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[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Evgeni Malkin makes his case for a contract extension from the Penguins

Evgeni Malkin has been crystal clear in his comments to the media about two two subjects this season that he’s openly talked about, at times unprompted.

1. He doesn’t want this 2025-26 season to be his last in the NHL
2. He doesn’t want to leave the Pittsburgh Penguins for a different team

There’s been nothing in the way of smokescreens or subtext with the messaging. What you see is what you get. Malkin has mostly gotten his way professionally in the last 20 years but the team hasn’t been as quick to get on that page.

Kyle Dubas and company have slow-played the situation. Dealing with a 20-year franchise legend can be a delicate process, as seen in Malkin’s last contract negotiation in 2022 where it took until the 11th hour to get an agreement for a four-year contract that the team almost reluctantly handed to him.

Pittsburgh’s stance this time around was understandable. Malkin will turn 40 this year, he was coming off his worst full season in 2024-25, producing only 50 points in 68 games. He’s had a couple of knee surgeries. That’s not a case where a team is going to rush into a signing, especially one like the Pens who have a stated goal to get younger. There wasn’t any movement on the contract this summer. Dubas addressed the matter at the start of training camp:

“He’s in a great mood every day,” Dubas said. “No change on [the contract] front. I spoke with him and [agent J.P. Barry] in the summer when stuff started percolating there. At the time in every one of their careers, I’ll sit when time permits….The [Olympic] break provides a key opportunity for that…I expect him to have a great season.”

With that stance, it shouldn’t be overlooked that Dubas essentially added to the list of his recent accomplishments in a subtle way by stoking the competitive fires in Malkin. That shows a crafty impact as a manager to go beyond a major trade or free agent move to enhance performance. Sometimes pulling a lever like “go have a great season and we’ll touch base with your agent at the Olympics after we see how things are looking” can help a team as much as anything. Dubas didn’t rush to re-sign Malkin, yet he also didn’t close the door completely either. He just made Malkin do the work to walk through it.

It was a challenge Malkin took to heart, accepted and has made his mission to complete. Despite missing time with a shoulder injury, he has been sensational this season when he’s been in the lineup to the tune of 39 points in 35 games, often performing as one of the best players on the ice on any given night.

Those performances included last night’s 6-2 win over Edmonton where Malkin produced a goal and an assist. He playfully shrugged off retirement notions again:

“I never say I want to retire. It’s all you. I feel great, and I like how we play. It’s always fun to win.”

It’s not difficult to see the goal constantly in mind to not have this year be his final one has inspired Malkin. He’s played his normal center position, then willingly shifted to the wing while jokingly volunteering to line up at defense or even goalie if that was what it took for the team to be successful.

Turns out his forward position has more than sufficed. Any doubts on whether or not he’s still got it were emphatically wiped away last night in the sequence where Malkin poked the puck away from no less than Connor McDavid, took off down the ice (despite being at the end of a shift lasting 1:20) and scoring on the breakaway.

Watch out… GENO'S LOOSE pic.twitter.com/oX6X2OTjOH

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 23, 2026

Malkin would continue in the post-game:

“But I hope you see…it’s not easy. I try to do my best because I knew I wanted to play one more year. I want to show I’m still a good player. I want everybody to see that I can play next year. It’s my goal right now.”

At this point it ought to be an open and shut case. Pittsburgh is going into the offseason with over $50 million in salary cap space. It doesn’t truly matter to anything beyond the bottom line whether they pay him $5, 10 or $15 million next season, they can easily fit him at any price (though here’s betting an extension will be closer to the lower-end of that spectrum).

Malkin’s season has been an inspired effort to prove himself all over again, to meet a challenge and earn a spot with the Pens in 2026-27. He’s passed those tests with flying colors. The NHL’s Olympic break starts in two weeks, it’s almost time for Dubas and the Pens to hold up their end of the bargain and reward the icon with a well-earned ticket to play in Pittsburgh next season.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...se-for-a-contract-extension-from-the-penguins

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins unveil plans to celebrate 2016 Stanley Cup team

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced plans to celebrate the team’s 2016 Stanley Cup championship later this month.

When the Penguins host the New York Rangers on January 31, the team says it will be having a reunion to mark the 10-year anniversary of the organization’s fourth Stanley Cup championship.

A decade later, the memories still hit the same.

The Penguins will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 Stanley Cup Championship team on Saturday, January 31.

Details: https://t.co/xRkRd9cbhE pic.twitter.com/t8P9tfaDl7

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 20, 2026

The team is encouraging fans who attend the game to be in their seats early for a special pre-game ceremony. Fans in attendance will also receive a commemorative championship ring.

The Penguins said that all players, coaches, and management listed on the Stanley Cup from the 2016 championship team have been invited back from the celebration and that former players including Marc-Andre Fleury, Jeff Zatkoff, Matt Cullen, Pascal Dupuis, Eric Fehr, Carl Hagelin, Patric Hornqvist, Tom Kuhnhackl, Chris Kunitz, Trevor Daley, and Ben Lovejoy are all expected to attend.

Former Penguins general manager and architect of the 2016 Cup team Jim Rutherford is also scheduled to be in attendance.

Puck drop for the Penguins game that day is set for 3:30 p.m. and doors will open at 2:00.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/71955/penguins-unveil-plans-to-celebrate-2016-stanley-cup-team

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Pens Points: A Western Canada sweep

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…​

The Pittsburgh Penguins completed their Western Canada swing on Sunday evening, facing off against the Vancouver Canucks. It was a homecoming for rookie forward Ben Kindel, who led the way with two goals as the Penguins won 3-2. [Recap]

However, in the dying moments of the game, amid a Vancouver push for the tying goal, forward Bryan Rust hit Vancouver’s Brock Boeser on the ice as time expired Sunday. Video shows Rust appearing to hit Boeser up high with an extended elbow, an action deemed “dirty” by Vancouver players. [Sportsnet]

Big Justin Brazeau has been one of the many positive revelations this season. The winger has career highs in goals (14) and points (25) in 37 games after Sunday. He’s been able to cash in on his offensive opportunities by “playing the right way.” [Trib Live]

Every club in the league would take 13 goals and 40 points in 36 games for a 39-year-old forward who is set to be an unrestricted free agent at year’s end. However, those statistics belong to an NHL and franchise icon in Evgeni Malkin, who has now publicly said he is willing to take a discount to return to the Penguins next season. General manager Kyle Dubas, with his seemingly infinite pool of cap space, should listen and reward Malkin with the extension he has rightfully deserved. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL…​

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander has apologized after he was seen on camera flipping the middle finger during Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. [TSN]

The Seattle Kraken are open to hearing trade offers for 22-year-old center Shane Wright, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. [theScore]

The NHL may have gained a new fan base as viewers go crazy for the viral HBO streaming hit “Heated Rivalry.” The show, which centers around a romance between two hockey players, has driven a “noticeable spike” in demand for NHL tickets and revenue for the league, according to ticket website SeatGeek. [CBS News]

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/7218...kin-nhl-heated-rivalry-nylander-middle-finger

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

The week ahead: Penguins keep stacking points

Even though they almost let it slip away on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins won all four games on their Western Conference road trip and mostly did so in impressive fashion. They beat the Seattle Kraken, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers by multiple goals, with all three games being rather convincing wins, and then had a 3-0 lead on the Vancouver Canucks going into the third period. They needed goalie Stuart Skinner to stand on his head a little bit to secure that win, but the bottom line is he did, they got the two points, and they remain one of the best teams in the NHL since the holiday break with an 11-2-2 record in their first 15 games since then.

What that means for the standings:

• The Penguins are tied for the seventh-best points percentage (.618) in the entire NHL.
• Their goal-differential is tied for the sixth-best in the NHL.
• They are tied for the fourth-best points percentage (.618) in the Eastern Conference.
• They are four points ahead of the New York Islanders for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division in the same number of games played.
• They are on a 101-point pace for the season.
• The current playoff cut-off line in the Eastern Conference is 98 points in the wild-card race and 94 points in the Metropolitan Division.

Overall, they have put themselves in a pretty good spot.

They have a chance to keep it going on this upcoming three-game home stand against the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators.

The home stand begins on Thursday night against Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks. The Penguins won the first meeting this season, 7-3, back on Dec. 28 in Chicago to kickstart this recent strong stretch of play.

While Bedard is a blossoming superstar in the NHL, the Blackhawks as a whole are still not particularly good. They enter the week having won just three of their past nine games, have the sixth-worst record in the NHL and some of the worst 5-on-5 scoring chance and possession metrics in the NHL.

They are 30th in 5-on-5 expected goal share and 28th in expected goals against per 60 minutes. That should be a winnable game.

On Saturday the Penguins host former head coach Mike Sullivan and the Rangers for a celebration of the 2016 Stanley Cup team. Several former players will be in the house, and it should be another chance to collect some points against a Rangers team that is currently, by far, the worst team in the Eastern Conference. They are even worse due to the current injuries to top defenseman Adam Fox and starting goalie Igor Shesterkin. Aside from the injuries, the Rangers simply have a lack of offensive talent that limits their scoring ability and ability to push play during 5-on-5 hockey. It is a poorly constructed team that is currently without two of the players it could least afford to be without. The Penguins and Rangers have split the first two games this season, with the Penguins getting a 3-0 win in New York in the season opener, and the Rangers getting a 6-1 win in Sullivan’s first return back to Pittsburgh as an opposing coach.

Even the Monday against the Senators is a winnable game. Ottawa is probably better than its record indicates and has been ruined by awful goaltending all season, but there is still a chance there for more points.

The two big wild cards this week for the Penguins are going to be the availability of forwards Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin seemed to be in pain at the end of Sunday’s game when he was bumped on the bench in celebration of the win.

Rust, meanwhile, could be facing a potential suspension for a hit to the head late in Sunday’s win against the Canucks.

Any potential absence of either player (or both) would disrupt the line chemistry the Penguins have really started to develop over the past few weeks.

Even so, given the way the Penguins are playing, and given the teams on the schedule this week, it would be a bit of a disappointment to not come out of this week with four points. That should be a realistic expectation and goal.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/72204/the-week-ahead-penguins-keep-stacking-points

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Bryan Rust to face discipline from NHL for hit?

The league is reportedly looking into a hit thrown by Bryan Rust at the end of the game against the Canucks. Vancouver-based broadcaster Rick Dhaliwal went as far to say that “the expectation is that supplement discipline will be coming”, which would include a fine or suspension.

The Department of Player Safety is closely reviewing the Bryan Rust hit on Brock Boeser last night and the expectation is that supplemental discipline will be coming here.

— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) January 26, 2026

Rust leveled Brock Boeser with a high hit in the game’s closing seconds in a play that went unpenalized during the action in the scramble for Vancouver’s attempt to find a buzzer beating tying goal.

Bryan Rust get the elbow up on Brock Boeser late in the third.

: Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/ykovrXFuTp

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) January 26, 2026

The Canucks were not happy with the hit in their post-game.

“I think it’s a pretty dirty play, to be honest with you.” – Jake DeBrusk on Bryan Rust’s blindside hit on Brock Boeser at the end of the game. #Canucks @Sportsnet650

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) January 26, 2026

Teddy Blueger also said he thought it was a dirty hit, though he doesn’t believe Rust is a dirty player. #Canucks @Sportsnet650 https://t.co/fO8IDpEj8A

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) January 26, 2026

Rust has 18 penalty minutes in 48 games this season, last season he had 18 PIMs in 71 games and has never recorded more than 31 PIMs in a season with a clean discipline record with the NHL.

Of course, you never know what the NHL’s supplemental discipline team will rule. Florida’s Brad Marchand received a two-minute penalty but no fine or suspension for a similar hit last month on Montreal’s Mike Matheson, and Marchand carries a much longer rap sheet for questionable plays. Then again, since Marchand was penalized on the play and Rust’s hit wasn’t addressed during the game that could open Rust up for some sort of action from the league in the form of discipline.

There was no update on Boeser’s status after he was helped off the ice at the conclusion of the game. The Penguins held on to win 3-2 for their fourth straight win, now they’ll be hanging on a bit longer to hear from the league about the status of one of their top line wingers for their next game at home against Buffalo on Thursday.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/72206/bryan-rust-to-face-suspension

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Evgeni Malkin-Egor Chinakhov duo has been one of NHL’s best so far

When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets a little more than a month ago, it seemed like a worthwhile bet. Far from a guarantee to work out, but it was taking a talented player that had shown some goal-scoring ability in the NHL that may have simply needed a fresh start and change of scenery. Sometimes things just click for those guys. Especially if you put them into a good situation. Maybe you catch lightning in a bottle.

So far, things are clicking for Chinakhov and the Penguins.

More specifically, they are really clicking for Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin.

Since that duo has been put together on the Penguins’ line, they have been one of the most productive duos in the NHL from a goal-scoring perspective.

In more than 100 minutes together the Malkin-Chinakhov duo has outscored teams by an 8-1 margin during 5-on-5 play. Take it down to a per minute basis, and they are averaging 4.34 goals per 60 minutes and 3.09 expected goals per 60 minutes. Those are elite numbers.

When you add Tommy Novak into the mix that trio also becomes one of the best in the NHL with a 7-1 goal differential and more than five expected goals per 60 minutes. Also elite numbers.

How much so? Here are the goal-differential leaders for the best forward trios in the NHL this season with a minimum of 75 minutes played together:

Now their rank in goals scored per 60 minutes.

Those rankings are out of 216 different line combinations.

They are still relatively small sample sizes (both for Malkin and Chinakhov, and Malkin-Chinakhov-Novak), but they are extremely promising results, both in terms of production and process.

While so much of Chinakhov’s game revolves around his shot and ability to score goals, he has impressed in a lot of other areas beyond that. The goals obviously get the attention, but he has also demonstrated playmaking skills and not been a total liability away with the puck. I do not know that anybody is ever going to confuse him with a Selke Trophy candidate, but his all-around game has been better and more impressive than originally thought. He has simply done everything well so far and been an instant fit on that second line.

It has all just further balanced out the Penguins’ forward lines and made them a really tough team to defend. You know the Sidney Crosby line is going to produce. The fourth line has been a spark plug for the team in terms of its ability to tilt the ice, and even contribute some goals. The Ben Kindel line seems to have found some chemistry with the two big veteran forwards (Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha). Now you have a second line with a future Hall of Famer that is still playing at a high level, and two shrewd additions in Chinakhov and Novak complementing him. Not only are they complementing him, they are making a huge impact. Individually and as a group.

There are no liabilities here. There is not a single line you do not want on the ice. It is an encouraging development to watch.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...hinakhov-duo-has-been-one-of-nhls-best-so-far

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins wait for injury updates ahead of Olympic break

The upcoming Olympic break could potentially be coming at a good time for a few banged-up Penguins players.

The biggest concern likely involves Evgeni Malkin, who appeared to be in pain on the bench Sunday night following a seemingly light shoulder tap from Anthony Mantha.

When asked about that moment after the game, head coach Dan Muse said there was “no update” regarding Malkin.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski reported that Muse told reporters afterward when asked again about Malkin’s injury status: “No, there’s nothing there.”

There’s less reassuring than it might have been otherwise given that Muse described Malkin as “day-to-day” shortly before he was sidelined for a month with a shoulder injury in December.

Malkin said earlier this month he felt normal immediately after the Dec. 4 game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in which he was initially injured, but woke up in pain the next morning. After a Feb. 5 game at the Ottawa Senators, the Penguins don’t play again until Feb. 26.

The upcoming schedule break could be a problem for the Penguins in terms of disrupting their momentum, but could also provide some respite if Malkin is dealing with any lingering issues.

Speaking of potentially injured players: Jack St. Ivany left Sunday’s win over the Vancouver Canucks with an upper-body injury. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe identified it as a left hand injury and said St. Ivany “is expected to miss sometime.”

That one could sting for the Penguins. After some struggles earlier this season, St. Ivany has been part of the reason for the blue line’s success while missing Erik Karlsson and/or Kris Letang during this recent stretch.

The Penguins didn’t provide any updates on either player’s status Monday, so it’ll be something to keep an eye out today. Injury updates will at least come before Thursday’s home game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Penguins will also be looking out for news regarding Bryan Rust. NHL Player Safety said he is scheduled to have a hearing for his hit on Canucks captain Brock Boeser this morning.

The Canucks placed Boeser on injured reserve Monday.

Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust will have a hearing tomorrow morning for an illegal check to the head against Vancouver’s Brock Boeser. https://t.co/K8cMz139Hz

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) January 26, 2026

The Penguins have five games remaining before the Olympic break, starting with a three-game homestand against the Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Senators and finishing out with a two-game road trip against the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres.

Potential updates today on Malkin, St. Ivany and Rust will determine if the Penguins are missing any starters for that stretch.

The Pens will especially hope to have as healthy a lineup as possible against the Islanders and Sabres, two teams who could possibly be in direct competition for a playoff spot down the stretch.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/72254/penguins-wait-for-injury-updates-ahead-of-olympic-break

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Jack St. Ivany has hand surgery, will miss extended time

The Penguins will be without defenseman Jack St. Ivany for at least the next two months after undergoing hand surgery.

The team announced that St. Ivany underwent successful hand surgery on at UPMC Mercy Hospital.

Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany underwent successful surgery on his left hand. The expected recovery time is up to eight weeks.

Details: https://t.co/GnMQJ6bSPR pic.twitter.com/965aNpM6y5

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 27, 2026

St. Ivany left Sunday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks and did not return.

According to a release from the team, the surgery was performed by Dr. John Fowler alongside Penguins team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas.

St. Ivany’s recovery time is expected to be eight weeks.

So far this season, St. Ivany has recorded a career-best 7 assists in 17 games for the Penguins.

The Penguins are back in action tomorrow night at PPG Paints Arena after sweeping a western Canadian road trip last week with wins against Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.

Pittsburgh has won four straight games, have not lost in regulation in over two weeks, and currently sit six points behind Carolina for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Penguins have five games remaining before the NHL’s Olympic break for the Milano Cortina Winter games.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/72321/jack-st-ivany-has-hand-surgery-will-miss-extended-time

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Wilkes Weekly: Broz, Koppanen injuries test center depth for WBS

It’s a two-fer with two weeks since our last check in on the AHL affiliate out in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Nick Hart’s recap of the early games from WBSPenguins.com and most recent. WBS posted a 4-2-1 record over the past two weeks worth of games.

Wednesday, Jan. 14 – PENGUINS 4 at Providence 1
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton usurped first place from Providence with a clinical performance and an AHL career-high 36 saves from Sergei Murashov. Tristan Broz scored twice, and other tallies came courtesy of Joona Koppanen and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.

Friday, Jan. 16 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Hartford 4
Time ran out on a fiery comeback attempt, as the Penguins fell in their first of back-to-back games against the Wolf Pack. Gabe Klassen scored twice, but a three-goal second period by Hartford spelled doom for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Saturday, Jan. 17 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Hartford 1
The Penguins bounced back in a big way, scoring thrice in the first period and never looking back. Harvey-Pinard notched three points (1G-2A) in that explosive opening frame. As insurance, Finn Harding scored his first AHL goal in the second period.

Monday, Jan. 19 – PENGUINS 3 at Springfield 2
Rutger McGroarty returned from the NHL and Avery Hayes returned from injury as offense from Valtteri Puustinen, Chase Pietila and Klassen led the Pens to their second-straight victory.

Wednesday, Jan. 21 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Belleville 3 (OT)
A goalie duel between two old friends took place, as Joel Blomqvist and Leevi Meriläinen went save-for-save in a starry display. However, Meriläinen’s 25 saves in the first two periods kept his team in it, leading to an OT win for the B-Sens. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Atley Calvert both scored for WBS.

Friday, Jan. 23 – PENGUINS 4 at Hershey 3 (SO)
A back-and-forth thriller at Giant Center ended with the Penguins surviving in a shootout. Owen Pickering and Ville Koivunen lit the lamp in the first period, and Avery Hayes forced OT with his late, tying goal. Rutger McGroarty posted an assist on all three goals. Koivunen scored again in the shootout, while Sergei Murashov thwarted all three of Hershey’s attempts.

Saturday, Jan. 24 – PENGUINS 2 vs. Charlotte 5
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton wrapped its eight-game season series with Charlotte with a loss. Gabe Klassen and Aidan McDonough found twine for the Penguins, but Blomqvist’s season-high 35 saves weren’t enough. Charlotte won each of its for visits to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza this season.

It’s been a test lately for WBS, seeing prior stalwarts like Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen leave the organization via trade, and some bonus AHL participants in Danton Heinen and Philip Tomasino moving on to their next teams as well. That’s opened the doors for players on AHL contracts like Gabe Klassen, Aaron Huglen, Aidan McDonough and Atley Calvert to step into bigger roles. Those aren’t the sexiest names when it comes to surefire NHL prospects or big picture items for the organization at a whole but will be critical to the WBS season.

Klassen is especially standing out with his 10 points (8G+2A) in the last 11 games. The 22-year old is in his second season with the Pens organization, having spent most of 2024-25 in Wheeling. Klassen is a guy who has popped a little in events like the September prospect challenge, it’s been nice to see him go from a bit player at the AHL level and turn into a key contributor for WBS over the last month, often playing these days centering a line with the NHL top prospects.

How we’re rocking tonight

Catch the action on AHLTV on FloHockey: https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPj pic.twitter.com/jTU3tTSgSW

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 21, 2026

11 forwards, 7 defensemen

Catch the action on AHLTV on FloHockey: https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPj pic.twitter.com/BiyeSJQ4z5

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 24, 2026

AHL games are lower scoring, the Pens benefit from having a strong defense corps and two of the finest goalies currently in the league these days. That can go a long way, and has been so far.

Another boost has been the return from the AHL for Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. McGroarty has compiled five assists in the four games he has been back. That’s very encouraging considering he’s returning from a concussion suffered in a NHL practice a few weeks ago. Koivunen has recorded six points (1G+5A) in the nine games since his re-assignment to the AHL in early January.

Missing from the above lines, one might note, is WBS’s leading scorer Tristan Broz. It looks like Broz will be out for at least a few weeks with an undisclosed injury. Joona Koppanen has also missed time after blocking a shot.

ICYMI: I had a pretty in-depth 1-on-1 with #WBSPens HC Kirk MacDonald following last night's OT loss to Belleville.

Talked on a variety of topics, and players – including an unfortunate update on Tristan Broz's injury timeline.

@InsideAHLHockeyhttps://t.co/JH7R3fmarA

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) January 22, 2026

Overall, Wilkes remains in a strong second place spot in the Atlantic Division, having completed almost 60% of their 72-game regular season schedule.

WBS is back in action with a pair of games this weekend, hosting Syracuse on Friday night before heading over to Lehigh Valley on Saturday.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/wbs-weekly/72090/wilkes-weekly

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins recall forward Rutger McGroarty

With forward Bryan Rust serving a three-game suspension and defenseman Jack St. Ivany now sidelined following surgery, there was going to be a roster move coming for the Pittsburgh Penguins before they begin their current three-game home stand. That roster move came on Thursday morning, and it is the return of forward Rutger McGroarty.

The Penguins officially announced the recall of McGroarty after a four-game stop in Wikes-Barre/Scranton following his recovery from a concussion. He was injured during a collision with a teammate in practice. During his four-game stay in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton he recorded five assists, furthering his impressive AHL numbers for the season. He has four goals, eight assists and 12 total points in nine games at the AHL Level.

He has two goals and an assist in 16 games with the Penguins.

With McGroarty back, the question now becomes what sort of role he take with the Penguins and where he will slot back into the lineup.

The Penguins have recalled forward Rutger McGroarty from the @WBSPenguins (AHL).

Defenseman Jack St. Ivany has been placed on Injured Reserve. pic.twitter.com/HQBbqkxtSH

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 29, 2026

The Penguins have really settled their forward line combinations and have four lines that are working extremely well together at the moment. The easiest solution would be to simply plug McGroarty into Rust’s spot on the top line and keep the Evgeni Malkin-Tommy Novak-Egor Chinakhov line together, the Ben Kindel-Anthony-Mantha-Justin Brazeau line together and the Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Accairi line together.

Why disrupt multiple lines that are all working if you do not have to do so?

Crosby and McGroarty also produced well together in their brief ice-time together at the end of the 2024-25 season.

The other option could be a potential reunion of McGroarty with Ben Kindel, with one of the veteran forwards (Brazeau or Mantha) getting bumped to the top line.

Based on the lines at the morning skate, the Penguins are going to go with the latter option as Brazeau has skated on the right side of the Crosby-Rakell line, while McGroarty is on the left side with Kindel and Mantha.

At the end of the day, just so it is not Kevin Hayes drawing back into the lineup there really is not a bad decision here. The important thing is just putting a good lineup out there that can keep this run going. The other important thing is McGroarty making the most of this opportunity and making a good impression no matter what line he plays on. Making the playoffs is now a very realistic goal for this season, and perhaps even an expectation at this point, but seeing growth from young players and positive development there is also a big priority. Bryan Rust’s suspension is unfortunate for the Penguins, but it is still a big opportunity for McGroarty to get another look with the NHL team.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/72354/penguins-recall-forward-rutger-mcgroarty