The Pittsburgh Penguins still have plenty of runway left, but the picture around them keeps getting tighter. After 12 games, they’ve collected only 11 points, which leaves them outside the playoff field if the season ended today. There is time to climb back in with 72 games still to play, but the margin for error is shrinking.
A big reason the road looks rougher now is New Jersey’s decision to swing a major trade for star goalie Connor Hellebuyck. The Devils have spent the last several seasons trying to push themselves into contention, and this move signals they’re all-in on making a serious run. It also gives them a clear answer in goal, even if the rest of the roster still has gaps and Hellebuyck is not getting any younger.
For Pittsburgh, that matters because the Metropolitan Division figures to be a grind for the top three spots. The source outlook suggests more than three teams from the division are unlikely to make the playoffs, with the Atlantic expected to crowd the wildcard race. That leaves the Penguins and Devils fighting directly for one or two openings.
The Hurricanes are described as a playoff lock in the division unless something extreme happens with injuries, which would leave only one or two postseason spots available as the year wears on. Right now, the Rangers and Devils sit in the bottom two spots, but New York’s absence of Igor Shesterkin is expected to lead to more trouble as the season moves along.
That opens the door for the Penguins, but only if they can force their way through a crowded group that also includes the Capitals and Islanders. Pittsburgh still has a chance to get into the mix, but the Devils’ move for Hellebuyck makes that challenge a lot steeper.
In Other News...
Penguins Latest Malkin Line Test Says A Lot About Their Young Forwards
Early in the 2026-27 season, Dan Muse is already in lineup-reshuffling mode, with injuries and uneven play pushing the Penguins to keep searching for the right combinations. That search has made the young forwards especially important, and it has also underscored how much Kyle Dubas has been willing to adjust the roster after bringing in defenseman Spencer Stastney from Edmonton while losing Filip Hallander.
One of the more interesting tests has come with Ben Kindel centered between Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin, a trio that did not offer much in limited looks last season. Muse has also had reason to lean into Hendrix Lapierre at center, where he has looked more productive and shown real chemistry with Ville Koivunen, while Andrei Kuzmenko has not found the same level of effectiveness so far. For a Penguins group trying to sort out its depth, those combinations may say as much about the young players as they do about Malkins line. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Prospect Carter Sanderson Is Forcing A Bigger Conversation
A year after hearing his name called in the 2025 NHL Draft, Carter Sanderson is starting to make the kind of noise that gets noticed far beyond junior hockey circles. The Penguins prospect arrived in Calgary and immediately looked like more than a developmental project, bringing the same blend of edge and skill that helped him captain the Muskegon Lumberjacks to a USHL Clark Cup and earn a spot at the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase.
Whats turning heads now is how quickly Sandersons game is translating in the early going of the WHL season, where he has piled up production at a pace that demands attention. For Pittsburgh, the bigger question is no longer simply whether the 169th pick has upside, but how much traction hes gaining in the conversation for Team USAs World Junior Championship roster. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Roster Shuffle Puts New Focus On Whos Available Next
Justin Brazeau is finally back in the mix for Pittsburgh after spending the start of the season on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, giving the Penguins another forward option as they continue to sort through an early-season roster. To make room, the team placed Elmer Sderblom on injured reserve after an upper-body injury, while also sending Avery Hayes and defenseman Chase Pietila to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The shuffle leaves the Penguins with a little more clarity on the immediate lineup picture, but not much margin for error as the injuries keep stacking up. Brazeaus return is a timely boost, yet the roster movement also opens the door to more questions about who might be available next and how long Pittsburgh can keep piecing things together without further setbacks. [Read more 🡒]