The Penguins are set to open training camp Thursday morning, and the first headline is the size of the group: 69 players are on the roster as Pittsburgh gets ready for its 2026.27 camp.
President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas made the announcement, and the breakdown shows a full-house feel to the start of camp - 36 forwards, 23 defensemen, seven goaltenders and three injured players.
There’s a familiar core at the center of it all. Sidney Crosby is back for his franchise-record 22nd season, while alternate captains Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang return for their 21st season together as a trio. The Penguins noted that, as of this season, no athlete in Pittsburgh sports history has played more seasons for a team than the “Big Three.”
Pittsburgh also brought in a wave of new faces. The roster includes free-agent additions Andrei Kuzmenko, Declan Carlile and Trevor van Riemsdyk, plus trade pickups Nick Robertson and Kaedan Korczak.
In goal, Collin Delia will be in camp on a Professional Tryout Contract. His presence comes with rookie Gabriel D’Aigle still sidelined by injury. The injured list also includes forwards Melvin Fernstrom and Rafael Harvey-Pinard.
The Penguins’ newest draft class is also getting its first look at NHL camp. Coming off the Prospect Tournament last weekend, Pittsburgh’s top three selections in the 2026 NHL Draft - Liam Ruck, taken 22nd overall, Marcus Ruck at 39th overall and Tomas Galvas at 54th overall - will attend their first training camp. They’ll be joined by fellow 2026 pick Matvei Nikonovich, selected 160th overall.
Before camp even got rolling, Pittsburgh trimmed the group by sending seven junior-aged players back to their clubs for the season.
Training camp opens Thursday, September 17 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. The Penguins said all practices there are free and open to the public.
The early portion of camp will take place at the UPMC Lemieux practice rink in Cranberry, with the schedule for the first few days still to be determined by group. Sunday, Sept. 20 is listed as an off day.
In Other News...
Penguins Camp Opens With One Reality Young Players Cant Ignore
The Penguins are into the early stretch of training camp with the same broad goal they carried into last season: get themselves back into the playoffs. Sidney Crosby remains the face of that push, and he is also closing in on another notable marker as the NHLs longest-tenured captain, a reminder of just how much the teams present still runs through its past. For veterans, camp is about sharpening details and getting organized again. For younger players, it is something more immediate.
Day 2 already brings the reality young Penguins cannot ignore, because camp is as much a sorting exercise as it is a ramp-up. The opening night roster is not built on potential alone, and the group on the fringes has to prove it can handle the pace, the demands, and the trust that comes with an NHL job. Around the league, other camp status updates and injury notes continue to shape the early conversation, but in Pittsburgh the most relevant question remains the same: which younger players can stay in the picture long enough to make the decision hard? [Read more 🡒]
Letang Sends A Clear Message About The Penguins Core
Kris Letang is heading into Penguins training camp with the familiar sense that the franchises foundation is still very much in place. The alternate captain talked about his own contract status, which runs through next season, and reflected on Evgeni Malkins recent extension while noting how long the trio of Letang, Sidney Crosby and Malkin could keep skates on the same sheet together.
For Pittsburgh, that matters because the clubs identity still flows through those three veterans, even as camp brings a few new looks and lineup combinations. Letang also spoke about his training approach and his pairing with newcomer Trevor van Riemsdyk, a reminder that the Penguins are balancing continuity at the top with the work of figuring out how the rest of the blue line fits around it. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Open Camp With Crosby And Karlsson Facing A Huge Season
Training camp brings the usual reset, but for Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson, this one carries extra weight. Both are entering the final year of their current contracts with the Penguins, and both sit at the center of what this season means for a veteran roster trying to build on last years progress. Crosby has already made clear he wants to keep playing for several more years, while Karlsson arrives with the same kind of confidence in what comes next, even if the contract conversation has not been part of the public discussion yet.
For Pittsburgh, the season is about more than just chasing a stronger finish. Management is expected to let the year itself help shape the next set of decisions, which puts added importance on how Crosby and Karlsson look as camp unfolds and the games begin to matter. The Penguins have reason to believe they can carry momentum forward, but the bigger questions around two of their most important players will hover until the season starts to answer them. [Read more 🡒]