The Penguins are on the road again tonight, headed to Columbus for game three of the preseason and the first of two straight away from home. The bigger picture is even closer now: the regular season is less than a week away, with Pittsburgh set to open against the Philadelphia Flyers in six days. Until then, the roster fight keeps rolling.
This one won’t feature any of the marquee names, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty to watch. Sergei Murashov is the only goalie of note making the trip, which points to him getting the full 60 minutes against the Blue Jackets. With the preseason winding down, every shift matters a little more for players trying to force their way into the picture.
A lot of the opening-night roster is already taking shape, but there are still a few spots up for grabs and more players chasing them than there are jobs available. Through the first two preseason games, some skaters have done more than others to strengthen their case.
The Penguins also trimmed some of the obvious names from camp on Wednesday. Six defensemen were sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Tomas Galvas was loaned back to his Czech club.
None of those moves came as a surprise. Goaltender Taylor Gauthier was also cut; the longtime ECHL netminder with the Wheeling Nailers will be placed on waivers and assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Among the newer additions, Kaeden Korczak is one to watch. Acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights, the 25-year-old is looking to make an immediate impression and prove the Penguins took the right swing on him.
Then there are the young players staring down the deadline. Rutger McGroarty knows the moment is getting tighter after a season interrupted by injury but still productive in the AHL, and he’s trying to show he can be a full-time NHL forward.
Owen Pickering is in a similar spot. Drafted in the same first round as McGroarty, the defenseman understands he has to make his mark and show he can handle the league on a consistent basis.
In Other News...
Penguins Blue Line Suddenly Has A Roster Problem Before Opening Night
Ryan Graves lower-body injury landed at a bad time for a Penguins blue line that is already being watched closely as opening night approaches. Pittsburgh said the defenseman will undergo further evaluation, and any absence would put a little more strain on a group trying to settle into its season-opening shape before the games start to count.
For a team that values stability on defense, even a short-term setback can ripple through the rest of the roster picture. The Penguins are still in the early part of sorting out health and availability, and Graves status is now one of the cleaner examples of how quickly that process can change in the final stretch before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Camp Cuts Just Hit A Familiar Group Of Players
A preseason setback for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins did not come on the ice, but in the building. Their exhibition game against Lehigh Valley was called off because of a mechanical issue at Mohegan Arena, taking away another chance for prospects and AHL regulars to make one more impression before the season gets going.
In Pittsburgh, the roster picture also tightened as the Penguins assigned five players to the AHL during camp cuts ahead of the opener. It is the familiar part of this time of year, when hopefuls are pushed back to Wilkes-Barre and the organization starts trimming toward its opening night group, even as fans who had planned on the canceled game wait for ticket details from the team. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Final Preseason Lineup Hints At A Bigger Opening Night Shift
The Penguins preseason roster for their game against Buffalo offered a useful glimpse at where things stand with opening night drawing closer. The club listed its forwards, defensemen and goalies, but also made clear that one forward and one defenseman will be scratched before puck drop, the kind of late adjustment that often reveals how the staff is sorting out the last few decisions.
Ryan Graves and Justin Brazeau were both noted as injured, adding another wrinkle to a roster picture that already feels unsettled in a few spots. Graves, in particular, is viewed as unlikely to make the NHL roster this season, leaving Pittsburgh with one more question to sort through as the final preseason games narrow the field. [Read more 🡒]