Sunday may have been quiet on the NHL schedule, but the rumor mill and the league’s edges still found a way to make noise. Pierre McGuire had a blunt read on Dylan Larkin, Shane Wright’s situation in Seattle got another round of scrutiny, and a few teams around the league kept leaning into a style built on making life miserable for the opponent.
The most pointed comment in the bunch came from McGuire, who was asked whether Larkin would take a trade to the Canadiens. That move remains a long shot, but McGuire went beyond the hypothetical and said Larkin looks “broken” to him.
Seattle also stayed in the spotlight because of Wright. His agent pushed for a trade before training camp, but nothing came of it. That left the conversation to shift toward what comes next for Wright, and whether Seattle itself is in the middle of a rebuild.
Elsewhere, some teams are making their identity pretty clear. Cam Gaunce walked through the clubs that are the toughest to play against and the ones that have no problem intimidating opponents, a reminder that not every front office is chasing the same blueprint.
There was also a note from New Jersey, where Sheldon Keefe explained his three-goalie plan for the Devils and what it means going forward. That kind of setup usually says something about the team’s current state, and it certainly got attention.
In Florida, the preseason opened with the Tkachuk brothers already acting like the season had been going for months. The Panthers handled the Carolina Hurricanes, and the early read from that result is simple enough: Florida looks ready to be a problem.
Back in Pittsburgh, the bigger issue remains the Penguins’ direction. After three full days and the end of training camp, the conversation around Kyle Dubas and the rebuild has sharpened, especially after this writer argued Dubas may have blocked his own attempt to rebuild.
An NHL executive also offered insight into prospect development, and the takeaway was that it doesn’t line up neatly with what the Penguins are doing. That’s the piece worth sitting with, because the rebuild question has been hanging over the organization all summer.
On the Steelers side, the day brought a rough result in Foxboro as New England beat Pittsburgh. Alan Saunders was there and argued the Steelers’ main issue can be fixed, at least for now. That view didn’t quite line up with what was seen on the show later, where Aaron Rodgers’ missed throws drew more scrutiny.
One more note from the hockey world: Gavin McKenna made his preseason debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the crowd responded like it knew it was seeing something special. It was one of those nights that stood out immediately.
And yes, there was even a late-night local TV appearance in Pittsburgh that ran close to 1 a.m., with hockey and football both getting airtime. The show leaned heavily toward Steelers talk, even with a hockey question on the table, and it ended up giving about as much time to Pitt football as to the Penguins.
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 🡒]
Blue Jackets Suddenly Have A Dante Fabbro Concern To Watch
Preseason has already started to test Pittsburghs depth, with forward Benjamin Kindel leaving Mondays game early because of a lower-body injury after the team announced his exit. The Penguins have also had to manage winger Ville Koivunen, who was hurt in practice when he took a puck to the face and then missed the next preseason game, underscoring how quickly training camp can get messy before the games even count.
Around the division, the injury pileup has not been limited to Pittsburgh, either. New York Rangers forward Adam Sykora also left his preseason game with an injury, and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro suffered one of his own during preseason action, adding another layer of concern for a team that would much rather be sorting out lineup decisions than watching the injury report this early. [Read more 🡒]