The Penguins are officially back at work today, and with the franchise opening its 60th season, the familiar camp questions are already hanging in the air. Pens Points is back with the latest news and notes as the preseason gets rolling.
At the center of the conversation is Sidney Crosby, who still hasn’t signed a contract extension. Even so, he’s not treating the situation like a deadline is looming, with his agent and the team continuing talks. That sits alongside another key piece of the Penguins’ ongoing reset: a look at the philosophies and personality behind how Kyle Dubas works at re-shaping the roster.
The team also unveiled its opening camp roster and an early schedule through the weekend. On top of that, Pittsburgh has added US Steel as its new helmet sponsor, though the arrangement is limited to a promotional sticker rather than anything involving the actual equipment.
There was also a retirement note worth a salute: former Penguin Ryan Reaves announced yesterday that he is done after 16 NHL seasons and 962 career games. His exit leaves only three players remaining for next season in the NHL who do not wear visors under the grandfathered rule.
A separate grandfathered change is coming in 2026-27, when any player making his NHL debut from this season forward will be required to wear a neck guard. Players who have already appeared in at least one NHL game before then will still have the option to wear one or not.
Pittsburgh also has a couple of names on a list of players who will need to clear waivers for the first time in 2026-27 before being sent to the AHL: goalie Taylor Gauthier and forward Ville Koivunen.
Around the league, there’s plenty else moving. Marc-Andre Fleury made sure his billet family will be included in his QMJHL Hall of Fame proceedings.
Jordan Staal has extended in 2027-28 with Carolina at a $4.9 million cap hit, with up to $5.1 million more in performance bonuses. Vincent Trocheck and Logan Cooley, now Utah teammates, go way back to their Pittsburgh days.
In Columbus, goalie Elvis Merzlikins has failed a physical after shoulder surgery last month and is not expected back ‘anytime soon’. The Blue Jackets have added 39-year old goalie Cam Talbot to join Jet Greaves.
On Long Island, Mat Barzal’s start to the regular season is in question after it was announced he won’t skate for the next two weeks because of ‘inflammation’. The Penguins and Islanders don’t meet until January.
And in Winnipeg, Connor Hellebuyck has become the latest big-name player to force the issue. After making a trade request public, he did not report to training camp, and the Jets have suspended him. He won’t be paid in the regular season until he reports or is moved, which could make the situation even messier in the weeks ahead.
Finally, a handful of players were polled at media day on some of the NHL’s bigger talking points, including expansion, trade requests and which coach they’d most want to play for.
In Other News...
Penguins Are Watching An NHL Standoff That Could Shift The Market
Connor Hellebuycks holdout has become the kind of early-season standoff that can ripple well beyond one roster, and the Penguins are among the clubs watching it with interest. If a goalie of that stature is unavailable while a potential trade hangs in the balance, it can alter the way front offices think about urgency, leverage and timing, especially with training camps already underway around the league.
Pittsburgh has its own roster questions to sort through after not inviting seven prospects to camp, while the organization also sifted through a mixed showing from its young players in a recent tournament. Around the NHL, teams have been busy locking up younger talent on long-term deals, from Anaheims new pact with Cutter Gauthier to recent signings in Washington, New Jersey, Carolina, Ottawa and Montreal, and that backdrop only adds to the sense that one unresolved goalie situation could still reshape the market. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Just Doubled Down On A Very Pittsburgh Identity
The Penguins are leaning even harder into a familiar Pittsburgh theme. United States Steel Corporation will become the clubs official helmet sponsor for the 2026-27 NHL season, with the U.S. Steel logo set to appear on every Penguins helmet, from home and road lids to alternates and practice gear. It is the latest step in a partnership that dates back to 2021, and one that feels especially on-brand for a team that has long embraced the citys industrial identity.
The sponsorship will not be seen in public right away, either. The logo is scheduled to debut when the Penguins take the ice for their preseason game on September 21, 2026, giving the organization a little runway before the change becomes part of the everyday look. For a franchise that has always been tightly tied to its city, the move is another reminder that some team partnerships go well beyond branding and land squarely in the civic DNA of Pittsburgh. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Are Giving A Familiar Defenseman One More Chance To Matter
Training camp season is bringing the usual flurry of low-risk auditions, and for the Penguins, one of the more notable name to land in that mix is goaltender Collin Delia on a professional tryout. PTOs rarely generate much noise on their own, but they can matter for a team sorting through depth, insurance and competition before the preseason settles into a clearer picture. Around the league, the Lightning brought in veteran forward Luke Glendening on the same kind of deal, while Ottawa added goalie Vadim Zherenko.
The most interesting wrinkle for Pittsburghs perspective is how these tryout agreements can open a door without guaranteeing anything beyond a chance to be seen. Delia will get that opportunity in camp and preseason, and Dallas is offering the same sort of shot to defenseman Ben Gleason, a familiar face trying to carve out a place in a crowded field. For teams and players alike, the appeal is simple enough: one more chance to matter, and one more round of evaluation before the roster decisions start to harden. [Read more 🡒]