While the Penguins were trimming their camp roster and sorting through the first wave of cuts, the rest of the hockey world was busy with drama, contract talk, and a few messy storylines that still haven’t gone away.
In Pittsburgh, the first round of roster decisions is already in the books. Nine players were sent to the minors and junior hockey, and Tommy Galvas is heading home. That leaves the bigger questions hanging over camp: who survives the final cut, what the opening night lineup will look like, and what kinds of changes could come later in the season.
That bigger picture is exactly where the focus has shifted for the Penguins, and it’s what was laid out in the State of the Penguins discussion.
Elsewhere, Columbus is still working on getting Adam Fantilli signed, but there’s no deal yet. Chris Johnston reported that Fantilli has turned down offers in the $12 million range.
The Anaheim Ducks also made a leadership move, naming a former Penguin as captain.
Around the league, one of the loudest shots of the day came from Mark Messier, who went after new Oilers coach Mike Babcock. ESPN described Messier as “Horrified.” after he ripped into Babcock and the Oilers in what amounted to a public takedown.
There was also more noise around Arizona State, where coaches and officials kept sidestepping questions about the workout and heat-regulation allegations tied to St. Louis Blues prospect Matthew Mayich, who was left in a terminal coma. The press conference was a rough one, with repeated attempts to dodge the issue.
On the transaction front, there are a couple of goalies with lengthy NHL experience sitting on waivers, which could make them targets for teams looking for help. Logan Stanley is still unsigned as well, and the 6-foot-8 defenseman remains without a job. With injuries piling up on the Buffalo Sabres’ blue line, the question is whether they’ll bring back their big man.
And then there’s the simple truth of this part of the calendar: the league is waiting. Cutdowns are coming, trades could follow, and for now the stories are less about movement than the drama building around it.
In Other News...
Penguins Prospect Ben Kindel Faces A Bigger Setback Than Expected
Ben Kindels early push toward the season hit an unexpected roadblock almost immediately, as the Penguins center is now facing a more serious injury than the team first believed. The setback came in the first period of Pittsburghs opening preseason game, and what initially looked manageable has turned into a week-to-week recovery, a frustrating development for a prospect trying to make his mark in camp.
For an organization that has been trying to sharpen the path for its young players, the timing is less than ideal. Pittsburgh has spent plenty of time working through the logistics and growing pains in its minor league pipeline, including travel complications after its ECHL affiliate relocated, while also trying to build a more competitive development system. Kindels absence adds another variable to that process, and it leaves the Penguins waiting to see how long one of their prospects will be sidelined. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Opening Night Plans Already Face Another Lineup Problem
The Penguins are already having to juggle their opening-night picture after Ben Kindels status changed from day-to-day to week-to-week following an injury in the first period of a preseason game. Even before the regular season gets going, Pittsburgh is trying to sort through a lineup that has been nudged into motion by absences, with Filip Hallander, Connor Dewar and Elmer Soderblom skating together as a possible fourth line.
Blake Lizotte is also listed as week-to-week, which only adds to the uncertainty in the middle of the roster. Andrei Kuzmenko is away from the club for a family matter, leaving the Penguins with one more variable to manage as they continue shaping the early-season group and trying to hold the bottom of the lineup together. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Forward Andrei Kuzmenko Is Dealing With An Unimaginable Loss
Andrei Kuzmenko is dealing with a devastating personal loss after his father, Alexander Kuzmenko, died following a bear attack during a fishing trip in the Tuva Republic of Russia. The elder Kuzmenko suffered severe facial injuries and could not be saved by doctors, leaving the Penguins forward and his family with a tragedy far removed from the game but impossible to separate from it.
Alexander Kuzmenko was widely known as a hockey coach, which made the loss resonate well beyond one family. The incident also comes during a record year of bear attacks in Russia, a grim backdrop to an already unimaginable story for a player trying to navigate life in the middle of the NHL season. [Read more 🡒]