Justin Brazeau is moving closer to a comeback for the Penguins after a lower-body injury sidelined him since the preseason.
That update comes as Pittsburgh looks to sort through a few moving parts up front. Hendrix Lapierre has been making the most of a recent opportunity on a line with Ville Koivunen and Evgeni Malkin after a stretch in which he was a healthy scratch.
At the same time, Rickard Rakell is working to shake off a slow start and knows the offense needs to come. He said he has been generating scoring chances but struggling to finish, while general manager Kyle Dubas said he believes Rakell will break through as he keeps skating with Sidney Crosby and on the top power-play unit.
Around the NHL, the New York Rangers signed veteran goaltender James Reimer to a one-year contract on Sunday after starter Igor Shesterkin was ruled out for the season with a lower-body injury.
The Carolina Hurricanes also made headlines with an aggressive effort to land then-Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, even exploring deals involving forwards from other teams that could then be flipped to Winnipeg, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Carolina followed that up by announcing the signing of defenseman Alexander Nikishin to a one-year, $3 million contract, resolving a contract impasse between the player and the team.
And in Minnesota, Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes hinted that a decision on his long-term future with the team may be coming soon, saying he is enjoying his time in Minnesota and believes the team has the potential to contend for a Stanley Cup.
In Other News...
Penguins Are Finally Showing Signs Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Penguins latest practice offered a better snapshot of where the season is heading, and not just because the group was back on the ice together. An injured Pittsburgh player took part in the session as a full participant, a sign that the team is at least inching toward more complete health at a time when every roster spot matters. With the schedule grinding on and the standings still unforgiving, little updates like that can feel bigger than they normally would.
Elsewhere on the ice, Ville Koivunen and Arturs Silovs also took the temperature of their current roles and where they need to sharpen things up. For a Penguins team still trying to sort out its identity, those are the kinds of conversations that matter, especially when younger players are being asked to absorb more responsibility. The encouraging part is that the team finally seems to have a few on-ice indicators it has been waiting for, even if the broader picture still has some work left to do. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins May Have Found Something In Their Response To Recent Losses
The Penguins got a much-needed response in Nashville, rallying past the Predators in overtime after letting a third-period lead slip away. Even with injuries forcing changes to the lineup, Pittsburgh found enough push from a few different spots to stay in it, and the performance had the look of a team trying to reset the tone after its recent losses.
Head coach Dan Muse pointed to the effort and the progress the group has made since those setbacks, which matters almost as much as the two points. The lineup churn has opened doors for recalled players to contribute, and the bigger question now is whether the Penguins can carry that same urgency into the next game without the late-game scramble becoming part of the pattern. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Need Rickard Rakell Now More Than Ever
Rickard Rakells slow start has made his early-season line look a little quieter than Pittsburgh expected, but the underlying activity has still been there. He has been generating chances, shooting often and leading the Penguins in shots, which is why the breakthrough finally mattered even before the result around it did.
What stood out most was the timing. Rakells late goal gave the Penguins a much-needed jolt at a moment when the offense is already dealing with a hole from Bryan Rusts injury, and it only reinforced how central Rakell has become to keeping the attack afloat. For a team looking for scoring help in the short term, he suddenly feels less like a complementary piece and more like a necessity. [Read more 🡒]