RSS Penguins Team Notes

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Pens Points: Knockouts Begin

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 15: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Image was captured using a static remote camera behind the goal.) Players of Team Canada and Team France shake hands after the Men's Preliminary Group A match between Canada and France on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 15, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s do-or-die time in Milan as the Olympic Men’s ice hockey tournament enters the knockout stages of competition, beginning today with four games that will set the Quarterfinal round set to take place on Wednesday. Thus far, Canada, The United States, Slovakia, and Finland have booked places in the quarters based on their performances in the group play. That leaves the remaining eight sides to battle it out in a playoff round to sort out the other four quarterfinalists.

Play begins on Tuesday at 6:10 AM EST with Germany v. France and Switzerland v. Italy. Then it’s Czechia v. Denmark at 10:40 AM EST before Sweden v. Latvia wraps up the day at 3:40 PM EST.

Pens Points…​

Three of the Penguins Olympic representatives will be in action on Tuesday, all looking to keep their medal hopes alive and advance to the quarterfinals. Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell hope to keep Sweden in contention and set up a showdown with the United States while going up against Arturs Silovs and Latvia. [Pensburgh]

The last time we saw the Pittsburgh Penguins in action, Avery Hayes was making his NHL debut and scoring two big goals in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. Hayes was sent back to the AHL for the Olympic break, but his stay back in the minors may only be temporary. [Pensburgh]

Ville Koivunen has spent time between the AHL and NHL this season as his development continues to progress. Right now he’s in Wilkes-Barre and tearing up the league with 13 points in his last nine games as he helps the Baby Penguins battle for a playoff bye in the standings. [The Hockey News]

In a classic Kyle Dubas move, the Penguins bought (relatively) low on former first round draft pick Egor Chinakhov who was looking for a change of scenery away from Columbus. Since coming to PIttsburgh, Chinakhov has looked every bit of a former first round selection. [The Hockey News]

Another potential Dubas reclamation project came in the form of defenseman Ilya Solovyov, acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in January. After being scratched his first three games after the trade, Solovyov has worked his way into the lineup and is hoping his spot becomes permanent. [Trib Live]

If the Penguins are going to be making move at the trade deadline, it seems the most likely assests they are willing to part with are draft picks, just not their 2026 first round pick unless they are blown away. Given their position in the standings, it seems unlikely any players are on the block. [The Athletic $$]

NHL News and Notes…​

Brandon Bussi has been a breakout star for the Carolina Hurricanes this season and they aren’t letting him get away. On Monday, the Hurricanes and Bussi agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep the former waiver wire pickup in Raleigh long term. [Sportsnet]

Jeff Skinner will be looking for a new home once the NHL resumes play next week. Skinner and the San Jose Sharks have agreed to part ways as the forward was placed on waivers for the purpose of having his contract terminated, making him a free agent. [The Hockey News]

Not that there was much doubt coming into the Olympics, but the United States and Canada will face-off for gold in the women’s tournament after both sides won their respective semifinal contests on Monday. The gold medal game is scheduled for Thursday at 1:10 PM EST. [Yahoo!]

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/72984/pens-points-knockouts-begin

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

How much will Avery Hayes push into the lineup down the stretch?

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 5: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with teammates after scoring his first career goal during the first period of an NHL against the Buffalo Sabres game at KeyBank Center on February 5, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There’s a famous story in sports about how in 1925 the first baseman for the New York Yankees, Wally Pipp, showed up to the ballpark with a headache.

Miller Huggins, the Yankees’ manager, noticed this, and said “Wally, take the day off. We’ll try that kid Gehrig at first today and get you back in there tomorrow.” Gehrig played well and became the Yankees’ new starting first baseman. This story first appeared in a 1939 New York World-Telegram on Gehrig’s career, in which Pipp was interviewed. Pipp was later quoted to have said, “I took the two most expensive aspirin in history.”

For the non-baseball fans (or young) out there, Lou Gehrig would go onto play in a then-record 2,130 straight games. And thus, getting “Wally Pipp’d” became a point for the last hundred plus years in sports about a replacement stepping in and never looking back.

Avery Hayes might not go down in history to the same degree as the legendary ‘The Iron Horse”, though after Hayes’s two-goal NHL debut it’s worth thinking about the situation for where he might go from here for the rest of the season. That debut was partially brought on, ironically enough, in a fourth line right wing spot because the typical holder in the lineup of that position, Noel Acciari, was sick for a game. It won’t cost Acciari his spot forever, though it has opened up a door that will be worth further exploring this season.

Hayes was sent back to the AHL for the Olympic break, he still looks on a high, recording a hat trick in his first game back. Last night Hayes picked up an assist and dropped former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese in a fight with a mean short left.

AVERY HAYES pic.twitter.com/CwXlA65bo4

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 15, 2026

You can bet Penguin management has to be intrigued. The question now becomes just how much they’ll be looking to do to get Hayes a chance to get back into the NHL lineup. It’s a legitimate question since the current forward group figures to leave the break with full health with the normal fourth line featuring Acciari, Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte playing with an abundance of chemistry and success together.

Josh Yohe wrote a good line in The Athletic today, saying: “the second you think pieces of your fourth line are unmovable, you’ve got yourself a problem”. That would apply to moving in or out of the lineup, or even status on the team itself.

One area working in the Pens’ favor is the 23-player roster maximum disappears after the NHL trade deadline. Teams just have to be mindful to stay under the salary cap (no problem at all there for Pittsburgh) and the limitation of four post-deadline call-ups (which is also no problem since emergency recalls if a team needs them due to injury as also allowed), all of which should definitely open up the possibility to get Hayes and his good pal Rutger McGroarty back with the NHL squad after the March 6th deadline. From there it won’t be too difficult to rotate out a player like Acciari or Dewar at times to get some younger blood in the lineup.

That could also be an audition for next season. Both of Acciari and Dewar are impending free agents this summer. Hayes and McGroarty are waiting in the wings as natural, younger replacements for next season, if the management team decides to go in that direction.

Another alternative could be to consider moving one of Dewar or Acciari in a trade. The wisdom of doing that when the team is clicking and remove a piece of their success is questionable at best. Trade value on both players won’t be high either, likely making the reward not worth the potential risk of damage it could do to this team’s morale and unity. Had this season unfolded like the previous few in Pittsburgh, it would be easy to trade veterans as their contracts near expiry (including Lizotte, who has already re-signed) and move onto younger players. This Pens team is fourth in the Eastern Conference with a .625% points percentage, they’ve earned keeping their group together a while longer.

The good news for the Penguins is that it’s a good problem to have right now where they have about 14 forwards that, all things considered, they’d probably like to have dressing for an NHL game on any given night. The problem pops up in that only 12 can actually dress. That offers them a lot of options on what to do next in the course of managing the excess of players they have available now at their disposal, building in some comfort to hedge against future injuries.

One of those angles will certainly be how much they decide to work Hayes back in for NHL opportunities down the stretch. The Pens are starring down a very difficult upcoming March that sees 17 games in 31 days against many of the best teams in the league. They have a real grind coming up, the post-March 6th ability to have fresh bodies like Hayes and McGroarty on hand could be a real blessing to keep players fresh and inject the lineup with new options as they go along.

Based on that timeline a transition wouldn’t be as immediate or impactful as a Hall of Famer like Gehrig entering the picture and never leaving it, but as Wally Pipp knew all too well opening the door to a new option can lead to changes that end up lasting longer than just a single game. Hayes is making a strong case to be in the NHL picture down the stretch in some form, the answer to just how much opportunity he’ll get will be one of the more intriguing little storylines for the Penguins in the final sprint of their 2025-26 season.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...y-hayes-push-into-the-lineup-down-the-stretch

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Wilkes Weekly: A winless week

It was an uncharacteristic week for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coming out of the AHL All-Star break. The Pens phoned in a 5-0 loss to Syracuse on Saturday before battling back to force OT before falling to Cleveland on Sunday. From Nick Hart at WBSPenguins:

Saturday, Feb. 14 – PENGUINS 0 vs. Syracuse 5
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton saw its five-game win streak stalled by being shut-out for the second time this season. On both occasions, the culprit was the Syracuse Crunch, who held the Penguins to a season-low 16 shots on goal in Saturday’s loss out of the All-Star break.

Sunday, Feb. 15 – PENGUINS 3 vs. Cleveland 4 (OT)
The Penguins fought tooth and nail against the Monsters in a back-and-forth bout, but Cleveland captain Brendan Gaunce put his team over the top in OT. Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen both scored in the first period, while Emil Pieniniemi potted his first AHL goal early in the third.

It was a tough week for many, Sergei Murashov gave up five goals on 29 shots on Saturday in a game where no one else on his team had much juice. The next night, Joel Blomqvist got pulled after allowing a few weak goals in the middle of the second period. Superior goaltending has been the great equalizer and a hallmark for WBS this season, it was a notable blip in performance there (though Murashov came in cold to make 13 saves on 14 shots and help the team battle back against Cleveland). Matt Dumba might have had it the worst of all, losing several teeth after taking a puck to the mouth on Sunday.

On the positive side, it was nice to see the names that NHL Pittsburgh is going to want to see play well from the Sunday game at least, where McGroarty and Koivunen scored goals. Avery Hayes added an assist and a fight in another standout week. 20-year old prospect Emil Pieniniemi notched his first career AHL goal as his season gets in gear after a delayed start due to his standoff over the Pens’ plan for him.

As usual, nothing has changed overall in the standings – the Penguins remain locked into second place in points and points% in the division-focused AHL outlook. The chances of catching first-place Providence have become even more slim after the P-Bruins won both of their games over the last week to push their current winning streak up to an impressive 12. On the plus side, there hasn’t been any pressure from beneath WBS, since third-place Charlotte lost both of their recent games in regulation it meant that WBS’s 0-1-1 week added one point to that cushion. Thus, as it probably will remain for a long time (if not the rest of the 72-game season already), WBS remains solidly in second place of their division – an important spot to be in to earn a bye for the first round of the playoffs.

The Pens will look to get back on track with three games this week – they visit Springfield (down in the standings but riding a two-game winning streak) tonight before returning home for the start of a weekend home-and-home with Bridgeport beginning on Saturday and carrying over for a rematch on Sunday. The Saturday game at 6pm eastern will be streaming free online for anyone jonesing for some good old AHL hockey action.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/wbs-weekly/72979/wilkes-weekly-a-winless-week

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Sidney Crosby injured in Canada’s Olympic game, inconclusive updates follow

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada returns to the bench in the second period during the Men's Quarterfinals Playoff match between Canada and Czechia on day 12 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Troubling news out of Milan, where Sidney Crosby suffered an apparent leg injury in Team Canada’s quarterfinal game in the 2026 Olympics against Czechia that has knocked him out of the game.

Crosby took a heavy hit in the second period from Czech defender Radko Gudas and had his legs buckle under him. Seconds later, Gudas and forward Martin Necas crashed into Crosby along the boards. Crosby would slowly skate to the bench right after that, favoring his right leg. After staying on the bench doubled over and receiving assistance from a trainer, Crosby slowly walked back to the lockerroom.

Sidney Crosby has went to the locker room after two HEAVY hits from Czechia pic.twitter.com/qUv9soYk64

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 18, 2026

Crosby has been out since that point and didn’t return in the second period, while his teammates and countrymen have struggled with the pesky Czechs. Canada fell behind 2-1 in the game, their first time even losing during a best-on-best Olympic game since 2010 before finding a tying goal with the game tied after two periods.

This will be a developing story, we’ll update if Crosby is able to return for the third period or when any news comes out about his status or condition.

Update: Crosby will not be returning to the game, per Elliotte Friedman. He is not on the bench with his teammates for the third period.

Crosby will not return to this game

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 18, 2026

More updates: Canada coach Jon Cooper talked with the media but didn’t provide much specific information about Crosby’s status or condition moving forward after the 4-3 OT victory.

Jon Cooper said part of the message was – don’t let this be Sidney Crosby’s last game at the Olympics.

Cooper said he doesn’t have an update yet on Crosby’s status moving forward into semifinal.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 18, 2026

Cooper said Crosby will be evaluated and Crosby just felt he wasn’t in position to help the team the rest of the night. Says they didn’t want to lose this game and this be Crosby’s last game of these Olympics

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 18, 2026

Canada plays again in the semifinals on Friday.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/73036/sidney-crosby-injured-in-canadas-olympic-game

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Pens Points: Mayhem in Milan

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Players of Team United States congratulate Connor Hellebuyck #37 after defeating Sweden 2-1 in overtime during the Men's Quarterfinals Playoff match between the United States and Sweden on day 12 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Four quarterfinal games were on the schedule for the men’s ice hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday and did they ever deliver the drama. Of the four contests, three went into overtime, all featuring late drama that saw one of the teams needing a late equalizer to keep their Olympic hopes alive. In the end, Slovakia, Finland, Canada, and the United States all survived and have guaranteed themselves a shot at a medal of some sort.

That being said, despite all the theatrics from Wednesday, there will be piece of news likely to dominate headlines and keep Canada fans and fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins holding their breath.

Pens Points…​

Canada may have survived a scare from the Czechs to advance, but all the talk will be about the status of Sidney Crosby who left the game in the second period with an lower-body injury and did not return. Crosby was injured after a hit from Czechia defender Radko Gudas. [Pensburgh]

No one imagined it when the season began, but the Stanley Cup playoffs are very much as possibility for the Penguins this season. While they sit in good position at the Olympic break, there is still work left to be done once everyone returns and the season resumes next week. [Pensburgh]

It was a tough Valentine’s weekend for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after they were shutout on Saturday by Syracuse to end a five-game winning streak then lost to Cleveland on Sunday where they were still able to secure a point by getting the game to overtime. [Pensburgh]

Forward Filip Hallander returned to practice with the Penguins this week for the first time since being diagnosed with a blood clot in December. Hallander is now on his way to Wilkes-Barre where he will take on a conditioning assignment as part of his return to hockey. [Trib Live]

Another face returning to practice since team activities were allowed to resume was defenseman Kris Letang. After missing the final four games before the Olympic break, Letang is back on the ice and looking healthy, with full plans to play next Thursday against New Jersey. [The Athletic $$]

NHL News and Notes…​

So far the surprise side in Milan after winning Group B, Slovakia kept rolling right into the semifinals and guaranteed themselves a chance at a medal by steamrolling Germany 6-2 in the first quarterfinal game on Wednesday. They will face the United States in the semifinals on Friday. [NHL]

For the first time in this Olympic tournament, Canada was given a scare as Czechia pushed them to the absolute brink before Nick Suzuki and Mitch Marner stepped up to save the day and push Canada into the semifinals where they will meet Finland on Friday. [NHL]

For over 50 minutes, Finland looked to be dead in the water against Switzerland before a frantic final minutes saw the Finns find two goals late to force overtime where they capped off the comeback when Artturi Lehkonen went bar down to push the defending gold medalists into the semifinals to meet Canada. [NHL]

Wrapping up the action on Wednesday was yet another overtime thriller that saw the United States clinging to a 1-0 lead late in the third period before Sweden forced overtime with a late tying goal where Quinn Hughes came to the American rescue and set up a semifinal date with Slovakia. [NHL]

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/73031/pens-points-mayhem-in-milan

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Canada head coach Jon Cooper not ruling Sidney Crosby out for rest of Olympics

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada warm sup prior to the Men's Quarterfinals Playoff match between Canada and Czechia on day 12 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In the second period of Canada’s quarterfinal win over Czechia on Wednesday, the focus of Pittsburgh Penguins fans shifted from the gold medal pursuits of Sidney Crosby to whether or not he suffered a serious injury. After taking a big hit from defenseman Radko Gudas that saw the captain’s leg bend in an awkward manner, Crosby gingerly left the ice and slowly limped back to the locker room. He did not return to the game. It immediately raised concern for both team Canada and the Penguins.

On Thursday, Canada head coach Jon Cooper offered something of an update on Crosby. Cooper said that he is not ruling Crosby out for the remainder of the tournament, and that he is doing everything in his power to play in both the semifinal against Finland and a potential gold medal game.

Cooper emphasized they are not putting anybody in harm’s way, but that if Crosby can play, he will play.

From The Athletic:

“Sid is by no means ruled out of the tournament,’’ Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper said Thursday. “We’ve got the best of the best looking at him. … We’re taking this day by day. And we’re not going to put anyone in harm’s way. But if he can play, he’s definitely going to. We’ll know more again in 24 hours.’’

Long-time Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe echoed a similar sentiment, and that even though he is hearing Crosby is “iffy” to play Friday and this weekend, he “very much desires to play.”

At this point we are all still guessing until there is something more official from either Team Canada or the Penguins.

Having said that, the fact he reportedly had imaging done on Wednesday, and we are more than 24 hours out from the play, and they are not yet ruling him out seems to indicate that whatever injury he is dealing with may not be catastrophic for the season.

That does not mean he will not miss time for the Penguins. Or for Canada the rest of this week.

It seems logical to conclude that he is going to miss something. It is just a matter of how much time, and how the Penguins can withstand that. Games? Weeks? More than a month?

While it would not be ideal, I am not sure a few weeks would severely damage their season or playoff chances.

They are in a good position in the standings with a little bit of a cushion. Evgeni Malkin is still playing at a high level. Ben Kindel seems to have broken through the mid-season rookie wall he hit, just had three weeks off, and is playing some of his best (and most productive) hockey of the season. There is still some capable center depth on the roster.

It is also worth pointing out that without Crosby on the ice during 5-on-5 play this season the Penguins still own a plus-11 goal differential (86-75) and a 53 percent expected goals share. Granted, that comes with Crosby still in the lineup, playing in the game, and opening different players up for different roles, but the fact the second, third and fourth line have still mostly outplayed their competition is a good indicator it is a very good team beyond the captain.

At this point we are just in a wait-and-see mode. We will know more on Friday, especially if Crosby ends up playing.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...ruling-sidney-crosby-out-for-rest-of-olympics

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Crosby’s injury re-opens debate on NHL participation in Olympics

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of Canada is leaving to the locker room during the Men's Playoffs Quarterfinal match between Canada and Czechia on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images) | Getty Images

You could almost feel the rush start building up as soon as Sidney Crosby limped off the ice yesterday. Other players like Kevin Fiala (out for the season with a broken leg), Josh Morrissey (currently injured to an unknown degree) and Brad Marchand (who missed two Olympic games but has since returned) have picked up injuries in these Olympics, but a player on the level of Crosby raises the discourse to new levels.

It harkens back to the 2014 Olympics, when then-New York Islander star John Tavares was lost for the season with a torn MCL suffered in Sochi.

First, the latest updates on Crosby have been inconclusive at best. Crosby has not been ruled out by Canadian coach Jon Cooper for Friday’s semifinal game yet, however he obviously has picked up some level of injury that has his immediate future in doubt. Even if Crosby can return for the games, his status for a stretch of 12 games in 21 days for the Penguins, which begins in just a week, has to be at least partially in doubt.

It probably won’t be as severe as “Mario Lemieux only playing one NHL game after the 2002 Olympics” but then again the situations were drastically different with Lemieux back then clearly trying to hold onto as much of his health as possible to participate in the Olympics and then be forced to address his health in the aftermath. (Lemieux would go onto play only 10 games the following season). That was less the fault of an Olympic injury and more a different priority in a different time with a much different health situation.

Going back to 2014 and the endless debate, former NYI general manager Garth Snow didn’t take the news well on losing his best player, as one would expect. Snow called NHL participation in the Olympics a “joke” and said:

“This is probably the biggest reason why NHL players shouldn’t be in the Olympics, it should just be amateurs,” Snow told Newsday. “And it could have happened to anyone; it just happened to be us that lost our best player.”

“A lot of people pay to see John play,” he said. “It wouldn’t matter if we were 10 points clear of a playoff spot or 10 points out. We lost our best player and he wasn’t even [injured while] playing for us.”

Snow asked rhetorically if the IIHF and IOC would reimburse the Islander season-ticket holders who were out a lot of money. Ticket prices have risen significantly in the last 12 years, the same thought holds water for those Penguin fans who have invested hundreds or thousands of dollars in the 10 home games Pittsburgh will play through the end of March. That total investment will reach eight-figures with no small amount of the decision linked to the opportunity to see Crosby play.

On the flip side, Penguin coaches and teammates surely understand and accept the risk involved.

“It’s the Olympics,” coach Dan Muse said after a Penguins practice yesterday. “Anytime these guys get an opportunity to represent their countries, I’m just happy for them. To play in a tournament like that, to be playing in that setting, that is something I think everybody dreams of. The only thing for me is that I’m excited for those guys getting that opportunity that they’ve earned.”

Crosby’s teammate Bryan Rust encapsulated the overwhelming majority of player opinions by responding to the early news that Crosby got hurt and whether the risk justified the desire to still compete.

“You can get injured in practice, look at (Aleksander) Barkov, he (is missing) the year because he got injured in practice. (Kevin Hayes) got injured in practice. Things can happen all sorts of places. With the way these practices are now, with how intense they are, guys across the league, somebody might get injured.

“I don’t think guys in this league are too worried about that. The opportunity to represent your country at the highest level, the world stage, I think guys are more than willing to accept that risk.”

That rings true in a lot of senses. We can’t speak for injured players like Crosby, Fiala and Morrisey but it stands to reason all would get right back on the plane to Italy to represent their countries again, even knowing firsthand the price that could be attached in terms of pain that might entail.

The question becomes weighing player interest against what is best for the NHL season. Ancillary debates spawn from there about the impact of taking a three week pause and condensing a season into a reduced calendar is another element that impacts the league and the players who don’t get Olympic participation, held up against a notion about growing the appeal of the game (of which, results can be spotty for tangible impact of best-on-best drawing into increased NHL audience).

The debate draws down to competing opinions and viewpoints that will never align. Those with an NHL bent, be it for professional or monetary reasons, as Snow illustrated will justifiably be angry when the inevitable happens for star players getting hurt at the Olympics. Others, like the players themselves as Rust spoke to, are more than willing to risk it for the glory involved and opportunity to represent their country. There are decent enough reasons to be on either side of the fence, depending on where a perspective falls.

It’s a debate that will rage on for as long as the NHL and the Olympics both exist, neither of which are going away anytime soon. NHL players have been confirmed to compete in the 2030 Olympics, and the league is increasing their own involvement in staging best-on-best action in 2028. The questions about whether the cost is worth the benefit won’t change for people who run NHL teams compared to those that want to represent their countries, which will only lead to more instances of the topic coming back for further discussion as time goes on.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/73060/crosbys-injury-re-opens-debate-on-nhl-participation-in-olympics

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

How many more wins do the Penguins need to secure a playoff spot?

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

You may not be able to make the playoffs in October, but you can certainly miss them. The Pittsburgh Penguins were able to at least avoid that with their 8-2-2 start through the first month of the season, building up a nice cushion in the standings and giving themselves some wiggle room for the rest of the way. It might not seem like a lot, but it is. Points are incredibly difficult to make up the deeper into the season you go, and even a four-or five-point advantage in January or February is significant. That is why you see so many teams only a couple of points out of the playoff picture start selling.

As of Wednesday, the Penguins sit in the second playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 102.5 points pace for the season. Just about every piece of objective data we have to measure teams and their play suggests that this is a pretty good hockey team. It is also one that should have raised its expectations for the season to, at the very least, earning a playoff spot.

It is right there in front of them. It is within reach. So how many more wins do the Penguins need over their next 26 games to secure a playoff spot?

At the moment, that largely depends on which playoff spot you are looking at because there are two different cut-off lines for what it might take.

The lower of the two is for a spot in the top-three of the Metropolitan Division playoff race.

The New York Islanders are currently the No. 3 playoff spot in the Metropolitan with 69 points in 58 games. That is a points percentage of .595 and a pace for 97.5 points over the full season.

The Boston Bruins currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 69 points in 57 games. That is a points percentage of .605 and a current points pace of 99.2 points over the full season.

In both cases the Penguins are currently on a pace that would see them finish above that.

There is also a gap starting to form with the teams below the Islanders and Bruins.

Let’s just take a look at the Metropolitan Division at the moment and the current points paces for every team below the Penguins.

• Pittsburgh Penguins: 70 points in 56 games ( .625 points percentage, 102.5 points pace)
• New York Islanders: 69 points in 58 games (.592 points percentage, 97.5 points pace)
• Columbus Blue Jackets: 65 points in 56 games (.580 points percentage, 95.1 points pace)
• Washington Capitals: 65 points in 59 games (.551 points percentage, 90.3 points pace)
• Philadelphia Flyers: 61 points in 56 games (.545 points percentage, 89.3 points pace)
• New Jersey Devils: 58 points in 57 games (.509 points percentage, 83.4 points pace)
• New York Rangers: 50 points in 57 games (.439 points percentage, 71.9 points pace)

If we are being realistic about this, the teams below Columbus in the Metropolitan Division are facing pretty big climbs. Even though the Capitals are within five points, they have played three extra games than the Penguins and Blue Jackets. That matters. A lot. Just look at how low their current points pace is compared to the Penguins, Islanders and even the Blue Jackets.

Even the Islanders at just one point back of the Penguins have played two extra games.

This is probably (emphasis on probably) a three-team race between the Penguins, Islanders and Blue Jackets for those two Metropolitan Division spots.

Given those paces, let’s just say 98 points gets you into the playoffs in the Metropolitan Division. That is 28 more points for the Penguins. That is 14 wins in 26 games, or come combination of wins and overtime/shootout losses that equals 28 points.

Or another way to look at it: It is only a .538 points percentage the rest of the way.

They are, again, at .625 so far this season.

Only three teams (Florida, New Jersey and the New York Rangers) have a points percentage lower than .538 for the season to this point. That is not a very high bar to reach. Another angle on what that looks like: The Penguins full-season points percentages in their past three non-playoff seasons were .488, .537 and .555. A .538 points percentage in the era of three-point games is simply not that high of a bar.

In order to get to 100 points they would need 15 wins, or some combination of wins and overtime/shootout defeats that equal 30 points.

That is a .576 points percentage the rest of the way. A little bit of a higher bar to reach, but again, it is very much within reach.

The biggest issue the Penguins are going to have is the fact their March schedule is positively brutal.

Here are the opponents they have remaining the rest of the way in alphabetical order: Boston (two times), Buffalo, Carolina (three times), Colorado (two times), Dallas, Detroit, Florida (two times), New Jersey (two times), New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Utah Mammoth, Vegas Golden Knights (two times), Washington Capitals (two times), Winnipeg Jets.

Brutal. Absolutely brutal.

Half of their remaining games are against teams currently in a playoff position, including several games against some of the top teams in the league (Colorado two times, Carolina three times, and Dallas). Florida might be out of the playoff race at this point, but two games against them with a healthy Matthew Tkachcuk will not be easy. Washington is still, in theory, lurking around. Those Boston games could be significant.

If there is a positive to take away from that it is that the Penguins have done a strong job still accumulating points against potential playoff teams. In 23 games this season against teams currently in a playoff position, the Penguins are 11-6-6, which comes out to a points percentage of .608, a pace that is far above what they need to do the rest of the way.

If you limit that to just teams in the top-10 of the league standings (they have played games against Tampa Bay, Carolina, Dallas, Minnesota, Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo and Boston — all teams in the top-10 in the league by points percentage) they are 8-4-2 in those games. That is a .642 points percentage. So they have more than handled their business against playoff teams and the top teams in the league.

That does not mean it will continue the rest of the way. Especially with a condensed schedule against some of the best teams every single night. It is at least a sign that they are capable of doing it. It is, again, another example of them raising the expectations for this season through their play and results. If they can just play a little above .500 the rest of the way and get to that 98-100 point mark at a minimum, the playoffs should be theirs. That is what they need.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...do-the-penguins-need-to-secure-a-playoff-spot

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

The four things the Penguins need most after Olympic break

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The 2026 Men’s Olympic Hockey tournament concludes this weekend, which means the 2025-26 NHL season is getting closer to returning from its Olympic break. The Pittsburgh Penguins next game will be on Thursday, February, 26 against the New Jersey Devils. Overall, they have 26 regular season games remaining. So let’s talk about the four things they need the most the rest of the way.

1. Sidney Crosby​

This is the biggest concern at the moment given his injury at the Olympics. There has been no official update on what exactly his injury is or the severity of it, and we only know that he tried to skate before Friday’s semifinal game agains Finland and was then ruled out for the game. All of the reporting so far seems to indicate it is not anything season-ending, but it seems likely he is going to miss at least something when the Penguins return from the break.

On one hand, the Penguins have surprisingly strong depth this season and still have enough to stay competitive if Crosby deals with a shorter-term injury.

They have played extremely well without him on the ice this season, and even though him being out of the lineup would move people up the depth chart they should still have enough depth to stay competitive and win games.

If they are going to actually make the playoffs and then have a chance to do anything when they get there, a healthy Crosby is eventually going to be a must.

2. The power play to rediscover its groove​

Overall the Penguins power play has been excellent this season and a significant part of their success. For the season as a whole they are converting on 25 percent of their attempts, good enough for the fourth-best mark in the NHL.

Since the start of January, however, that unit has struggled to consistently fill the net.

Since January 1 the Penguins are converting on just 15.9 percent of their power play attempts, a number that drops them to 29th in the NHL over that stretch.

Even more concerning: They are not generating a ton of actual chances on the power play, either.

Over that stretch of games they are averaging just 8.59 expected goals per 60 minutes of power play time. That is 22nd in the NHL during that stretch.

They are generating just 53.6 shots on goal per 60 minutes. That is 15th in the NHL over that stretch.

They are averaging just 59.1 scoring chances per 60 minutes. That is 20th in the NHL in those games.

They are averaging just 28.4 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes. That is 16th in the NHL during that stretch.

In other words, it has been a very average to below average unit for a significant chunk of the season. The Penguins are a good enough 5-on-5 team that they do not need a great power play to have a chance to generate offense, but that unit becoming a force again (or at least better than it has been since the start of January) would be a huge help for the offense and the team as a whole.

[Power Play Scoring Chance, Shot Rates And Expected Goal Data via Natural Stat Trick]

3. Defensive upgrade at the trade deadline​

It seems very likely that, given their place in the standings, the Penguins are going to be in a position to add something before the March 6 trade deadline. Especially since they only play five games before the deadline. Their forward situation looks pretty settled with plenty of depth. Between their NHL roster and the options ready to go in the AHL (Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes, the potential return of Filip Hallander) they are probably 15-16 deep in terms of NHL capable forwards at the moment. The defensive depth is the question.

While the defense has been significantly better than we anticipated at the start of the season, especially as it relates to the left side of the defense, they could still use some help as it relates to the depth.

Kris Letang is 38 years old, missed some time this season, and showed serious signs of decline at times.

Erik Karlsson is 35 years old and just played four extra high-intensity games at the Olympic tournament.

The depth players like Connor Clifton, Jack St. Ivany, Ilya Solovyov and Brett Kulak have held their own, you still might like to see an upgrade for the playoffs or just simply have some extra depth. You probably need at least eight or nine capable NHL defensemen for a playoff run. I am not sure the Penguins have that right now. An upgrade would be nice. It also seems likely. It is just a matter of how big of an upgrade it is and how much the Penguins are willing to pay.

They are almost certainly still looking for any young talent that can help both now and in the future at any position, but if we are talking short-term upgrades the defense should be the focus. This team has raised its expectations for the season through its play and it deserves an addition.

4. Win 14 more games​

We talked about this earlier in the week, but given where the Penguins are in the standings, what they have already done, what the teams around them have already done, and what it typically takes to make the playoffs, winning 14 more games, regardless of what they do in the other 12 (overtime loss, regulation loss, shootout loss, whatever the case may be) should be enough to secure a playoff spot.

The schedule is difficult. It is doable. The playoffs are within reach. Hope for the best with Sidney Crosby’s injury, get the power play back on track, keep getting some competent and capable goaltending, and get an upgrade on defense and that should be an attainable goal.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/73092/the-four-things-the-penguins-need-most-after-olympic-break

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Sidney Crosby not ruled out for Olympic gold medal game

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 15: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada skates in the first period during the Men's Preliminary Group A match between Canada and France on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 15, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Team Canada hasn’t yet ruled out Sidney Crosby from playing in Sunday’s gold medal game against the United States.

Crosby, who suffered a lower-body injury in Wednesday’s quarterfinals win over Czechia, was sidelined Friday as Canada claimed a 3-2 comeback win over Finland to advance to the finals.

“We have 48 hours to decide that,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said when asked after Friday’s win if Crosby would be playing Sunday (h/t the New York Post’s Mollie Walker). “But I will tell you he’s got a better chance of playing that than he did of playing today.”

Crosby underwent imaging after Wednesday’s injury, which reportedly revealed he had avoided the “worst case scenario,” per The Athletic’s Josh Yohe.

He was still ruled out shortly before the puck dropped for Canada’s Friday matchup. Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Team Canada’s attempts to get him back on the ice included “putting together a custom brace.”

Crosby wasn’t visible with Team Canada’s other scratches in the stands during Friday’s win over Finland. He was a presence in the locker room during period breaks, and multiple Canadian players mentioned him as a source of motivation in the win.

Connor McDavid said Sidney Crosby was around the team in the room at intermissions, dissecting and figuring out solutions for Canada.

— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) February 20, 2026

Brad Marchand getting injured captain Sidney Crosby another shot at gold:

"With what he's done for the game, for our team, for all of Canada, we want to show up for him."

— Joshua Clipperton (@JClipperton_CP) February 20, 2026

Tom Wilson on Crosby: "Every guy who laced up their skates wanted to make him proud. You know he’s watching. You want to give it all for him. He’s one of the highest-respected players in the game of hockey …"

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 20, 2026

Canada will certainly hope to get Crosby back before taking on Team USA for gold. With Crosby no longer present to anchor Canada’s second line, Cooper was leaning heavily on his top line of Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon when Canada was trailing late in Friday’s matchup.

For the Penguins, the news that Team Canada thought there was a possibility Crosby could have played Friday— even if it would have required a custom brace— raises hope that whatever injury he suffered against Czechia won’t sideline him long-term after the Games.

Canada will provide another Crosby injury update before puck drops for the gold medal game Sunday at 8 a.m. ET. The Penguins are finally back in action four days later with a Thursday home game against the New Jersey Devils.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/73102/sidney-crosby-not-ruled-out-for-olympic-gold-medal-game

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Sidney Crosby out for semifinal, “hopeful” for gold medal game

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada warm sup prior to the Men's Quarterfinals Playoff match between Canada and Czechia on day 12 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sidney Crosby is officially out for Canada’s semifinal matchup against Finland today.

Sidney Crosby will not play in the semifinals. Connor McDavid will wear the ‘C’ today, with Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon serving as alternates.

Sidney Crosby ne jouera pas en demi-finale. Connor McDavid portera le « C » aujourd’hui, Cale Makar et Nathan MacKinnon, le « A ». pic.twitter.com/Vk9J07BQzg

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) February 20, 2026

Crosby reportedly tested out his leg in a closed practice this morning in Italy, but was unable to play on it. Despite that, most reports share some level of optimism that Crosby is hopeful to come back for Sunday’s gold medal game if Canada advances to it.

Sidney Crosby out vs Finland. He is still hopeful to play in the gold medal game should Canada advance, but it's unclear as of now if he'll be able to.

Connor McDavid will wear the "C" for Canada in the semifinal. https://t.co/FvRz1bppPb

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) February 20, 2026

I continue to hear that Crosby avoided worst case scenario. What a story it would be if he played on Sunday in the gold medal game. And what torture it would be for him if Canada were to get upset today without him. https://t.co/j21eboj2Xz

— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) February 20, 2026

On Crosby: heard Team Canada and everyone around him did everything humanly possible for him to play — including searching for/putting together a custom brace.

Unfortunately, he can't go in the semifinal. https://t.co/E1IgWAKdrK

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 20, 2026

Beyond the tweet there hasn’t been much concrete information about Crosby’s status coming from coach Jon Cooper, besides stating the hope that Crosby has not played his last hockey in this event.

Connor McDavid will serve as Team Canada’s captain today (IIHF rules necessitate a player in the lineup being the captain) in Crosby’s absence.

Crosby was hurt on a shift where he took multiple checks from Czech players, including one where his legs buckled from a hit by Radko Gudas.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/73085/sidney-crosby-out-for-semifinal-hopeful-for-gold-medal-game

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

2026 Olympics: The United States is golden and other thoughts

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Gold medalists, Team United States, pose for a team photo during the medal ceremony following the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’ll start with Sidney Crosby, unable to play today after picking up an injury in the quarterfinals. The picture sums it up, a gutting ending for his 2026 Olympics, and at 38-years old, stands at what very possibly ends up as his final moment on Olympic ice. That’s a tough ending to that chapter. He’ll always have the 2010 golden goal and captaining his country to another gold in 2014, though it’s not much consolation now.

Following the game, Sidney Crosby took the ice to receive his silver medal #MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/cL4AvSpXJK

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 22, 2026

Now the question becomes what will happen with the Penguins? Pittsburgh plays on Thursday, and Saturday and next Sunday and on and on. Crosby’s knee appeared at least OK enough to make an effort to see if he could play, but he wasn’t able to. That’s a troubling sign for the beginning of what will be a wicked stretch for the Pens and the big question will become how much longer Crosby will have to watch.

—

Down in Wilkes, Avery Hayes was held out of the AHL lineup for a game today and is expected to be recalled to Pittsburgh officially when the NHL roster freeze ends tonight. That might make for a troubling sign if Crosby’s next stop is the IR, though he would be able to return from it as soon as his health returns. Speaking of the IR list, if Kris Letang is able to return for Thursday’s game as expected that could spell bad news for Ryan Graves’s roster spot until the trade deadline..There’s still a few weeks to get there, the Pens look like they have some roster juggling coming up for the period while they still have to fit under the 23-player roster limit.

—

The gold is instant validation for general manager Bill Guerin and Mike Sullivan. No one can say they didn’t do it their way, and their way ended up working.

Team USA’s head coach Mike Sullivan on the construction of this lineup: “The team was built with personality in mind… There are whiskey drinkers and milk drinkers, and we got a lot of whiskey drinkers.”



— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) February 22, 2026

That quote has to sting for players like Jason Robertson, Cole Caufield and Adam Fox (who plays on Sullivan’s NHL team) that while they were certainly talented enough to be among the top American players, they ended up not getting a role on this club for very pointed reasons. The US was laser-focused on bringing a squad that could matchup against Canada and the concept was proved out on the medal color that hangs on their neck. Sullivan is now the second coach (along with Mike Babcock) to have won a Stanley Cup and Olympic gold.

Had the US come up a goal short, the discourse would have turned on Guerin and Sullivan on their decisions. They were flexible enough to move a player like Kyle Conner (great in the NHL, often lost on the national team) down and try Clayton Keller in that spot before finally finding the magic with Jack Hughes being the right fit for that line, it proved enough to work. Sullivan and especially Guerin now can relish in bringing back the gold medal for the first time in 46 years.

—

Then again, a great goalie can cover up all sorts of things in front of him, and Connor Hellebuyck with his 41 saves today was absolutely amazing. The difference between the US and Canada (who won a 3-2 OT game last year at 4 Nations) is so fine right now. Doubtlessly the biggest turning point of today was the Americans getting superior goaltending over the course of a game where they were on their heels for most of the second and third periods. As Crosby said post-game (and Nathan MacKinnon matched with understandably even more raw emotion), Canada did just about everything in this game except find that one more goal to pull ahead. Hellebuyck was the clear reason why.

—

What a moment it was for the Hughes brothers, who put their stamp on this event. Quinn Hughes is probably the best defender in the game right now, the amount of game control and impact he has on the ice is arguably the slightest notch better than Cale Makar. Jack Hughes is in his seventh NHL season and while he has a 99-point year under his belt he’s only been to the playoffs once and has been overshadowed by other recent No. 1 overall picks. Can’t say that any longer with his bloody mouth and toothless grin after the golden goal. Where both go from here as far as their status in the hockey world will be worth watching. The Pens will get a first-hand view of it with Jack, the Devils and Penguins meet on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

—

Connor McDavid has been unflinchingly loyal to the Edmonton Oilers, from the outside one has to wonder if he made the right choice to extend his contract two more seasons there. McDavid and Macklin Celebrini have something special, imagine a world where McDavid joins up with a rising San Jose team? That would be incredible. There’s something to be said about McDavid’s desire to not seek out a new situation and try to make it work where he’s at, but at this point of watching someone else celebrate yet again it’s hard not to wonder how he will respond to that feeling of coming up short again. Matthew Tkachuk famously taunted Leon Draisaitl as ‘always the bridesmaid’, that dig is even more fitting towards McDavid. Credit to McDavid for not turning full Hossa and shopping for teams that are contenders, though at this point it would be tough to blame him for a shift in mindset.

—

With that thought still in mind, it was great for the NHL when Matthew Tkachuk got out of Calgary and into a better situation for Florida or when Jack Eichel moved from Buffalo to Vegas. That also might come to pass with Quinn Hughes getting to a better spot in Minnesota now. Selfishly, wouldn’t it be great if that could happen for “Brother Brady” and Zach Werenski? Both are contract tied to their teams for a while and also exceedingly loyal to their clubs -there’s no real reason to expect a change any time soon – it would just be nice for players like that to get in better positions. Fans of Ottawa and Columbus will rightfully be offended by the notion, just a passing thought.

—

The lasting image of these games, for me anyways, will be the picture in the header at the top. It was really nice for the US players to keep Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey in the lockerroom and keep his spirit close. When Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski headed to the stands to get two of Gaudreau’s children and include them in a team picture, man, how can you not get emotional over that? One of the kids, Johnny Jr., celebrated his second birthday today on 2/22. For a family that went through so much losing Johnny and Matthew, seeing them be included in this moment was just the best and as perfect a moment as there could be to wrap up the competition for the Americans.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/73130/2026-olympics-the-united-states-is-golden-and-other-thoughts

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

2026 Olympics: Gold medal game

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 20: Sam Bennett #9 of Team Canada and Auston Matthews #34 of Team United States battle for the puck in a face-off during the second period of the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship game between Team Canada and Team United States at TD Garden on February 20, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Ben Jackson/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)

It’s the gold medal game for the 2026 Olympics which figures to be a doozy for the United States trying once again to knock off their biggest rivals and stumbling block in Canada.

The two teams, both 5-0 in the tournament, have laid waste to the competition. Both have had some close calls with the US needing overtime to beat Sweden and Canada making comeback wins in their last two games against the Czechs and Finland, but in the end the top two teams certainly ended up in the finals.

Team Canada is 5-0, outscoring opponents 27-8, and outshooting them 202-106.

Team USA is 5-0, outscoring opponents 24-8, and outshooting them 201-124.

Canada USA pic.twitter.com/S6JDlfHSNi

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) February 21, 2026

Each team has a major injury concern, Tage Thompson missed the third period of Friday’s semifinal game with a lower body issue, but is expected to play today. That’s small potatoes to the situation with Sidney Crosby, who missed the semifinals but is surely going to do everything within his powers to suit up for the chance to win a third gold medal.

Am told the chances Crosby plays in the Gold medal game are in the 70% range. Seeing how he responds to his skate today and figuring out what his limitations might be are all part of the process tonight and tomorrow.

— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) February 21, 2026

The international rules allow teams to dress extra players, so Crosby could be a 13th forward without a regular shift and still be available for limited time and situations like the power play while not handicapping the team numbers-wise.

The US and Canada met for the 4 Nations championship in Boston last year, Canada took a 3-2 victory on Connor McDavid’s overtime goal. The United States did not have the services that game of Charlie MacAvoy or Quinn Hughes, who were out with injury and been very impressive in these Olympics. Thompson too is a new face, his presence has given the Americans a dynamic third line with Dylan Larkin and Jack Hughes that has really come on as the tournament has advanced while also helping on the power play.

Canada has the concern about Crosby’s availability in general and then how strong he might be if he can play, though teenaged sensation Macklin Celebrini who has recorded five goals in the tournament and quickly emerged as a true, blue superstar. Celebrini was not a part of the 4 Nations event last year either. For as powerful and deep as the Canadians are, they have had to ride the ‘nuclear option’ of Celebrini on a line with McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon for a heavy helping of ice-time and reliance on production.

This 2026 Olympics will be added to the long list of US/Canada marquee matchups. In addition to last year’s 4 Nations Faceoff, Canada won the 2010 Olympic gold medal game on home soil in Vancouver after Crosby’s famous overtime goal against the Americans. Canada followed that up in the next Olympics by defeating the US 1-0 in the 2014 Sochi games in the semifinals there.

To finally get over that hurdle. the United States could be reaching back to the spirit of 1996, where they beat Canada by matching 5-2 scores in Games 2 and 3 of the World Cup of Hockey which also serves as the most recent time the Americans were victorious in a true best-on-best international event. Keith Tkachuk starred on that team, now his two sons are on the US’s top line. Fellow ‘96er Bill Guerin now the general manager as another tie between that illustrious past and the present.

USA Hockey has a lot of momentum in general, their squad won the 2025 World Championships and their women took down Canada to claim Olympic gold in the latest chapter of that fierce rivalry. A victory today would earn the US their first men’s gold in hockey since the 1980 Miracle on Ice team and provide a strong case for this being one of the best teams of all-time. It will take an epic performance to finally get past the team that has been one goal better than them in so many recent contests (2025 4 Nations, 2010 and 2014 Olympics), we’ll find out if today is the day they can do it, or if Canada will continue their epic run of dominance to claim a third straight gold in the NHL Olympic era.

Game starts at 8:10am eastern time, feel free to use this comment section to discuss the event.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/73120/2026-olympics-gold-medal-game-usa-canada-hockey-start-time

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins getting strong inputs from make or break players

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 31: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the New York Rangers at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 31, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Back in August, we wrote about players who had the most on the line individually in the 2025-26 season by identifying some situations where there was a lot on the line. In the last days of the Olympics, let’s circle back and check out how some of the ups and downs have gone.

Anthony Mantha — Mantha is the literal and immediate player with the most on the line this season for the Penguins, because he has up to $2 million in performance bonuses that he could achieve and nearly double his take-home pay. In that sense, no one has more to potentially gain from a big year. Beyond that, Mantha is at a crossroads now. He just turned 30. Arguably, teams have always been looking for that little bit extra out of him, whether it’s been a spark of intensity or consistency of effort to match his obvious skills and absolute ideal size. There’s also been some major bumps in the road for him lately, Mantha was traded to Vegas for the 2024 playoff run and played so poorly that he was made a healthy scratch. He followed that up by suffering a major knee injury at the beginning of last season with Calgary and has been out since November. At some point players run out of second chances, especially when they reach the point of being older than most of their peers. This probably won’t be Mantha’s last opportunity, but it could well be his last good one.

Perhaps no better encapsulates the surprising season as a whole for the Penguins as Anthony Mantha. Pittsburgh only gave him a one-year contract worth $2.5 million (with another $2.0m in performance bonuses) and Mantha has made good on that signing by producing 20 goals and 42 points in the season’s first 56 games. Tremendous value on that to dig up a player trending towards career-highs in all the major categories from basically the NHL’s bargain bin of free agency.

Similar players signed last summer:

• Andrei Kuzmenko ($4.3m, one year, LA): 23 points in 51 games
• Gustav Nyquist ($3.25m, one year, WIN):0 goals, nine points in 39 games
• Patrick Kane ($3.0m, one year, $4m in potential bonuses DET): 32 points in 43 games
• Jeff Skinner ($3.0m, one year, SJ): 13 points in 32 games, contract terminated
• Brandon Saad ($2.0m, one year, VGK): 9 points in 39 games
• Reilly Smith ($2.0m, one year, VGK): 16 points in 53 games
• Corey Perry ($2.0m, one year, $2m in potential bonuses LA): 28 points in 45 games

Usually teams get what they pay for in terms of mid-level veteran forwards in that $2-4m range in free agency, which as you can see from above generally works out to be not that much to write home about. Mantha has well exceeded that level for the Pens this season. There were some bumps in the road — like the three points produced in 12 November games — but other than that Mantha has been an incredibly consistent performer and one of the team’s best players throughout the campaign. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are the only players on the team with more points than Mantha at this time.

For the Pens, this is the equivalent of hitting a $100 win on a penny slot, regardless of how much longer Mantha’s stint with Pittsburgh ends up lasting. Simply making it this far has been a major achievement and credit to him and the Pens’ management for bringing him in. Mantha has exceeded the most realistic of best case scenarios, it’s benefited the team this season and in one form or another it will certainly benefit the individual to get a career back on track.

Danton Heinen — On reddit, a user semi-jokingly came up with the most average of all NHL players (last year it was Drew O’Connor!) Danton Heinen would probably fit that bill more often than not. Heinen isn’t bad, but he isn’t really good….Not terribly much is expected from Heinen, but he’s in a contract year and probably at risk at falling out of the picture now that the Pens have signed players like Mantha and Brazeau. That’s usually where, against all odds and perhaps logic, that Heinen has been at his best with surprisingly effective performances. Does he have one more up his sleeve for this season?

The new additions for the Pens did end up forcing Heinen all the way down to the minor leagues, having gone unclaimed on waivers. The writing was on the wall that his time was short with the organization and was included to even out contracts in the Egor Chinakhov trade. Heinen gets a chance to catch on with Columbus (where he has three points in 13 games so far) and this one falls into the “break” area of make or break. Can’t all be winners.

Philip Tomasino — Tomasino went from a promising player showing some upside and production last season to one that also frustrated and confounded coaches with his all-around play and occasionally attention to detail…Tomasino could legitimately score 15-20 goals this season if he stayed healthy and played his way into being a part of the team, or it could go sideways and have a lot less of an impact than that. It’ll be a fascinating part of the story to watch unfold for how it goes for him.

Well, this one went sideways in a hurry. Tomasino never found footing in Pittsburgh this season and also ended up in the minor leagues. A trade soon followed, where his new team has yet to call him up to the NHL. This isn’t a player without skill, yet he seems to lack that certain indescribable ‘something’ needed to settle into a groove.

In a lot of ways, Chinakhov could be seen as this year’s Tomasino for the Penguins: the former first round pick acquired at a discount to give a second chance to see if there was more growth. It looks like it worked out a lot better this year for results, though the underlying philosophy behind the moves make sense for a team like Pittsburgh that has more draft picks than anyone else in the NHL. Use some of those picks to see what can come from it. The Pens went down that road with Tomasino as far as they needed to go, then weren’t dissuaded by that end result to try it again with Chinakhov.

Matt Dumba — …Dumba hasn’t actually helped an NHL team in quite some time, and the Pens will be his fourth stop since just the start of the 2023-24 season. Still, at age-31, does Dumba have anything left in the tank that can help an NHL team? The answer has been trending to “no” for a while now, but as a right shot defender with the ability to shoot the puck and play with an edge, you might as well give the benefit of the doubt to see what kind of redemption arc may play out. It’s been several years and defensive staffs ago since Pittsburgh was known as a place to give a mid-career boost to struggling defenders, and maybe that magic is dried up…But it’s worth watching to see if Dumba can play his way into any value with the Pens this year.

The Pens saw enough of Dumba to reach the conclusion that other teams have – he’s not NHL quality any longer. The purpose of adding Dumba was truly always more about the second round draft pick attached to the trade more than a realistic hope of a reclamation. Pittsburgh gave it a shot, it didn’t quite work out and now Dumba is also off the NHL roster.

Arturs Silovs — Silovs is a goalie, so of course his level of play has been all over the place. He hasn’t been great in the NHL — except when he admirably performed well for the Canucks in the 2024 playoffs with a 5-5 record (which is more than Jarry’s two career NHL playoff wins). Silovs is coming off a fantastic performance in the AHL playoffs. Which, yeah, it’s the AHL and not NHL but can that be a launching point for an NHL career? There’s a lot for him to prove, but it’s at least a fresh gamble for the Pens to try and take, and they weren’t getting that good of performances out of the most recent backup goalie in the first place, so hey, why not? At this time in about ten months, Silovs might be free to the wind as a free agent that didn’t do much to establish himself, or he could be a semi-entrenched member of the Pens for 2026 if it goes well. The range of possibilities is very intriguing.

Silovs has worked out to be that fresh gamble. It must be remembered he is technically still an NHL rookie, yet he will likely lead the Penguins in appearances in net this season. His statistical profile (.895 save%, -1.6 GSAA, 2.89 GAA) is decent but far from impressive. At times he’s been strong, at other times he’s looked like a mid-level player. For someone who was unestablished in the NHL (26 of his 45 NHL appearances have come in these last four months), it’s been a slow process to get on the map, yet he’s starting to make a name for himself.

The future now in net remains just as alluring and seemingly as up in the air. Removing Tristan Jarry’s contract via a trade opens the situation up for the future. Silovs is a nice chip for the Pens to have on hand — other teams are always searching for an extra competent goalie. Silovs doesn’t appear to have an extremely high ceiling as an NHL starter but has shown he’s capable enough to belong, which will give him value in some respect, though it’s difficult now to see what the path ahead will be. The Pens have to decide what (if anything) they are going to do with impending free agent Stuart Skinner. Sergei Murashov continues to push his own development in a season where he made the AHL All-Star team as a 21-year old rookie. Joel Blomqvist is in a similar position as Silovs was a year ago in Vancouver buried on the organizational depth chart.

Silovs might be the case so far where the jury is out on ‘make or break’ at this point. He sure hasn’t been broken by jumping to the NHL level full-time for the first time, at the same time he hasn’t exactly become a shoo-in as a piece that is guaranteed to stick around for a while. That said, it’s not a stretch that Silovs could yet become the top choice for playoff goalie in two months time. The varying paths in front of him still look about as wide open as they did at the start of the season.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/73082/penguins-getting-strong-inputs-from-make-or-break-players

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins still waiting for Crosby injury update

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Silver medalist Sidney Crosby #87 of Team Canada looks on during the medal ceremony for Men's Ice Hockey after the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s still not clear if Sidney Crosby will miss any time with the lower-body injury that sidelined him for the last two games of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

Penguins coach Dan Muse told reporters that Monday was a travel day for Crosby, who received his silver medal after Canada’s loss to Team USA on Sunday in Milan.

“There’s still more information that we need to get… there’s a couple more days here, before we play a game,” Muse said Monday.

The Penguins are seemingly preparing for the possibility of Crosby missing time. The team called up Avery Hayes on Monday as part of what Muse described as a “contingency plan.”

“It’s also just, see something different. See what the options might be. And I think that’s all we’re doing right now is just looking at, if we do get to the point where we need to explore different options coming off the break, then we’ve got the practice days to do it,” Muse said.

Hayes spent Monday skating on the Penguins’ top line, with Rickard Rakell sliding over to take Crosby’s usual spot at center.

Muse said he would be “very comfortable” with playing Rakell at center should Crosby miss time after seeing him in the position this preseason.

#LetsGoPens lines and D-pairs without Sidney Crosby, who has yet to rejoin the team.

A. Hayes-Rakell-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
(K. Hayes)

Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Kulak-Letang
Shea-Clifton
(Graves-Solovyov)

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) February 23, 2026

Hayes, who scored twice in his Penguins debut during the last game before the Olympic break, has since gone back to the AHL to record two hat tricks in a span of five games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Even if Crosby is able to play Thursday, the Penguins could potentially consider keeping him up for another shot at NHL play depending on how practice looks later this week.

The Penguins have a scheduled day off Tuesday, per Trib Live’s Seth Rorabaugh. That could mean Penguins fans won’t find out more about Crosby’s status until practice Wednesday.

The Penguins have a busy stretch coming up. After Thursday’s home game against Jack Hughes and the New Jersey Devils, the Pens are taking on a back-to-back set at Madison Square Garden on Saturday and against the visiting Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/general/73194/penguins-still-waiting-for-crosby-injury-update

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Brett Kulak traded to Avalanche for Samuel Girard, 2028 second-round pick

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 26: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche takes a shot against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on November 26, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Kyle Dubas is making moves again, and this is a pretty significant one for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday afternoon in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028-second-round draft pick.

There are a lot of layers to this move, but at first glance it is a fascinating move for the Penguins and one that seems to improve quite a few areas.

For one, this is pretty clearly a salary dump for the Avalanche. Kulak is a pending unrestricted free agent after this season, while the Avalanche are the ones giving up the draft pick. That is the price they were willing to pay to get the Penguins to take on the remainder of Girard’s contract. Girard is signed through the end of the 2026-27 season with a $5 million salary cap. Given the salary cap space the Penguins have at their disposal for next season, it is not a big deal for them to take on that contract.

Dubas has been weaponizing the Penguins’ salary cap space for the better part of the past year-and-a-half now and used it to bring a stockpile of draft picks into the organization. This is another example of that.

It is also a potential upgrade to the defense for both this season and next season.

While the Avalanche clearly wanted to use that salary cap space for something else — perhaps another big move to add forward depth, what they do next will be fascinating — Girard is still a useful, puck-moving defenseman with strong underlying numbers. He is also a left-shot defenseman under contract for next season, something that has been a pretty big need for the Penguins. He is also still only 27 years old and fits into their current roster and timeline.

Kulak was a solid addition for the Penguins during his brief time here, but this is a no-brainer move. Especially when it comes with another future second-round pick to add into the collection.

With the addition of the 2028 second-round pick, they now have multiple second-round picks in each of the next four drafts, while also having multiple third-round picks in each of the next three drafts. That means over the next four draft classes the Penguins will have 20 draft picks in the first three rounds. That is a net-gain of eight draft picks. That is significant. Not only because it adds more prospects into the system for the ongoing rebuild, but also because those are picks that can also be traded. That is how you find an Egor Chinakhov or a potential addition to help in a playoff push without depleting your long-term prospects.

The other layer to this is it adds another branch to the still growing Tristan Jarry trade tree.

The Penguins initially acquired Kulak, along with goalie Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round draft pick, from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Jarry earlier this season.

With this trade now complete, it means the Penguins have turned Jarry and his contract into Stuart Skinner, Samuel Girard and two second-round draft picks.

That seems almost impossible to wrap your head around when you consider Jarry was on waivers a year ago, then playing in the American Hockey League, and looking to have a completely unmovable contract. They made it work, while also coming out ahead both now and in the future.

The thing about that is, even if Girard does not work out here he is STILL signed for fewer years than Jarry is. His contract comes off the books one year before Jarry’s does. So either way the Penguins are saving salary cap space in the long-run while also getting two pretty strong assets back in return and very likely making their team better in the short-term.

The question now becomes whether or not Skinner gets added to that Jarry trade tree to open the door for a potential Sergei Murashov call-up at some point. It would be risky, but nothing seems to be off the table right now.

It is really difficult to walk the line between rebuilding and contending at the same time, but the Penguins are doing a pretty good job of making it happen right now. They are a very good team. They are helping their team this season and very seriously competing for a playoff spot. It is, by pretty much every objective measure, a very good hockey team. They are also positioning themselves for the long-term with a significant influx of young talent while also having more draft picks over the next four years than any team in the NHL, including multiple picks in the second-and third-rounds. They also have significant amounts of salary cap space.

There is a lot you can do with that. All of it. They are in a good position both now and in the future. This is strong work by Kyle Dubas.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...nche-for-samuel-girard-2028-second-round-pick

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Sidney Crosby placed on IR, expected to miss minimum of four weeks

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Silver medalist Sidney Crosby #87 (C) of Team Canada looks on during the medal ceremony for Men's Ice Hockey after the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Penguins provided a Sidney Crosby update, and it wasn’t a good one. The Pens captain has been placed on injured reserve, with the team adding he will be out for a “minimum” of four weeks.

Crosby is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks. https://t.co/K3WB2aQa9y

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) February 25, 2026

Crosby was injured in the Olympics, and reportedly was searching for a brace for his knee while taking an individual skate to see if he could play in the gold medal game. He was unable to play in that game and now will be out for a fairly significant amount of time.

NHL teams have recently started couching injury designations with terms like “minimum” or “re-evaluated” and given the fluid nature of injuries they haven’t been hard and fast rules. Take Bryan Rust, who at the beginning of the season was said to be out for a “minimum” of two weeks on 10/2, yet he returned to the lineup nine days later on October 11th. Similarly, Erik Karlsson was to be “re-evaluated” in two weeks time on January 13th, but was able to play again on January 22nd. Even recently, Kris Letang’s “minimum” four week injury from January 31st saw him return to the ice to skate two weeks later, he should beat that projection by a few days in the Pens’ first game back tomorrow with his removal from the IR today.

However, some cases aren’t always over-stated, slightly more than minimum announced time was needed for returns to the lineup on early season injuries the Pens had announced for Justin Brazeau, Noel Acciari and Tristan Jarry.

In any regard for the timeline, it will be difficult for the Penguins to move on for the foreseeable future without Crosby. Pittsburgh starts a stretch tomorrow for playing 12 games in the next 21 days and will play 15 games over the next four weeks, and 19 games in the next five weeks. They now look at facing the majority of the rest of their regular season (26 games remaining) without their leading scorer.

Sidney Crosby on the expected timeline (at least 4 weeks) needed to return to action. ⁦@SNPittsburgh⁩ pic.twitter.com/H1k6G0joZ0

— Dan Potash (@DanPotashTV) February 25, 2026

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/news/7325...-on-ir-expected-to-miss-minimum-of-four-weeks

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Samuel Girard the latest to get an opportunity in Pittsburgh

DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 24: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche fights for control of the puck against Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at Ball Arena on March 24, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The latest trade made yesterday by the Penguins to acquire Samuel Girard for Brett Kulak was right up the wheelhouse of what Kyle Dubas has been doing for a while now. It’s another move at incremental improvement, flipping a player recently acquired for a younger replacement, while adding another second round draft pick to the already flush war chest of future draft picks.

It’s a move rooted in salary cap space, showing how leverage works in the NHL these days. When a team has significant cap space, they can create opportunities, as Pittsburgh did to take on Girard’s $5.0 million cap hit next season. If a team doesn’t have cap space, they usually pay to get some, which Colorado did by sending that draft pick to complete the deal.

In the short-term, the interesting aspect will be the change of styles for the Pens in going from Kulak to Girard. Dubas, clearly, is betting that there won’t be a step-back in that regard.

“Brett came in and really played good hockey for us the last two-plus months,” Dubas wrote in an email to media members, a favored way for him to control every word of the messaging. “He was able to play in all situations and help our team play very good hockey. We view Sam as someone with similar playoff experience, who was signed for an additional season and that can help to continue to help our team as we push down the stretch here.”

Girard will be a fascinating case study for how much he can live up to that expectation. Under the hood, he’s long been a player admired by advanced stats due to his puck skills.

Samuel Girard, acquired by PIT, is an agile puck-moving offensive defenceman who's creative with the puck in transition and the offensive zone. Has some defensive weaknesses stemming from his diminutive frame and tendency to make the wrong read defending the rush. #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/ZvO5YK1eUc

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) February 24, 2026

Lately, however, Girard’s career has downshifted with Colorado. In the past three seasons he’s been in the 18-20 minute range of ice time (including a career-low 17:41 average per game this season), compared to being a featured 21-23 minute per night player like he was from 2019-23. Production elements have fallen accordingly, Girard produced 131 points in 261 games from the 2019/20 season through 2022/23, down to 54 points in 172 games from 2023/24- current. That splits from an average year of five goals and 28 assists in 65 games down to three goals and 15 assists in 57 games.

The opportunity area is something that Dubas and the Pens feel they can offer Girard, given the state of their left side defense that has Parker Wotherspoon and then Ryan Shea and not much else.

“We just feel that we will have more opportunity here for Sam,” Dubas said. “In Colorado, he was behind a great group on the back end of a team that sits atop the league table and has the entire year. We feel Sam can play higher in our lineup because of his ability to play both special teams, ability to move the puck effectively up the ice, mobility, and ability to defend using his feet and intelligence.”

Girard’s availability has grown to be an issue too, Girard appeared in 90% of possible games for Colorado from 2019-23, down to 78.5% in the three most recent seasons. After an upper body injury sidelined him at the start of this season, Girard was passed on the depth chart by Sam Malinsky. Malinsky’s subsequent contract extension then made Girard’s cap hit with the Avalanche untenable enough to the point they essentially paid to get rid of him.

So while in the big picture this move looks like a great value for Pittsburgh, and undoubtedly a smash success to grow the Tristan Jarry trade tree out (which now stands at acquiring Girard, Stuart Skinner and two future second round picks in what started out as Jarry a few months ago), the transaction still carries some risk on the ice. Kulak’s steady defensive play had stabilized the team’s defense. Given Kulak’s age (32) and expiring contract, it’s reasonable that he was only going to be a short-term solution. Girard has never been known as a steadying defensive player in his own end, but has enough positives in transition with his hands and legs to help a team in those areas.

Under Dubas, the Penguins are never afraid to flip pieces around the board – dealing Jarry in the first place instead of maintaining the status quo was a perfect starting point to get to this decision to do it again with sending Kulak out for Girard. Dubas often talks about seeking players to give ‘opportunity’ to in efforts to improve and help the team, much like the December trade that brought Egor Chinakhov into the fold. His latest transaction is another move in that realm to add to the team’s stock and see what Girard can do with it.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/analysis/...he-latest-to-get-an-opportunity-in-pittsburgh

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Wilkes Weekly: Koivunen shining in a perfect week for the team

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 04: A shot by Cleveland Monsters center Luca Del Bel Belluz (10) sneak sunder Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins goaltender Filip Larsson (31) for a goal during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on April 4, 2025, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It was all systems go for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this past week, victors in all three of their recent games. Even the weekend snowstorm in New York couldn’t stop WBS from getting in and out of Bridgeport with a shutout win.

A concise look of the games from WBSPenguins.com:

Wednesday, Feb. 18 – PENGUINS 7 at Springfield 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored a season-high seven goals in its decimation of Springfield, the team’s first win out of the All-Star break. Avery Hayes scored another hat trick, bringing him to 19 goals on the year. Ville Koivunen and Tanner Howe both had two-goal nights in front 30 saves by Sergei Murashov.

Saturday, Feb. 21 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Bridgeport 3
The Penguins scored four-straight goals to outlast the Islanders on Military Appreciation Night presented by MetLife. After Bridgeport seized a 2-0 lead, Filip Hållander and Atley Calvet lit the lamp before the first intermission. Sebastian Aho gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the lead in the middle frame, and video review granted Koivunen the game-winner in the third.

Sunday, Feb. 22 – PENGUINS 4 at Bridgeport 0
Murashov posted 25 saves for his third shutout of the season, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton secured is third-straight win. Howe started the scoring early in the second period, followed by Connecticut native Phil Kemp. Third-period power-play goals by Gabe Klassen and Aidan McDonough put things to bed.

Just as good as winning is a lot of the names that Pittsburgh will want to see are doing well: Avery Hayes is back up in the NHL, Murashov notched another shutout, Rutger McGroarty had three assists, rookie Tanner Howe is up to seven points in eight games on the season, Ville Koivunen has four goals and six points in the last four games. Lots of encouraging signs from the farm.

Koivunen is one of the most intriguing players in the system, he’s having all sorts of AHL success (including 31 points in 25 games, making him third in the league in points/game). Koivunen’s limitations skating were evident in his NHL games this season, yet his AHL production is showing this is a player on the verge of another chance. It’s now his draft+5 season, he turns 23 over the summer. After accumulating seven NHL points in eight games playing out the stretch in Pittsburgh last season many thought that 2025-26 might have been Koivunen’s time to take that huge step forward. It hasn’t worked out that way to this point, but he looks very close. He might be the most intriguing case of seeing where a fast forward to 10 or 12 months to see where he’s at with his career.

For now, it’s Wilkes’s gain to have such a solid point-producer in the lineup. The Penguins remain in second place in their division, and although they’ve climbed to within two points of Providence, the Bruins have a commanding four-games in hand still to play.

Up next this week will be a tough task for WBS, they’re in Cleveland for two games on Friday and Saturday night. The Monsters are in third place in the North Division and carry an impressive 7-2-1 record over their last 10 games.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/wbs-weekl...ivunen-shining-in-a-perfect-week-for-the-team

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Game Preview: New Jersey Devils @ Pittsburgh Penguins 2/26/2026

PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 18: Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils handles the puck against Drew O'Connor #10 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 18, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Who: New Jersey Devils (28-28-2, 58 points, 7th place Metropolitan Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (29-15-12, 70 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. eastern

How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and MSG, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: Well, hopefully everyone enjoyed the time off because the schedule goes bonkers from here. This is the start of a stretch of three games in four days, four in six and all the way up to 12 games in 21 days before the next time the Pens get two consecutive days off (Mar 19-20). Next up will be two matinee games (12:30pm @NYR on Saturday, followed by a home 1:00pm start against Vegas on Sunday). Then comes a quick trip to Boston for a game next Tuesday before three-straight home games next week.

Opponent Track: The Devils played last night at home against Buffalo dropping a 2-1 game. They’ll stay on the road after tonight to head out to St. Louis on Saturday.

Season Series: The Pens carry a 1-0-1 record against NJD so far this season, first losing a 2-1 shootout game in Jersey on November 8th before taking a 4-1 home victory on January 8th. The teams meet up one final time after tonight on April 9th in NJ for what will be Game No. 79 for the Pens.

Hidden Stat: Bryan Rust has 34 points (18G+16A) and in 42 career games against the Devils. It’s the most points he’s picked up versus any one team, per Pens PR. Today would definitely be a good day for Rust to continue his success against this familiar opponent.

Getting to know the Devils​

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer

Jesper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown

Arseni Gritsyuk – Cody Glass – Lenni Hameenaho

Paul Cotter – Nick Bjugstad – Vladimir Tsplakov

DEFENSEMEN

Brett Pesce / Jonathan Kovacevic

Jonas Siegenthaler / Dougie Hamilton

Brenden Dillon / Simon Nemec

Goalies: Jacob Markstrom (Jake Allen started yesterday)

Potential scratches: Luke Glendening, Evgenii Dadonov, Colton White

Injured Reserve: Luke Hughes, Stefan Noesen, Zack MacEwen

• New Jersey gets the benefit of this not being their first game back from the break, coming with the trade off of having to play and travel last night. As always it’ll be interesting to see how that goes, especially early on for a Pens team that will have to shake off rust and perhaps weather an early storm.
• The Devils recently acquired Bjugstad, doubling their number of tall, lumbering, bottom-six former Penguin centers.
• Hameenaho is an unfamiliar name with a handful of games and points so far. The 20-year old Finn was a second round pick in 2023 and has been making some waves in his first North American season. The scouring report on the 6’0, 173 pound winger is that he’s well-rounded and decent across the board but without any particular standout skill.

Season stats
via hockeydb

(Note: Does not include the stats from last night’s game vs BUF)

• It’s high time to get it in gear for the Devils, who came back from the Olympics in 15th place out of the 16 Eastern Conference teams and a whopping 11 points away from a playoff berth. They’re looking at needing something akin to a 2009 ‘18-4-3 Penguins under Dan Bylsma’ type of finish to get back in the playoff mix at this point, to which it might already be a little too late to realistically accomplish.
• Somehow, on whatever factors of health, chemistry, cohesion, coaching, management, it just hadn’t added up right in New Jersey this season. It was pretty wild to see many Devils have great Olympics: there was of course Jack Hughes with his golden goal, Jacob Markstrom played well for Sweden as their primary goaltender, Timo Meier looked as good as he has in a while for the Swiss, Simon Nemec popped out for the Slovaks, even recently traded Ondrej Palat played much better than he had for the Devils…Yet somehow the ‘sum of the parts’ seem lesser for NJ than the individual pieces on hand.

Key to the game: Keep the Jersey devil down

The Devils have been inept offensively at 5v5 this season, those struggles have weighed them down within games. The real key to the game might be how the Penguins handle the first game of not having Sidney Crosby (more on this below), but for now we’ll focus on the season trends.

Will the break ignite talented Devil players like Hischier, Hughes, Bratt and Meier? A lineup like they have should not be struggling to produce goals this deep into the season, yet it presented very little finishing ability up to this point. The reset could change everything and make them a lot more dangerous than they’ve shown thus far, though it looked like more of the same with last night’s result of one goal on 28 shots. Will they start putting it together now that they’ve had a game back and the Pens haven’t? The answer to that will go a long way in deciding this game.

And now for the Pens​

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Avery Hayes – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Samuel Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ilya Solovyov

IR: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany

• The Penguins will have to press on for a while without Sidney Crosby, with the first iteration of the lineup looking like Rakell will slide to center and the recalled Avery Hayes will see how much more lightning is in his bottle following his two-goal NHL debut from a few weeks ago.
• Another new face will be introduced to the lineup in the form of Girard, paired up in practice in place of the player he was traded for. It’ll be interesting to see how the French connection goes there with Letang, the Pens haven’t had very many Quebecois defenders over the years other than No. 58. There was P.O Joseph and Vincent Deshairnais recently [Mike Matheson from an English part of Montreal as somewhat fitting], before that you have to go back to the likes of Simon Depres and then bit players like Alexandre Picard, Alain Nasreddine and Philippe Boucher for a very limited number of French Penguin defenders in the last 20 years, besides Letang himself.
• Chinakhov was excused for practice yesterday for the birth of a child. New dad strength, activate!

Balanced scoring to be put to the test

A name you don’t see above in recent leading scorers? Crosby. The Pens’ captain ‘only’ (by his standards) scored one goal and notched five assists in the last nine games before the Olympic break. It’s one thing to have him in the lineup not scoring compared and another to be removed from the team in general though, which the Penguins will have to start getting used to tonight. It is perhaps some comfort, however, to see that very recently this team was functioning extremely well with contributions from players other than the first line.

Even without Crosby, the Pens have the Malkin line that could function and produce as much as a first line if they continue recent scoring trends, some balance behind it with Kindel/Mantha on another line, then Rust/Rakell soldiering on without their usual center followed up with what has become a surprisingly productive fourth line with Dewar/Lizotte leading the way. A team never wants to see their captain and best player become unavailable, the depth and balance of the lineup will be tested in Crosby’s absence.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/penguins-...w-jersey-devils-pittsburgh-penguins-2-26-2026