Training camp is where a lot of the comfortable assumptions get tested, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are heading into one of the most crowded battles they’ve had in a while. A handful of veterans are walking into preseason with no real guarantee, and if they don’t separate themselves quickly, there’s a real chance they get squeezed out by younger players pushing hard for the same jobs.
That’s the twist here: being traded for or signed this offseason does not equal safety. The Penguins still have some tough roster decisions ahead, and a few familiar names are going to spend camp trying to make those choices harder.
Andrei Kuzmenko is one of the more interesting cases. It would be a surprise if Pittsburgh moved on from him this year, especially since he’s expected to fill the Anthony Mantha role.
On paper, that fits. But Kuzmenko is on a one-year deal and hasn’t put up big numbers since 2023, so if a younger forward outperforms him in camp, the Penguins could pivot fast and trade him.
Nicholas Robertson feels a little different. Pittsburgh didn’t just trade for him - it also extended him, which makes him far less likely to be the odd man out.
Still, nothing is locked in if he doesn’t deliver as a third-line winger. That role already looks shaky heading into camp, and while he may not be sitting squarely on the bubble like some others, he’s close enough to feel the pressure.
Ryan Graves, meanwhile, has been living in roster-bubble territory for a while now. That’s hardly a shock.
Since his second season with the team, he’s been one of the most vulnerable veterans in the mix, and one of the rougher moves from Kyle Dubas’ time as general manager. A strong camp could help him stick, but based on how things have gone in Pittsburgh, that’s still the less likely outcome.
Justin Brazeau enters camp with a much steeper climb. He started last season in a big way, but that burst faded badly in the second half.
His production fell off hard, and now he’s on the outside looking in with too many players chasing the same spot. He still has a shot, but it’s a slim one.
Hendrix Lapierre is in a tricky spot too. Like Robertson, he was acquired and then extended, but that doesn’t mean his path is clear.
Pittsburgh already has its four centers set, which leaves Lapierre needing to carve out a bottom-six winger role if he wants to stay in the lineup. If he can’t do that, his place is very much up for grabs.
Connor Dewar might be the safest of the group, though even he isn’t completely out of the woods. Letting him go after the way last season went would be a surprise.
He played well enough to earn a new contract, and he looks like one of the better bets to hang onto a fourth-line job. Still, he’s not totally immune if camp goes sideways.
In Other News...
Penguins Enter A Telling Stretch As Roster Questions Start Growing
As the Penguins get ready for training camp and the Prospects Challenge, the organization also has a reminder of its recent star power on the horizon, with Phil Kessel and Amanda Kessel set for induction into the US Hockey Hall of Fame. It is the kind of late-summer stretch that usually brings a little optimism to the calendar, a chance to sort through young players, sharpen the roster picture and start setting the tone before the season begins.
There is still plenty of noise around the league, too, and some of it touches Pittsburghs orbit in ways worth watching. Trade chatter continues to swirl around players such as Alexander Nikishin and Kirill Marchenko, even as Columbus has publicly pushed back on the idea of moving Marchenko. For a Penguins team trying to settle its own plans, the broader market serves as a reminder that the roster conversation is never really quiet this time of year. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Rebuild Is Stuck Waiting For One Trade That Matters
The Penguins spent much of the offseason trying to turn prospects and draft picks into younger NHL talent, a sensible next step for a club looking to speed up its rebuild without tearing everything down at once. General manager Kyle Dubas said the team made real efforts to land impact help, but the asking prices around the league were steep enough to keep Pittsburgh from landing the kind of deal that would have changed the picture.
So the result is a familiar one for a franchise trying to get moving again: a few smaller additions, plenty of interest, and a roster still waiting on the trade that would matter most. With the offseason winding down and training camp nearing, the Penguins are left in a holding pattern, hoping the market eventually opens in a way that lets them take a meaningful step forward. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Prospects Suddenly Have A Real Chance To Shake Up Plans
The Penguins are giving a batch of prospects a chance to make a case for themselves at an upcoming tournament, and the timing makes the event more meaningful than a typical late-summer showcase. Pittsburghs roster includes Liam Ruck, Harrison Brunicke, Bill Zonnon, Peyton Kettles, Markus Ruck and goaltender Matvei Nikonovich, a mix that should give the organization a fresh look at some of its younger talent before bigger decisions start coming into focus.
A few notable names are missing from the group, which only adds to the sense that this is an opportunity with real implications rather than a ceremonial stop along the way. For players trying to climb the organizational ladder, a strong showing could change how the Penguins view their future plans, and for a team looking to sort out which prospects are closest to helping at the NHL level, the tournament may carry more weight than the format suggests. [Read more 🡒]