The Pittsburgh Penguins turned a trip into Philadelphia into a rout, burying the Flyers 7-0 in front of 18,000 very angry fans at Xfinity Mobile Arena. By the time the first period settled down, even Gritty had gone quiet, and there were no faux penguin unalivings this time.
Pittsburgh’s night was built on goals, depth, and a third line that flat-out worked. Nick Robertson scored twice, Ville Koivunen had a strong game, and the Penguins got the kind of production that made the whole thing feel over before it really started. The club’s report card from the game broke down the how and why of the blowout, with locker room reaction, the coach’s thoughts, and snap analysis from Philly.
Hendrix Lapierre also had a little fun after the game, though both his recording and the team’s recording were corrupted in a strange coincidence. Even so, he made it clear he enjoyed the night against the Flyers. “Ville was wide open, but I figured I’d try my luck and I kept it…”
On the other side of the hallway, the Flyers were left with the wreckage of a night that never got away from Pittsburgh. Will James handled the Philadelphia side of the story from a dejected room after the Penguins’ domination.
Elsewhere in the NHL conversation, Alexander Nikishin is drawing attention after Elliotte Friedman mentioned a couple of interested teams and the contract offer he turned down. According to NHLtraderumors.me, the offer from Carolina was around $6 million per season, and there are other clubs in the mix. The Toronto Maple Leafs also don’t sound finished, at least not in the eyes of those following the market.
The trade noise around Dylan Larkin is also still hanging around, though Chris Johnston reported there has been almost no movement there. And in Detroit, the Illitch family is said to be more focused on the Tigers than the Red Wings, even as the team’s value continues to rise, just not as quickly as some of the others around the league. Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson is skating back home in Sweden.
There was also a strange bit of league theater in Philadelphia, where Gary Bettman’s season-kickoff presser brought the hockey romance novels and audiobooks topic into the mix. One legitimate question for Bettman was about the jersey tuck rule.
Trevor Zegras got a minor in preseason for tucking his sweater into his pants, and Bettman said the rule would be enforced. Then came the first period, and, as the piece noted, guess not.
The equipment staff was seen untucking it for him after each shift.
One old game story from Calgary stood out, too. Sportsnet revisited the wild 2001 night when everything blew up and kept going, including the moment Dave Lowry fired the puck into the upper deck after realizing a whistle in the final 15 seconds could send Craig Berube back out of the penalty box to fight again. Kevin Sawyer, now the team’s color analyst, told the story of that chaotic night.
There were also contract extensions for a pair of goalies: the Dallas Stars signed Casey DeSmith to a two-year, $5 million extension, and the Vegas Golden Knights signed William Karlsson to a two-year, $13.5 million extension.
And in New Jersey, James Nichols laid out six big predictions for the Devils as they open a new season with a little more optimism.
In Other News...
Crosby Malkin And Letang Just Added Another Piece To Penguins History
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang keep adding to a partnership that has already defined an era in Pittsburgh, and the latest milestone only deepens their place in NHL history. Entering the 2026-27 season, the three pillars of the Penguins core have been skating together since 2006-07, a run that has brought three Stanley Cups, four trips to the Final and a mountain of individual accolades along the way.
What makes the milestone so striking is not just the longevity, but the way it keeps stacking on top of everything else they have done as a group. The Penguins have spent nearly two decades leaning on the same three players for leadership, production and identity, and their latest achievement is another reminder that few teams in league history have been built around one trio for this long. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Just Sent The Flyers A Message Fans Will Love
A road trip to Philadelphia turned into a loud statement night for the Penguins, who left Xfinity Mobile Arena with a 7-0 win and the kind of performance that travels well in a rivalry. Pittsburgh controlled the game in shots and scoring chances from the opening stretch, while Artus Silovs had a relatively quiet workload, facing 12 shots in the first 40 minutes as the skaters in front of him kept the Flyers pinned back.
The part Penguins fans will enjoy most is how deep the damage went. The scoring came from all over the lineup, and the third line delivered three goals of its own, with Ville Koivunen, Filip Hallander and Hendrix Lapierre all finding the net. Koivunens breakaway finish added another layer to a night that already looked bad for Philadelphia, and it left the impression of a team getting contributions far beyond its top names. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Get An Early Forward Boost With Bigger Lineup Questions Ahead
The Penguins got a useful early-season lift with Blake Lizotte back on the active roster after his upper-body injury kept him sidelined on a week-to-week basis. His return gives Pittsburgh a bit more certainty up front heading into the season opener, where he is expected to slot in as the fourth-line center and help settle a depth group that has been waiting for bodies to return.
There is still plenty for the Penguins to sort out, though, and practice offered a reminder that the roster picture is not fully clear yet. Benjamin Kindel and Bryan Rust were both on the ice in no-contact jerseys, a sign that each is moving in the right direction even if they are not ready for full participation. For a team trying to build its opening-night lineup, those are encouraging steps, but they also leave some of the bigger forward questions hanging. [Read more 🡒]