Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov were both missing from Penguins practice today, adding a little more intrigue after Malkin’s quiet reaction to last night’s game caught attention online.
Malkin did not practice because of an illness. Chinakhov, meanwhile, sat out while dealing with a lingering minor injury that has kept him in and out of the lineup over the last week.
The on-ice session also came with a visual change. The Penguins worked in blue pants and helmets as they got comfortable in the gear that will accompany their upcoming Hometown Remix alternate jerseys. Those jerseys are set to debut at the November 3 home game against Vegas.
Earlier in the week, along with the rest of the NHL, the Penguins teased the new look. The text is believed to be a Caeser cypher message of: “What’s old is new”.
Since then, conflicting images have been floating around social media. One version points to an Andy Warhol-inspired jersey that looks more like a concept than something ready for game use. Another rumor has the team leaning into a retro version of the old ‘fat’ Penguin crest from the 1967-68 inaugural season.
That second idea would make sense with the club’s 60th year approaching, especially since the logo is reportedly already being sold on a hat in the team store. It also lines up neatly with the “What’s old is new” message.
Whatever the final reveal looks like, the Penguins are set to return to blue jerseys for the first time since 2013. The Hometown Remix look will be worn ten times this season, starting November 3.
In Other News...
Penguins Fans Now Wait On The Ben Kindel Recovery Timeline
The Penguins had to deal with an unsettling medical scare involving Ben Kindel after he collapsed on the team plane, an episode that immediately shifted attention away from the ice and toward his health. The club later confirmed the cause of the incident, easing some of the immediate uncertainty while still leaving the wider picture focused on his recovery and what comes next.
Kindel has been placed on injured reserve as he continues treatment and further testing, a reminder that these situations rarely come with quick answers. For Pittsburgh, the priority now is simply getting him the care and evaluation he needs, with the more important timeline still tied to how he responds in the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Just Took A Brutal Short-Term Hit Up Front
Bryan Rusts latest injury leaves the Penguins with a short-term hole they cant easily paper over. Head coach Dan Muse said the veteran forward is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in a recent game, a hit to a lineup that has leaned on Rusts reliability and two-way presence for years.
Pittsburgh already had to reshape its roster after placing Ben Kindel on injured reserve as well, with Rutger McGroarty and Chase Pietila coming up to fill the vacancies. Kindels situation appears less severe, but the immediate pressure is on the Penguins to absorb Rusts absence without losing too much ground while they wait for more clarity on how the roster settles. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Already Have A Lineup Problem They Didn't Solve This Summer
Declan Carlile has given the Penguins one of those early-season roster questions that can linger if it is not handled quickly. He did manage to score a goal in recent games, but the larger issue has been his play in his own end, where the defensive breakdowns have outweighed the offensive flash and left Pittsburgh with a lineup spot that suddenly looks a lot less secure.
The problem for the Penguins is that they do not appear to have an obvious in-house fix sitting right behind him. The organization does have AHL names in the conversation, including Owen Pickering, but this is the kind of depth decision that can force a real rethink about how long Carlile stays in the mix if the recent form continues. [Read more 🡒]