The Pittsburgh Penguins know exactly where they want this thing to go, even if the route still looks a little messy from the outside.
After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for three straight years, Pittsburgh got back in last season. That alone put the organization in an awkward spot.
The Penguins want to keep getting younger and let more of that youth surface at the NHL level, but they also believe they’re still good enough to stay in the race. That tension is part of what Erik Karlsson called a “weird” place to be, though he made clear the bigger picture hasn’t changed.
“I think the group that we had here last year and the guys that are still here this year, I feel, have a lot more to give,” Karlsson said. “I think that the young guys that we have coming in are taking the right steps forward. And, obviously, the guys that we've had here that have been around for a long time, we know what we're going to get from those guys, and they're going to keep contributing and be a big part of this team.”
That mix is the whole story for Pittsburgh heading into the 2026-27 season. The core is still built around Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. At the same time, the Penguins believe several of their younger players are ready to push into real NHL roles without needing the kind of slow-burn development you usually associate with prospects just arriving.
Then there’s the influx of new faces, which gives the roster even more layers. Pittsburgh added forwards Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre and David Gustafsson, along with defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile and Kaedan Korczak. Those names are all in the conversation for roster spots, with some looking like near-locks to be part of the group.
Robertson said the appeal is obvious from the outside looking in.
“There’s a lot of veterans but also a lot of younger guys that I've played against and known,” Robertson said. “It's good to be in that mix.
They've got a bit of excitement from the younger guys and, obviously, a lot of experience from the older guys. It's a unique team, and I'm very happy to be a part of it.”
Korczak, who arrived from the Vegas Golden Knights this summer in the deal for defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, brings a different perspective. He’s spent the last several years around a Stanley Cup-winning environment, so he knows what that kind of culture looks like. In Pittsburgh, he sees a team trying to build its way back into that conversation.
He is signed with the Penguins for four more seasons at $3.25 million, and he said the chance to be part of what comes next is a major draw.
“Just talking with Kyle and the coaches, it's exciting to be part of that group that's going to, hopefully, bring that next step to the organization,” Korczak said. “You obviously have those guys that can lead you. You've got some Hall-of-Famers here that can show us the way.
“So, I'm really excited for the opportunity to be a part of this young group, and hopefully they lead us to a Stanley Cup here one day.”
That is the long view in Pittsburgh, and Dubas has already made the organization’s stance clear. At the end of last season, he said this team does not intend to take a step backward. The Penguins want to build on last year’s playoff run, lean on the youth they do have, and keep moving forward.
Whether that puts them back in true Cup contention this season or somewhere down the road, the remaining work is obvious. More talent still has to be added, and the group still has to prove it can keep winning.
For now, though, the aim stays simple.
“If everything goes according to plan, I think - hope - that we're going to be a step better than we were even last year,” Karlsson said. “That's obviously the goal. That's what we're operating from right now, and we'll see what the future brings.”
In Other News...
Penguins Next Wave Is Already Pushing For Bigger Camp Roles
Three days into Penguins training camp, the early shape of this roster is starting to reveal itself, and it is not just the veterans drawing attention. Liam Ruck has already moved up into the NHL group, a small but telling sign that the next wave of players is pressing to be seen in a bigger role. For a team still sorting out its depth and internal competition, those practice group shifts matter as much as any preseason headline.
The larger league chatter around the Penguins has also been busy, with trade talk swirling elsewhere and familiar names like Tristan Jarry part of the broader conversation about how teams are recalibrating for the season ahead. But the most relevant story in Pittsburgh is still the one unfolding on the ice every day at camp, where younger players are forcing the staff to notice them and making each lineup decision feel a little less settled. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Youth Movement Still Feels Stuck After Camp
The Penguins came out of camp with one open forward spot and a need on the left side of defense, but the bigger question was whether any of the young players pushing for jobs had done enough to force the issue. For now, the answer appears to be no. Several prospects were in the mix for NHL roles, yet the expectation is still that none of them will be on the opening-night roster as the team tries to balance immediate needs with a roster that is still taking shape.
Assistant general manager Jason Spezza made clear the door is not closed, saying the roster is not final and that youth will be brought in when it is ready. That leaves the Penguins in a familiar transitional spot, with players who have spent time developing in the AHL waiting for a real opening and the organization still searching for the right moment to make those moves. The challenge now is less about identifying talent than finding a path that lets those prospects contribute without being rushed. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins First Preseason Lineup Opens A Big Opportunity For Camp Players
The Penguins have their first preseason lineup in place for the opener against the Sabres at PPG Paints Arena, and it gives a good early look at how the camp battles are shaping up. The roster blends forwards, defensemen and goaltenders, with the staff set to trim two skaters before puck drop, a reminder that even in September, every shift carries some weight for players trying to carve out a longer stay.
For a group still trying to make an impression, this is the kind of game that can matter beyond the score. It is also the first chance for fans to see the new camp mix in a live setting, with SportsNet Pittsburgh carrying the broadcast and the Penguins official radio station providing the call, as the preseason begins to sort out who gets more runway and who is suddenly watching from the sideline. [Read more 🡒]