Players are starting to drift back to Pittsburgh, and the early signs point to a busy few weeks ahead as Penguins training camp approaches in Cranberry. Social media posts from veterans and younger players alike suggest the group is nearly ready to get back on the ice, and this year’s camp will not last long enough to let everyone breathe. With the season trimmed to 84 games and the preseason shortened, the Penguins will have less than two weeks to sort through a roster that already looks crowded.
That’s the real tension hanging over camp before coach Dan Muse opens his second one: is this team leaning into the future, or chasing immediate results? General manager Kyle Dubas made it clear more than a year ago that younger players would get priority.
The Penguins did cycle a wave of rookies into the lineup last season, reaching a dozen by midseason, but the group eventually settled into a more veteran look. Whether that balance shifts again could shape both camp and the opening roster.
On defense, the picture looks about as settled as it can be, even if it isn’t ideal. The Penguins had multiple chances before, on, and after July 1 to build a more balanced blue line, but instead chose to give 35-year-old Trevor van Riemsdyk a two-year deal.
That came after Harrison Brunicke impressed in the AHL playoffs and after the June 30 acquisition of Kaedan Korczak. Penguins AGM Jason Spezza brushed off the imbalance, noting that TVR has played on the left at different points in his career.
The team clearly believes he gives them the best depth and balance option, even if he’s more comfortable on the right. From here, it looks like a decision that’s already been made.
The forward group is where things get crowded in a hurry. Justin Brazeau scored 18 goals last season in a breakout year, the most among the forwards competing for a job, but he was still left in the press box during the Stanley Cup Playoffs in favor of Elmer Soderblom.
That’s a hint at how this battle could unfold. The Penguins have more forwards than available spots, with roughly 18 players fighting for 13, maybe 14 openings.
Brazeau is in the mix along with Rutger McGroarty, Soderblom, Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre, and Ville Koivunen, and barring injuries, only two of those five are expected to stick. Brazeau looks like the odd man out because the Penguins have other bottom-six options who are harder to play against and can kill penalties, something he does not do.
Filip Hallander is also expected to be ready for camp, adding yet another layer to the competition.
Koivunen may end up being the player who forces the biggest chain reaction. Dubas drew plenty of public reaction when he gave Koivunen an eight-year contract, and whatever people thought of that move at the time, the roster consequences are real now.
If Koivunen is not one of the best 12 forwards in camp but still makes the team, then someone like Lapierre could get pushed out, and the Penguins might even lose a forward or two on waivers. If Koivunen wins his spot cleanly and claims the top-six role he held during his first recall at the end of the 2024-25 season, Evgeni Malkin could be pushed into a lower role.
Either way, Koivunen sits at the center of a lot of decisions.
Owen Pickering is another name worth watching, and he may look better than expected. He took real steps in the second half of last season, using his size, mobility, and hockey sense to become more dependable in the defensive zone.
Even with an opening on the left side of the defense, he is still unlikely to make the team. But his progress, along with his determination to prove people wrong and show the organization he’s ready, should make for a strong camp and keep him on the path toward a future call-up.
And even after all the cuts are made, the waivers are sorted, and the opening-night lineup is set for Philadelphia on Sept. 30, this still may not feel resolved. There will be players in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton pushing hard for NHL jobs, roles on the Penguins roster will remain unsettled, and Dubas will likely keep tinkering. The final roster might be set on paper, but the sense of certainty probably won’t come with it.
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Penguins Have A Camp Battle Fans Should Be Watching Closely
The Penguins added a little extra size and intrigue up front when they brought in Elmer Soderblom from the Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. He didnt take long to make an impression after the move, producing five goals and 10 points in 20 games for Pittsburgh while also getting into five playoff games and scoring once, enough to keep him in the conversation as the roster starts to take shape again.
Soderblom is signed through the 2026-27 season, which gives Pittsburgh some security if his camp push carries over into the fall. The real question now is whether he can turn that brief glimpse into a more permanent spot, because the Penguins have at least one forward battle worth watching closely when camp opens. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Could Revisit A Risky Roster Move Fans Know Too Well
With the NHL moving toward a 33rd team by the end of the year and a possible 34th franchise not far behind, league front offices are already having to think ahead to the kind of roster gymnastics expansion forces. For the Penguins, that kind of planning can bring back a familiar conversation, because expansion drafts tend to squeeze contenders into choosing between protecting depth and preserving flexibility for the future.
Pittsburgh fans know the tension well enough, and it could be back on the radar as the leagues next wave of growth takes shape. The broader NHL chatter has also been full of movement around other clubs, from E.J. Hradek floating possible landing spots for Connor McDavid if he ever leaves Edmonton to the Islanders unveiling a fan-selected alternate jersey for 2027-28, but the Penguins interest is more immediate: how to navigate another potentially risky roster decision without getting caught flat-footed. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Playoff Hopes Ride On One Risky Balance
The Penguins are heading into the stretch with plenty of familiar questions and a little more intrigue than they probably wanted. Their offensive potential is still the obvious reason to believe, and the coaching staff gives them a structure that has kept them in the conversation before, but recent roster changes have forced the group to relearn some habits on the fly. The balance between what this team still does well and what it has to prove is what makes the playoff picture feel so fragile.
Pittsburghs outlook now depends on whether the new additions can settle in quickly enough to offset the departures, especially with defensive adjustments, chemistry and physicality all under the microscope. The aging core remains the central variable, because the Penguins still need those players to drive the team while the rest of the roster finds its footing. If the mix comes together, there is a path back into the postseason, but it is the kind of path that leaves little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]