The Penguins are creeping toward training camp, and with opening night set for September 30th, the roster picture is starting to come into focus - even if it still looks like a puzzle with a few missing pieces.
The cleanest projection has Arturs Silovs as the opening night starter in goal, with Sergei Murashov backing him up. That would be a switch from last year’s surprise, when Silovs got the nod on opening night instead of Tristan Jarry.
This time, the first opponent is the Flyers, and Silovs’ strong playoff work against them makes him the heavy favorite to start Game 1. The backup may not have to wait long to get into action, either, with the possibility that he could be in net as soon as the second game.
On defense, the most likely alignment starts with Erik Karlsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk, followed by Sam Girard and Kris Letang, then Declan Carlile and Kaeden Korczak. Ilya Solovyov sits as the extra.
There’s still some flexibility here, especially if Karlsson can handle playing the left side or if van Riemsdyk can fill that role instead. That would help sort out the right-handed logjam.
The bigger preseason question is whether Owen Pickering or Harrison Brunicke can make a push that changes the whole picture and bumps someone like Carlile or Korczak into a scratch role, with Solovyov potentially heading to waivers. The most practical route, though, looks like carrying seven defensemen and keeping the younger players in the AHL to begin the season.
Ryan Graves is another name in the mix, though he wasn’t included in this projection.
Up front, the lineup gets messy fast. Hendrix Lapierre and Ville Koivunen are listed as extras, but Justin Brazeau is the difficult call.
It’s hard to see an obvious fit for him, even with Kindel in the picture. One possibility is that Brazeau ends up as a scratch, though Koivunen seems too important to risk on waivers after signing that contract.
A trade to clear room remains a possibility, but that has been hanging over the roster for months. More likely, one injury among the 14 forwards would create a spot for Brazeau, and that kind of opening could arrive quickly once the season gets rolling.
The forward groups themselves may end up fluid anyway under Dan Muse, with the second and third lines effectively interchangeable in terms of ice time. The real goal is to put Malkin with the right support and keep Kindel in position to keep thriving.
The projected look has Chinakhov with Crosby, while Soderblom is penciled in to grab what might be the one truly open job. Even then, the whole thing could be shuffled almost immediately once the games start.
The Penguins do have room under the salary cap, enough to carry 26 or 27 players and still stay under. But the 23-player limit keeps the roster squeeze very real.
That makes the bubble especially tight for McGroarty, Avery Hayes, Filip Hallander, Brunicke and Pickering. Injuries could change everything, and one setback in camp or practice would open the door for some of those names.
Until that happens, though, the roster math stays cramped, and the final answers may not arrive until the weeks right before opening night.
In Other News...
Penguins Fans Can't Ignore This New NHL Market Warning
Connor Hellebuycks public trade request is the latest jolt in a stretch that has quietly turned one elite U.S. hockey group into a moving target. The Winnipeg Jets goalie confirmed the move himself, and his situation makes him the eighth member of the 2026 Team USA gold medal-winning roster to either be traded or ask for one over the past 18 months, a pattern that is starting to feel bigger than any single locker room.
For Penguins fans, the warning sign is less about Hellebuycks next stop than what it says about how quickly top players can shift around the league. The story has also revived the broader concern about American players ending up or staying with Canadian clubs, while teams across the NHL weigh what a player of Hellebuycks caliber could mean for their own plans, including Pittsburghs long-term outlook for its core pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Kindel Already Looks Like A Penguins Building Block
Ben Kindel has done more than simply stick around since training camp. The 19-year-old center earned a spot on the Penguins roster and went on to play a full season that helped push Pittsburgh into the playoffs, turning what began as a promising look into something far more substantial. Head coach Dan Muse spent the preseason putting Kindel into difficult matchups, and the youngster handled the assignment well, showing the kind of resilience and poise that tends to matter once the games start counting.
The scoring output has only added to the sense that the Penguins may have something real here. Kindels work as an 18-year-old put him in a small class of NHL players in the salary cap era to reach 15 or more goals at that age, a notable marker for a player still early in his career. For a team looking to build around younger pieces without losing its competitive edge, that is the sort of development that can change how the roster looks in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Just Opened A Bigger Malkin Question For Dubas
Evgeni Malkins new one-year deal with the Penguins keeps the veteran center in Pittsburgh for at least another season, and it also says plenty about how Kyle Dubas views the roster right now. The contract, signed May 26, comes with performance bonuses and possible playoff incentives, while Dubas pointed to Malkins improved play after time off and even his comfort on the wing as part of the case for bringing him back. For a team still trying to shape its lineup, that makes Malkin more than just a familiar name on the sheet.
The bigger question is what comes next around him. Pittsburgh has been working to add more players, and any move in that direction could have a ripple effect on where Malkin fits and how the Penguins want to deploy their forwards. A one-year extension keeps the conversation open rather than settled, which is very much in line with where this roster appears to be heading as Dubas continues to build around an aging core and search for the right mix. [Read more 🡒]