Ben Kindel’s first game back after a lower-body injury gave the Penguins exactly what they were looking for: a goal in a 4-2 win over Montreal on Saturday. It was his season debut, and the 19-year-old center made it clear afterward that he is already thinking beyond one solid return. Kindel said he still has “a lot of things” he wants to accomplish after his rookie season as he works to establish himself in the NHL.
Pittsburgh also made a roster move Sunday afternoon, assigning forward David Gustafsson to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after he cleared waivers.
The weekend also brought sad news around the hockey world. Lyle Odelein, a defenseman who won a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993 and later played for several other NHL organizations, including the Penguins, died over the weekend at 58.
There was also a notable return in Pittsburgh’s home opener. Andrei Kuzmenko made his Penguins debut Saturday less than two weeks after the death of his father.
Kuzmenko had taken a leave of absence to go back to Russia and be with his family, then rejoined the team Friday. He also switched his jersey number to 62 in honor of his father.
Around the league, the Edmonton Oilers are looking at the trade market for forward help after several forwards were sidelined by injuries to open the season. In Detroit, defenseman Simon Edvinsson reportedly wants a move away from the Red Wings as contract talks remain stuck. The 23-year-old restricted free agent was at training camp but returned to Sweden after negotiations stalled.
And in a different kind of tribute, a horse named Gaudreau - honoring late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau - finished second Saturday in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. Another horse named Johnny Hockey, also in Gaudreau’s honor, ran in the same race but faded late.
In Other News...
Penguins Showing Fight But One Frustrating Problem Still Remains
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had chances to build on a spirited effort at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, but they came up short in a 3-2 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Jake Livanavage and Avery Hayes provided the offense for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Hartford answered with goals from Marc Del Gaizo, Taylor Raddysh and Nathan Aspinall, with all three of Hartfords scores coming on the power play.
For a team that has shown fight, the frustrating part is starting to come into focus. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has been putting pucks on net in bunches, only to leave without the finish to match, and that leaves the Penguins looking for a cleaner result when they see Hartford again on October 10. Their next home date is not until October 23 against the Belleville Senators, so there is plenty of time before the building gets another chance to see whether the effort finally turns into points. [Read more 🡒]
Malkins Ovechkin Reaction Will Hit Penguins Fans A Little Harder
Evgeni Malkins day-before-game media session on Monday carried a little extra weight after Alex Ovechkins retirement announcement rippled through the hockey world. For Penguins fans, the connection is obvious: Malkin and Ovechkin have spent nearly two decades tied together as rivals, familiar faces and two of the NHLs most prolific scorers, their careers unfolding in parallel whether they were meeting on the ice or crossing paths away from it.
So when Malkin was asked about Ovechkins news, the moment landed as more than a routine reaction from one future Hall of Famer to another. It also nudged attention toward Malkins own path, because his playing future is still an open question and the end of Ovechkins run adds another layer to the countdown around one of the Penguins defining stars. [Read more 🡒]
Crosbys Ovechkin Reflection Hits Penguins Fans Right In The Rivalry
Sidney Crosby has spent nearly two decades measuring himself against Alex Ovechkin, and the latest reminder of that era landed with a mix of respect and nostalgia. Ovechkin just signed a one-year deal to return for his 22nd NHL season, and Crosby responded by reflecting on what their careers have meant to each other since both arrived in 2005-06, when the league immediately framed them as rivals and carried that storyline for years.
For Penguins fans, the larger picture is hard to miss: Crosby is still playing on an expiring contract, and he has made clear he wants to keep going beyond the current horizon. Ovechkins future now has a defined endpoint, while Crosbys does not, which only adds another layer to a rivalry that has long been about more than wins and losses. [Read more 🡒]