The Pittsburgh Penguins have already burned through three days of three-group practices, and with camp moving fast and the season only 10 days away, those early line combinations suddenly carry a little more weight than they usually do.
That was part of the picture on a busy camp day that also gave a look at the organization’s next wave. Liam Ruck was moved up into the NHL group, and the Penguins’ first-round pick clearly enjoyed the chance to skate with the big club.
Day 3 also brought a full notebook from camp. Elmer Soderblom talked about the Day 1 whoopsie and how he handled it afterward.
Nick Robertson discussed the challenge of playing alongside Sidney Crosby. There was a scary moment late in practice, plus more on the Penguins’ early line looks and the rest of the notes from camp.
The Penguins are off today, so there won’t be a trip to the rink, but the camp has already provided plenty to chew on. If you’re up late tonight, there may be some hockey talk on WPXI’s Final Word, though it likely won’t air until around 12:30 a.m. or so.
Around the league, a Boston Bruins video accidentally revealed a trade offer while the team was trying to deal for Filip Hronek. The clip gave viewers enough of a look in the background to zoom in and see exactly what Boston had put on the table.
That followed a similar slip in an Ottawa video, where the Penguins were mentioned as having offered a position player for the 25th pick. This one, though, fully exposed the Bruins’ offer.
Elsewhere, Sportsnet noted that Tristan Jarry is looking for a bounce-back season after a rough second half. And on Sportsnet 590 in Toronto, Frank Seravalli went after the Columbus Blue Jackets, blasting the team for not signing Adam Fantili.
There was also a look at the Detroit Red Wings, who still feel unsettled and could have Patrik Laine join the mix, along with a Canadiens rundown centered on three issues: too many goalies, promising young defensemen, and a young team nearing real contention.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers held their annual camp scrimmage, giving Will James plenty to break down on the roster side. In Florida, the Panthers’ Tkachuk brothers were a major talking point again, and Paul Maurice had a line about why he will not pair the brothers with Sam Bennett.
In Other News...
Penguins Forward Is Making Pittsburghs Roster Decision Much Harder
Elmer Soderbloms first day at Penguins training camp came with an unforced hiccup, as he wound up at the minor league and junior group practice instead of the NHL skate. He later made clear it was just a mix-up, and once he got on the right sheet, the forward did what he needed to do: show up, compete and look like he belonged in the conversation.
For a Pittsburgh roster already facing a crowded forward group, that matters. Soderblom has followed the early blip with strong practices and goals, and he has given the coaching staff another player who is making the opening-night picture harder to sort out. At this point, he looks like someone the Penguins are likely to keep around, which only adds to the pressure on the rest of the forwards trying to carve out a spot. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Fans Just Got An Early Glimpse Of Liam Rucks Ceiling
An early look at Liam Rucks future came during Penguins training camp, where the 18-year-old winger earned a promotion to practice with the NHL group coached by Dan Muse and headlined by captain Sidney Crosby. For a player who is still heading back to his junior team before eventually moving on to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28, even a few days in that environment offered a real snapshot of how Pittsburgh sees his upside.
Ruck, a 2026 first-round draft pick, got the kind of on-ice education that cant be duplicated in a younger setting, skating alongside established NHL players and taking in the pace, detail and habits that come with it. He said the experience left him confident and eager to keep improving, and for the Penguins, the bigger takeaway may be that the organization already had him close enough to camp action to get a meaningful read on where the ceiling might be. [Read more 🡒]
Tanner Howe Has A Real Chance To Turn Heads At Penguins Camp
Tanner Howe is getting his first real look at Penguins training camp at a moment that already feels important for his development. Drafted by Pittsburgh in 2024, he spent time recovering from an ACL injury, then got back on the ice with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and also took part in the Prospects Tournament before camp opened. Now healthy, he is finally in the mix for the kind of evaluation that can make a young player stand out in a hurry.
The next step is carrying that momentum into the preseason games, where every shift tends to matter a little more for a player trying to make an impression. For Howe, the opportunity is simple enough to understand: show he has moved past the injury, handle the pace, and give the Penguins another reason to keep watching as they sort out their roster for the upcoming season. [Read more 🡒]