With injuries starting to pile up on the front end, the Penguins have created a real opening for some of their younger forwards. And with only two preseason games left, the race for those last roster spots is coming into focus fast.
Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh is expected to roll out a lineup heavy on prospects, especially up front. That makes this one a big chance for a handful of players trying to force their way into the conversation before camp runs out.
The shortened camp has only tightened the pressure. The Penguins’ staff has kept reminding players that there isn’t much time left to separate themselves, and the message has landed.
"The coaches are making sure we know that, when you blink, camp's going to be over," Hayes said after Monday's 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres to open the pre-season. "You don't want to regret anything, you kind of want to attack every day with the mindset that you don't know what's coming tomorrow. So, you just gotta attack every day with 100 percent."
The injury picture has only added to the shuffle. Earlier this week, the Penguins said center Blake Lizotte and forward Oliver Okuliar are out week-to-week with upper- and lower-body injuries, respectively.
Justin Brazeau skated with the team Thursday but is day-to-day. Then came another update on Ben Kindel.
That leaves Pittsburgh thin down the middle, and if Lizotte and Kindel both miss the season opener on Sept. 30 against the Philadelphia Flyers, there should be room for a young center or two to grab NHL minutes.
At the front of that group are Filip Hallander, Hendrix Lapierre, and Tristan Broz.
Lapierre, 24, arrived from the Washington Capitals this summer in a deal for third- and fifth-round picks. His NHL scoring has not yet matched the offensive upside many expected, but the Penguins believe there’s more there. He has 13 goals and 47 points in 158 career NHL games, and early camp has gone well for him.
Broz, who turns 24 on Oct. 10, brings a different package: a smart, responsible two-way game with enough offense to matter. He’s been limited by injuries to just one NHL game over the last season-plus, but his ability to help at five-on-five and on both special teams gives him a path to third- or fourth-line work if Pittsburgh needs it.
Hallander has been the most noticeable of the fringe players in camp. His 2025-26 season was cut short after 14 games because of a blood clot, but he has looked the part since camp opened. He spends more time on the wing than at center these days, but his dependable two-way play gives the Penguins a useful option while they sort through the injuries.
Those three may have the cleanest path, but they’re not the only names in the mix.
Hayes could be next in line. He scored five goals in 16 NHL games last season, and he made a strong early impression in the preseason opener against Buffalo. Late in the second period, he forced a turnover behind the Sabres net, circled just above the goal line and beat Alex Lyon over the right shoulder to restore Pittsburgh’s two-goal lead.
"It’s the goal, but it was the time of the goal, too," head coach Dan Muse said. "Obviously, when you can get a massive momentum swing like that right before you go into the locker room. Even within that sequence, though, you saw him getting in on the hunt, getting in on the forecheck, that's a big part of his game.
"That kind of tenacious, puck-pressure, never-quit player - that's when he's at his best."
Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen also remain in the mix. McGroarty has had a solid camp, has improved his skating a bit, and has clearly been pushing to stick in the NHL. He scored late in Pittsburgh’s 7-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday and gets another shot Thursday.
Koivunen is set to play after missing his first scheduled preseason game because of a facial injury suffered in practice earlier this week. Muse said the summer work has stood out.
"He's shown that he's put in the work in the summer," Muse said. "He looks stronger, but he's also showing that.
I think he's stronger on pucks. The work that he put in over the summer has been noticeable, so I'm excited to see it here in a game."
Elmer Soderblom and Brazeau also remain part of the equation. Soderblom has had an excellent camp, while Brazeau may look more like a lock than a bubble player, at least at this stage.
Still, among the young forwards fighting for a place, these six appear best positioned to crack the opening-night roster.
Thursday’s game in Columbus will include every player mentioned except Lapierre, who is limited to two preseason games because of his "veteran" status of 100 or more games played. The game can be streamed on the Blue Jackets’ website and heard on the Penguins’ flagship station, 105.9 The X.
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