Nick Robertson gets another shot at family bragging rights tonight, and this one comes with a little extra weight.
The Pittsburgh Penguins forward is set to line up against his older brother, Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, in the ninth head-to-head meeting of their NHL careers. Through the first eight, Nick has had the upper hand. He has scored four goals to Jason’s two, and the brothers are tied with five points apiece, with Nick collecting one assist and Jason posting three.
Nick’s edge in the matchup is already reflected in the overall record, too. He is 5-3-0 against Jason in NHL play.
That personal advantage is happening alongside a strong start in Pittsburgh. Nick has scored three goals in his first five games as a Penguin, which ties him for the team lead. If he keeps producing against Dallas, he’ll have another chance to pile on to that fast start while keeping the family scoreboard in his favor.
Jason, of course, has his own chance to answer back. He’s become a major offensive piece for the Stars, and Saturday gives him another crack at getting the better of his younger brother on the ice.
The family angle is real, too. Hugh and Mercedes Robertson are expected to be in attendance, which only adds to a matchup that already comes with built-in conversation at home.
For the Robertsons, it’s a tough one to call. For Nick and Jason, it’s simpler: let the goals decide it.
In Other News...
Sabres Just Added A New Concern To Their Blue Line Depth
Buffalos blue line depth took another hit with a minor trade on Tuesday, as the Sabres and Penguins swapped organization-level defensemen in a move that could still ripple beyond the AHL roster. Pittsburgh picked up Ryan Johnson, while Buffalo brought in Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch, with all three players currently assigned to minor league teams. For the Penguins, it is a low-risk way to add another young defenseman to the system and see whether Johnson can carve out a path within a different organization.
For Buffalo, the deal closes the book on Johnsons time in the organization after a long run that began when he was drafted in 2019. Jones is the name most likely to matter in the short term, since he is expected to give the Sabres some defensive insurance while injuries continue to test the teams depth. The rest of the move is more about rearranging pieces than making an immediate NHL impact, but it is the kind of transaction that can quietly shape what a team has available when the season starts to wear on. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Head Into Tough Trip With One Big Question Still Unsettled
After a rough start to the week against Winnipeg and Washington, the Penguins steadied themselves enough to pick up three of a possible four points in back-to-back games against Columbus and Dallas. The Dallas showing in particular offered a better snapshot of where the group can be when it is skating with purpose, and now the next test arrives quickly as Pittsburgh opens a difficult road trip in Chicago.
The trip brings the usual lineup and goalie questions into sharper focus, especially with the Penguins trying to keep momentum while making small adjustments around the edges. The Blackhawks have been struggling through a poor season and a low expected goal share, but there is still some uncertainty around whether Connor Bedard will be available Tuesday, leaving Pittsburgh to prepare for more than one version of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Just Added A Blue Line Piece Worth Watching
Pittsburgh continued its blue line shuffle by bringing in Ryan Johnson from Buffalo, a move that adds another young defenseman to the mix as the Penguins keep sorting out their depth on the back end. Johnson has spent parts of four professional seasons working between the NHL, the AHL and college hockey, and his background gives the Penguins a player with some mileage but still room to grow.
For a team that has been looking for useful pieces on defense, Johnson arrives with a manageable cap hit and some runway left on his contract. The question now is how quickly he can carve out a role in Pittsburgh after getting a longer look in Buffalo, where he logged 47 NHL games before this change of scenery. [Read more 🡒]