Three games into the 2026-27 season, the Penguins have already offered up a little of everything: a near-perfect opener against the Philadelphia Flyers, a wild 6-5 overtime escape against the Montreal Canadiens after a 5-1 lead evaporated, and then Monday night’s 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, which was easily their messiest outing so far.
That’s not a full story. Not even close.
But it is enough to start sorting out what looks real and what still needs work. And right now, there are a few clear early wins - and a few warning signs that already feel familiar.
Ben Kindel has been one of the easiest things to like.
He has only played two games, but the early returns are loud: two goals, one assist, and a game that already looks more grown-up. He appears bigger, stronger and faster, and the offense has been just as encouraging as the physical tools.
The goals have come the right way too, with Kindel driving to the front of the net and getting his stick on the puck. If that becomes part of his game, along with what everybody already knows he can do - skate, shoot and read the ice - the upside gets interesting fast.
His assist on Declan Carlile’s goal Monday was another sharp moment in a rough game. Kindel knew where he wanted to go with the puck before he even got it.
That kind of play stands out. So did a chance he created on the penalty kill in the opener against Montreal.
It did not turn into a goal, but it showed the speed and strength people had been talking about throughout training camp. He already looks like an NHL player.
The bigger question is how good he can become. The answer might be better than people think.
Carlile has been just as intriguing in a different way.
There was some understandable uncertainty when Parker Wotherspoon and Ryan Shea moved on after being pleasant surprises for the 2025-26 Penguins. Shea left without even a serious offer, and Wotherspoon was traded for Kaedan Korczak.
Carlile looked like a possible replacement for that role, and maybe even a fit next to Erik Karlsson. He has already made a case for that.
Carlile has two goals and two assists through three games, which is already a new career high in scoring. That kind of production was not expected, and it may not last, but the goals have not been fluky.
Both were strong shots. Even if the offense settles down, he has still looked like a useful player.
Evgeni Malkin also deserves an early nod.
Monday was not his best night, but the first two games were strong, and that matters. There is no telling what he will look like by April, or how he will hold up over 84 games, but for now there is still something to pull from his game. Through the first week, there is still juice there.
The flip side is harder to ignore.
The Penguins have given up seven third-period goals over their last two games, and that kind of late-game mess is not something anyone wants to see pop up this quickly. It is fair to note that the problems have not been limited to the defensemen alone. This has been a group issue, and it looks a lot like something that hurt them last season too.
The encouraging part is that they mostly cleaned that up as last season went along. The concerning part is that, right now, they have already turned in four shaky periods - the third period against Montreal and the full game against Winnipeg. The good moments have still outweighed the bad ones, but the bad ones are starting to look awfully familiar.
Connor Dewar’s start also belongs in the negative column.
Since coming over at the 2024-25 NHL Trade Deadline, Dewar had been a nice surprise as a fourth-line forward and penalty killer, good enough to earn a contract extension. That made sense.
The last two games, though, have been rough. He has had trouble with simple puck plays and has made some ugly turnovers in the defensive zone, the kind of mistakes you do not want from a player in his role.
The Penguins likely want him in the lineup because of what he brings on the penalty kill, but with depth options such as Hendrix Lapierre and Elmer Soderblom around, he should not be treated like an automatic nightly lock.
And then there was the power play against Winnipeg.
This is not about the unit overall, because it scored four goals over the first two games. Monday was different.
The Jets brought an aggressive penalty kill, and the Penguins never looked comfortable dealing with it. Winnipeg did not sit back and allow them to set up, and that mattered.
Even when the Penguins power play is working, it can get loose and give up chances the other way. Against a more active PK, those issues showed up fast.
Maybe that was just part of the larger sloppiness from the whole game. Maybe it is something other teams will try to copy. Either way, it was hard to miss.
In Other News...
Penguins Already Face A Crosby Line Decision They Can't Ignore
The Penguins recent lineup shuffling has already started to reshape the edges of the roster, with Bryan Rust back at practice and the coaching staff sorting through injuries and performance concerns at the same time. Dan Muse said the decisions are difficult, and it showed in the way Pittsburgh handled its forward group, where every adjustment seemed to come with a corresponding domino effect somewhere else.
Hendrix Lapierre is getting a look in a new spot beside Sidney Crosby, a chance that changes the look of the top line and pushes the conversation beyond just filling in for the moment. It also forces the Penguins to make sense of where Nick Robertson fits after sliding to the fourth line, while the latest personnel choice around Andrei Kuzmenko only adds to the sense that the team is still searching for the right balance. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Already Face A Tough Early Lineup Decision After Loss
The Penguins did not get much traction from several of the forward looks they rolled out in the loss, and that is already forcing some early-season questions about how long those combinations should stay intact. Egor Chinakhov did not make much of an imprint offensively, Sidney Crosby had a quieter start than usual, Andrei Kuzmenko had a limited effect after coming back from personal leave, and Connor Dewar also had a difficult night in a game where the team needed cleaner execution from its depth.
Nick Robertsons struggles only add to the coaching puzzle, because Pittsburgh is still trying to find the right balance between giving players a chance to settle in and avoiding too much damage while the standings are still taking shape. The Penguins have to decide whether a quick adjustment is best or whether patience is worth it, and after a loss like this, the next set of line choices may tell the story of where this group is headed early on. [Read more 🡒]
Murashov Just Put Real Pressure On The Penguins Goalie Rotation
Sergei Murashovs first start of the season gave the Penguins a look at what their rookie goalie can bring in a bigger role. In a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, he was steady enough to keep Pittsburgh in the game, drawing praise from teammates and coach Dan Muse for a series of key saves that helped the club stay competitive through much of the night.
Murashovs performance also added a new layer to the Penguins goaltending picture at a time when workload management is already part of the conversation. With the rookie showing he can handle pressure in a meaningful spot, Pittsburgh now has another option to weigh as it sorts out how often to lean on him in the games ahead. [Read more 🡒]