 minutes as the skaters in front of him kept the Flyers pinned back.
The part Penguins fans will enjoy most is how deep the damage went. The scoring came from all over the lineup, and the third line delivered three goals of its own, with Ville Koivunen, Filip Hallander and Hendrix Lapierre all finding the net. Koivunens breakaway finish added another layer to a night that already looked bad for Philadelphia, and it left the impression of a team getting contributions far beyond its top names. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Get An Early Forward Boost With Bigger Lineup Questions Ahead
The Penguins got a useful early-season lift with Blake Lizotte back on the active roster after his upper-body injury kept him sidelined on a week-to-week basis. His return gives Pittsburgh a bit more certainty up front heading into the season opener, where he is expected to slot in as the fourth-line center and help settle a depth group that has been waiting for bodies to return.
There is still plenty for the Penguins to sort out, though, and practice offered a reminder that the roster picture is not fully clear yet. Benjamin Kindel and Bryan Rust were both on the ice in no-contact jerseys, a sign that each is moving in the right direction even if they are not ready for full participation. For a team trying to build its opening-night lineup, those are encouraging steps, but they also leave some of the bigger forward questions hanging. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Gave Flyers Fans A Night Pittsburgh Will Love
A lopsided night against Philadelphia gave the Penguins exactly the sort of payoff their fans enjoy most, with the postgame conversation drifting quickly from the scoreline to the players who made it feel even bigger. The result came with plenty of reaction afterward, and for Pittsburgh, any dominant showing over the Flyers always carries a little extra edge.
Nick Robertson was among the names drawing attention after the win, and Ville Koivunen also earned positive notice for how he handled the moment. With trade chatter around Alexander Nikishin still circulating around the league and other Pittsburgh sports headlines carrying their own weight, this one landed as a clean, satisfying reminder of why a strong game against Philadelphia still matters around here. [Read more 🡒]