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Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/rss/index.xml

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<title type="text">PensBurgh</title>
<subtitle type="text">Your best source for quality Pittsburgh Penguins news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.</subtitle>
<updated>2025-10-13T13:02:09+00:00</updated>
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<entry>
<author>
<name>Jim Rixner</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Wilkes Weekly: WBS Penguins win first two games]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/wbs-weekly/67889/wilkes-weekly-wbs-penguins-win-first-two-games" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67889</id>
<updated>2025-10-13T09:02:09-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-13T09:02:09-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="WBS Weekly" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Is WBS going to be nasty this year? Based on their lineup strength and opening weekend the answer looks like a yes. Wilkes-Barre defeated Hartford 2-1 on Saturday night and then followed that up with a 4-1 win over Lehigh Valley on Sunday for a perfect start to the season. Owen Pickering’s third period goal […]]]></summary>
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<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/wbs.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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Is WBS going to be nasty this year? Based on their lineup strength and opening weekend the answer looks like a yes. Wilkes-Barre defeated Hartford 2-1 on Saturday night and then followed that up with a 4-1 win over Lehigh Valley on Sunday for a perfect start to the season.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Game one lines 😤 Tune in on AHLTV on FloHockey: <a href="https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPj">https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPj</a> <a href="https://t.co/3967SQWHTe">pic.twitter.com/3967SQWHTe</a>— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1977127056333763062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Owen Pickering’s third period goal proved to be the difference on Saturday night to break the tie and send WBS to a 2-1 victory in their first game of the season. Sergei Murashov made his season debut and stopped 23 of 24 shots that he saw in the victory. Valtteri Puustinen also scored a goal for Wilkes on opening night.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Some shuffling around for our second game of the season Catch the action on AHLTV on FloHockey: <a href="https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPj">https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPj</a> <a href="https://t.co/OzB0WHo26V">pic.twitter.com/OzB0WHo26V</a>— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1977443982813601976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sunday turned into the Tristan Broz show, the Penguins center put up two goals and one assist to provide most of the power needed to down Lehigh Valley 4-1. Ville Koivunen chipped in two assists in his first AHL game of the season shortly after being assigned to the AHL. Avery Hayes added a goal and an assist on the night. Filip Larsson earned the win by stopping 26 out of 27 shots that he saw.
The veteran situation
WBS is having to juggle extra veterans after the decision in Pittsburgh to waive Danton Heinen and Ryan Graves.
In a nutshell, the AHL rule stats that at least 13 of the 18 skaters dressed on a given night have to be “developmental players”. Teams can dress a maximum of five veterans (who are players with 361+ professional games at the start of the season), plus one veteran-exempt player (who has played 261-321 games prior to the start of this year).
For the Penguins, Alexander Alexeyev fits as their current veteran-exempt player. They have seven veterans, therefore two players from this list much be scratched in every game: Ryan Graves, Danton Heinen, Sebastian Aho, Boko Imama, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Joona Koppanen and Valtteri Puustinen.
Aho didn’t play in either weekend game, on opening night Imama was out and Harvey-Pinard was held out for Saturday’s game. If there are injuries to any of these players that helps break up the logjam, but otherwise it looks like they will rotate through who comes out of the lineup. It’ll be interesting to see if players like Graves and Heinen get included in that rotation.
There was no mention of an injury to Aho, so we’ll see how that ends up playing out. Memories of Libor Hajek and Andreas Johnsson linger, sometimes European players who find things not going as they expected or wanted decide to go play somewhere else back across the pond. Not that we know that to be the situation in this case, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented to someone like Aho to either be seeking a trade or considering moving onto the next chapter of his life and career by stepping away from the Pens organization.
Prospect update
Koivunen coming down seemed to ignite Broz for the second game where he scored two goals and had three points (one into an empty net). That’s a good sign, and from the AHL perspective WBS needed the pure skill infusion of Koivunen to put them over the top on that department. Hayes also did his part to keep up with those two by having a multi-point night of his own on Sunday. 
It’s personally not nice for Koivunen to be out of the NHL, but he didn’t let it effect his play, was great on this sequence to turn into Broz’s first goal on the season.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Brozer’s on the board! <a href="https://t.co/gHBDtx7NGd">pic.twitter.com/gHBDtx7NGd</a>— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins/status/1977483901724688823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Pickering scoring a goal on opening night is a welcome sight, the blueliner only had two goals in 47 AHL games last season. 
The path ahead
Wilkes hits the road next weekend, playing in Hartford for a rematch on Friday and then heading over to Bridgeport for Saturday night. 
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Garrett Behanna</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Pens Points: To the West Coast we go]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/news/67886/pens-points-penguins-kindel-koivunen-west-coast-trip-nhl-news" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67886</id>
<updated>2025-10-13T08:22:25-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-13T06:00:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="News" /><category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="Pens Points" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning… Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has a “day-to-day” injury status due to an undisclosed injury he suffered during the team’s 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. [Trib Live] With Letang out due to injury, two right-handers who have been healthy scratches in all […]]]></summary>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…</h2>
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has a “day-to-day” injury status due to an undisclosed injury he suffered during the team’s 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. [<a href="https://triblive.com/sports/penguins-defenseman-kris-letang-sidelined-by-injury-3/">Trib Live</a>]
With Letang out due to injury, two right-handers who have been healthy scratches in all three games this season, Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba, are ready to try to fill that hole. [<a href="https://triblive.com/sports/penguins-defensemen-connor-clifton-matt-dumba-ready-to-step-in/">Trib Live</a>]
Ben Kindel, the Penguins’ first first-round pick in June’s draft, has undoubtedly experienced something of a whirlwind four months since entering the Penguins’ organization. From getting drafted in the first round, making the team out of training camp as an 18-year-old, playing with one franchise icon in Sidney Crosby, meeting another in Mario Lemieux, and scoring his first NHL goal in Saturday night’s game against the Rangers, Kindel is taking everything in stride as these milestones add up. [<a href="https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/milestone-moment-kindel-scores-first-nhl-goal">Penguins</a>]
Another forward who entered the 2025-26 season with a lot of fanfare was Ville Koivunen, who recently went from playing on the first line in the first two games of the season to the AHL in the swipe of a pen. How big a deal, if at all, is it that Koivunen is back in the American League after looking so impressive at the tail end of last season? [<a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/general/67881/big-deal-little-deal-no-deal-ville-koivunen-sent-to-ahl-edition">PensBurgh</a>]
Let’s discuss and rank the Penguins’ new alternate jerseys compared to others the team has worn over the last 20 years. [<a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/general/67796/ranking-the-recent-pittsburgh-penguins-alternate-jerseys">PensBurgh</a>]
<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-none">News and notes from around the NHL…</h2>
The NHL announced a pair of fines on Sunday to Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers and fellow blueliner Ian Cole of the Utah Mammoth. [<a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/nhl-fines-canucks-tyler-myers-mammoths-ian-cole--flm-2025-10-12/">Reuters</a>]
San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner recently said of Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson that “he was not the most, how do I say it, team-friendly player. He was good, but he was probably very good in a very good team.” [<a href="https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3365993">theScore</a>]
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Jim Rixner</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Big deal, little deal, no deal: Ville Koivunen sent to AHL edition]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/general/67881/big-deal-little-deal-no-deal-ville-koivunen-sent-to-ahl-edition" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67881</id>
<updated>2025-10-12T10:05:11-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-12T10:05:11-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Welcome back to the first installment this season of ‘Big Deal, Little Deal, No Deal’ where we discuss how important the ramifications are for the topic of the day. Leading off the 2025-26 season is a doozy; Ville Koivunen went from playing on the first line in the first two games of the season to […]]]></summary>
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<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/gettyimages-2240024385.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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Welcome back to the first installment this season of ‘Big Deal, Little Deal, No Deal’ where we discuss how important the ramifications are for the topic of the day. Leading off the 2025-26 season is a doozy; Ville Koivunen went from playing on the first line in the first two games of the season to the AHL in the swipe of a pen. Koivunen got sent back to WBS yesterday to create room for Bryan Rust to come off the injured reserve.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">The Penguins have activated forward Bryan Rust from Injured Reserve. Forward Ville Koivunen has been assigned to <a href="https://twitter.com/WBSPenguins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WBSPenguins</a> (AHL). <a href="https://t.co/TMk3iM7NMR">pic.twitter.com/TMk3iM7NMR</a>— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1977109646784840090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
Big deal
The case: Koivunen was listed as a fringe Calder trophy contender during the preseason. He finished the season with seven assists in eight NHL games and was seen as a slam dunk in about <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/pittsburgh-penguins-prospe/66725/over-under-for-the-pittsburgh-penguins-young-players-this-season">19/20 reactions</a> on this blog and social media. Going back to the AHL by game three after a pair of quiet games isn’t the most promising start to the season and puts off some uncertainty about how or when the 22-year old will get the opportunity to make the next step. This development of him playing his way off the roster almost immediately could have implications that ripple throughout the rest of the season.
Little deal 
The case: Sending Koivunen down represents the path of least resistance for the Penguins, since Koivunen was the only player on the NHL team who could go to WBS without needing waivers (or being assigned back to juniors for the season). Koivunen may have faded as preseason went on and been invisible for the regular season, but it’s still very early on and there’s plenty of time to right the ship and get back on track. It’s not nothing that Koivunen is outside of the NHL plans and failed to seamlessly build off the impressive end of last season, but this move doesn’t have to be a major one. Perhaps Ben Kindel stays for six more games in the NHL and gets sent back to juniors and Koivunen can be right back up and resume a role somewhere in the top-nine forwards within a couple of weeks, get his season off the ground and this transaction will be a minor footnote in the story of his season that still has the chance to make the strides that everyone was hoping he would make.
No deal
The case: To keep it real, it’s difficult to take the position to try and frame this decision as no big deal for Koivunen and the Pens. It’s a disappointment on some level for how he played and now that he’s gone — especially considering that with Rutger McGroarty and Kevin Hayes are on the mend and make the numbers could shift even further away from making the situation favorable for Koivunen. (Until the next wave of injuries or some trades kick in). Any time a player takes a step backwards from the NHL to the AHL, especially at age-22 and when they were expected to a piece of the team on the growth of importance to become established and they instead move back out of the league completely, that’s a difficult and unfortunate development.
—
Best bet: somewhere in between big deal and little deal. It’s unavoidable that to a degree Koivunen got caught up in the numbers for a decision like this. At the same time, it’s telling and a bad outcome that Koivunen didn’t do enough to play himself above being a casualty of numbers. Players who are going really good at the moment like Ben Kindel, and even to a degree Filip Hallander and Connor Dewar are not getting caught up in the numbers at the moment.
With that being said, the Pens have further soul-searching to do when it comes to tough roster decisions. They’ve already waived Ryan Graves and Danton Heinen — but are players like Noel Acciari, Matt Dumba and Connor Clifton really needed? That’s a rhetorical question, since we all know the obvious answer to it. In the bigger scheme of the picture when taking into account chemistry, cohesion and all the like Kyle Dubas and company might not want to flood the AHL with an unlimited number highly-paid and potentially unhappy wanderers of washed up veterans at the crossroads of a fading career. Unfortunately for him, the 23-player limits of an NHL roster are starting to give him little other choice.
Surely before too long the Pens are going to want to see players like Koivunen, McGroarty, Avery Hayes, Tristan Broz and Owen Pickering up in the NHL. That can’t happen so long as a bunch of hangers-on are, well, hanging on to the bottom of the lineup for little good reason besides them having a contract. The onus is at least partially on management to figure out a way to make the roster composition right.
While that perspective above makes sense, it’s also important to remember that the player himself carries responsibility. There’s a reason that Koivunen is in the AHL and why Kindel is sticking around, for the time being at least. Kindel has been making a better case for himself almost literally with each passing day to continue to prove himself and excite with his quality play. Outside of a few brief flashes in the preseason, Koivunen hasn’t done that. Koivunen hasn’t held up his end of the bargain, so he made it easy to be sent packing.
Rust’s late-camp injury gave Koivunen a wonderful opportunity to start the season out with Sidney Crosby. Unfortunately it wasn’t one he grabbed the ball and took off with, but the good news is it is still early on in the year and the future is always uncertain about when that next chance might come around.
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Jim Rixner</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Ranking the recent Pittsburgh Penguins alternate jerseys]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/general/67796/ranking-the-recent-pittsburgh-penguins-alternate-jerseys" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67796</id>
<updated>2025-10-11T19:57:20-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-12T06:00:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Let’s shift to jersey talk on an off-day Sunday for the Penguins. The Pens recently revealed their new yellow alternate jerseys that they will wear for every Thursday home game this season and a couple of select weekend games. These rankings are always personal and subjective. It’s always fun when one person’s least favorite is […]]]></summary>
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<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/gettyimages-2239606960.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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Let’s shift to jersey talk on an off-day Sunday for the Penguins. The Pens recently revealed their new yellow alternate jerseys that they will wear for every Thursday home game this season and a couple of select weekend games.
These rankings are always personal and subjective. It’s always fun when one person’s least favorite is another’s most treasured. Feel free to give your take. We’re sticking with only the Sidney Crosby era from 2005-present and including the outdoor jerseys as well.
Huge shoutout to the great resource of <a href="https://www.nhluniforms.com/Penguins/Penguins.html">NHL Uniforms</a>, great database to check out jerseys over the years from all the hockey teams.
#12: ‘Silver’ Pens 
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins03.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
I believe only used for the 2014 Stadium Series and maybe once more, the 2014 Stadium Series jersey was more of a flop than a hit. The front logo appeared to have a silver impact in the middle that showed in an odd way (I think a beer company sponsored the game and this jersey almost looked like a nod to that, whether intended or not). The numbers on the back were extra long for visibility in the outdoors. Not a good one.
#11: Cursed Frankenstein
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins02.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
Perhaps best known for the jersey that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin both suffered major injuries in over different games in 2011, this alternate doesn’t leave a good feeling. Worse yet, it’s a combination of different design concepts and colorings similar to what the team wore from 1967-80, yet never in this exact form (i.e. the light blue stripes were dark, the scarf Penguin wasn’t used). It resulted in a busy mish-mash of different concepts that didn’t land well. It’s a shame that it’s seemingly ruined the likelihood of a dark blue jersey again, the potential was there but what they came up with wasn’t it. Moving on.
#10: Reverse retro
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/PenguinsRR1.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
The Penguins never had a white PITTSBURGH black/gold diagonal jersey, and now we see why after the design of the 2021 “reverse retro” concept. It throws you off from the nostalgic black version of the ‘90s that didn’t really land well. That was the point of the “reverse” part of a reverse retro jersey but it’s an idea that no one asked for or particularly wanted in this instance. To me this is kind of like getting a Philly Cheesesteak on rye bread — it’s almost right but they didn’t quite get the order right when they put it on the wrong type of bread (or jersey color, in this case). So that spoils the dish.
#9: No white
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins05.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
The first Penguin jersey in history to date that features zero amount of white on it anywhere for a Stadium Series jersey. The helmet with a logo on one side it was a cool idea, the rest just kinda looks like the printer messed up and put yellow in the logo where the white was supposed to go. Having a big arm stripe, a medium single bar on the socks, a thin bar at the bottom of the jersey and nothing on the pants looks uneven. The keystone PA logo on the pants is a very nice mark— especially since these jerseys were designed for an outdoor game against the Flyers who had matching designs— but the rest of the looks feels half baked. Not a big fan.
#8: The new alternate (middle)
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins47.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,5.5555555555556,100,88.888888888889" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
The new look is, well, OK. It’s very yellow and has a new jersey font that gives Nashville Predator vibes. Maybe some are a fan of the new concept of the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/penguins/comments/1o1fn3f/i_think_i_figured_out_yesterdays_cryptic_symbols/">new shoulder logo</a> that features, well, random enough ancillary symbols but that came out of no where with no obvious connections to the established branding the team uses. Luckily they went ahead and put it on both shoulders for good measure. The triple arm striping looks busy and a modest attempt to break up all the yellow and it doesn’t match in width to single bottom bar across the bottom or the single bar on the socks. Out of necessity and ease they stuck with the regular pant shell, which sticks out to not flow cohesively with this concept considering the pants have a white stripe that isn’t found anywhere on the all-yellow/black top. On the plus side, this is the first matte helmet the team has used, which has no advertisement on it and is a big plus to have a team logo and not a corporate one. The white outlining of the number looks sharp, just a shame that’s all of the white involved, besides the interior of the logo and the part from the holdover pants. Maybe it will grow on me after seeing it more, for now it’s just there.
#7: Return of the Robo Penguin
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/PenguinsRR2.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
Some will have this one a lot higher on their personal rankings, which is totally fine. To me, it’s not the best sort of <a href="https://www.nhluniforms.com/Penguins/Penguins19.html">Robo Penguin design</a> which would have been nice to see more retro shoulders and radiant across the middle of the shirt, but considering the concept was a reverse retro jersey that might have been difficult to work in. Instead, we were left with this sort of compromise where at least fans looking to see Crosby/Malkin got to play in a Robo Penguin jersey, ever so briefly, but it didn’t leave a lasting mark or seem like it will be returning to the ice again in the near future. They also used the same pant shell, so there was a “normal” skating Penguin logo on the leg just kinda leftover and still sticking around. The Robo Penguin in general is a very polarizing subject, which makes it ironic that it ends up just kinda in the middle for me. I’d be fine with the occasional RoboPen (though I’m not a huge fan of it) but the offering they designed was far from ideal use of it.
#6: Yellow comes back (middle)
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins41_329cea.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,5.5555555555556,100,88.888888888889" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
A fitting tribute to the 1980-84 jerseys brought a mainly yellow jersey back to the Penguins in 2018. As far as yellow jerseys go, this is the one; a classic look brought back and nice play off the existing black and white jerseys that the team used as the regular color schemes. They made the hockey stick in the logo yellow and not white for the first time (aside from the all black/yellow jersey), which looks pretty cool. It’s also nice they kept white on the arms to better tie in with the pants, giving a differentiator to the current yellow alternate. This is only sixth on the list, but I like it well enough, more that others just popped a little more or were a little more appealing and exciting.
#5: Steelers inspired yellow 
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins04.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
This Stadium Series jersey is similar to the yellow jersey above. It ups it a notch with the excitement factor that has a nod to the Steelers by making the numbers in the style of the football team that calls <s>Heinz </s>err Acrisure Stadium home. This was a cool concept that worked, would have loved to see some type of logo moved from the shoulder to the front leg of the pants for an added special touch, maybe keep on the Steelers theme by using a helmet with a logo on one side, something a little more creative was left out there. It was too niche to last very long but it wasn’t designed to stick around. For a special event this one was about pitch perfect.
#4: ‘90s Nostalgia at its best (middle)
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins43.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,5.5555555555556,100,88.888888888889" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
The Pens brought back the classic diagonal PITTSBURGH block font from 2021-25 for the first time in the traditional black since they wore it from 1992-97. The memories associated with this jersey give it the power, in the mind’s eye you can almost see Mario Lemieux pulling this sweater on to win the scoring title despite undergoing cancer treatments or expect to see Ron Francis pop up and make a perfect pass to Jaromir Jagr for a goal. A lot of that is age-related and might not hit the same for everyone, but that’s what made this nostalgia done right. It’s a great alternate because it doesn’t stray or try to reinvent what worked in the first place with the concept.
#3: The 2023 Winter Classic throwback
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins06.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
Really liked these 1920’s inspired Pittsburgh (hockey) Pirates outfits, which as a trivia note was the first pro Pittsburgh team to ever use black and gold as its jersey colors. It would have been even nicer if they could have worked <a href="https://pittsburghhockey.net/other-teams/pirates-nhl/pittsburgh-pirates-nhl-uniforms">in the crest </a>that the old team had into the arms or shoulders. The creamy off-white worked well, especially for the outdoor game and having Penguins in a cursive font on the helmet and pants flowed very well and was a nice addition for a baseball stadium. It’s also a very nice touch that the inside of the collar (like the new yellow alternate) has the white/blue checkers from the city of Pittsburgh’s flag on it. You can’t see it when the players play but that’s a bonus when getting one that adds a little something extra.
#2: So good they made it the regular jersey (middle uniform)
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins38.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,5.5555555555556,100,88.888888888889" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
The Penguins faded out the “Vegas gold” colors of their home and away jerseys starting in 2014 by using the middle jersey as an alternate. This jersey is basically what the team wore from 1980-92 before inexplicably changing it up in the middle of a championship run. It was such a good alternate that it eventually graduated into the standard home jersey from 2016-present and likely will be around for years to come and put the ’Vegas gold’ out to its rightful place in pasture. This is THE classic Penguin look to have.
#1: The light blues
<img src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/Penguins01.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" />
This is what it’s all about, a throwback to the classic 1968-71 look. It also helps that Crosby made it his own for a new generation with his outdoor shootout winner in the first Winter Classic back in ‘08. When you want a perfect alternate jersey, to me this hits all the notes. It’s outside of the normal scheme that the team wears so it’s something different, yet still rooted in history. The colors contrast well in any sport but especially well on the ice for a hockey game and the jersey itself is clean and uncluttered. The arm striping and bottom effectively breaks up the single color and is complemented by the socks and pants doing the same. Do I want to see the team wear this 41 times a year at home or in the playoffs? No. Is it the best alternate the team has had in the last 20 years? To me, yes.

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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Jim Rixner</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Penguins/Rangers Recap: Reality check, Pens rocked 6-1]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/game-recaps/67861/penguins-rangers-recap-reality-check-pens-rocked-6-1" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/67861/penguins-islanders-recap</id>
<updated>2025-10-11T21:42:29-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-11T21:42:29-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="Game Recaps" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Pregame Bryan Rust comes off the IR and bumps Ville Koivunen all the way to the AHL. Otherwise the rest of the Penguins are the same as last game, except Arturs Silovs gets back in the net. The Rangers are missing Vincent Trocheck, who went down with an injury on Thursday night, so their lines […]]]></summary>
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<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/gettyimages-2240103946.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pregame </h3>
Bryan Rust comes off the IR and bumps Ville Koivunen all the way to the AHL. Otherwise the rest of the Penguins are the same as last game, except Arturs Silovs gets back in the net.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">How we're lining up tonight vs. NYR 🏒 <a href="https://t.co/HYWoIV8jCG">pic.twitter.com/HYWoIV8jCG</a>— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1977144762680635637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Rangers are missing Vincent Trocheck, who went down with an injury on Thursday night, so their lines look different from Tuesday night in the opener between these two teams.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">With no Trocheck, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a> lines are: Panarin – Zibanejad – Laf Cuylle – Miller – Sheary Pärssinen – Laba – Raddysh Edström – Carrick – Rempe— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/vzmercogliano/status/1977034451730444753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">First period</h3>
The Penguins give a very nice welcome back video to Mike Sullivan at the first commercial break.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">To the winningest coach in franchise history, thank you, Sully. <a href="https://t.co/E8x6Ky5YMI">pic.twitter.com/E8x6Ky5YMI</a>— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1977157228260945947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Pittsburgh gets the power play, but the Rangers get the goal. Adam Fox helps them break out and Sam Carrick makes a really nice pass right through Erik Karlsson that leads to a relatively easy finish for Mika Zibanejad. 1-0 NYR.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Carrick with the feed + Mika does his thing for the shorty. <a href="https://t.co/SA0lI0pvd0">pic.twitter.com/SA0lI0pvd0</a>— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1977153505413456177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Shots in the first end up 9-4 PIT. One flub puts the Rangers on the board but it wasn’t a bad period in totality for the home team.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Second period</h3>
Pittsburgh gets on the board with Ben Kindel’s first career goal. Kindel jolts up the ice on a rush and fires a super-hard shot short-side on Igor Shesterkin. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">TAKE A BOW, KID 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/b50gMVpl7d">pic.twitter.com/b50gMVpl7d</a>— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1977164268412743867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Matt Rempe should have scored from in front, but alas, scoring from in front of the net isn’t where Rampe excels. The Rangers were able to work the puck around with the Pens scrambling a little and Fox found his mark. 2-1 NYR.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">A gorgeous sequence + Foxy buries it through traffic. <a href="https://t.co/vIiLAUV3fC">pic.twitter.com/vIiLAUV3fC</a>— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1977166400113590507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Rangers score on their first power play of the night. Former Penguin Conor Sheary makes a nice play to bank a puck in off Will Cuylle right in the crease. 3-1 NYR.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Cools in front for the PPG. <a href="https://t.co/2ltqBzQ5Bc">pic.twitter.com/2ltqBzQ5Bc</a>— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1977168444291531144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The nightmare period for the Pens continued, they got caught with not just six players on the ice but none even trying to change or get off the surface. Can’t do that. The Rangers won the initial faceoff and Fox continued his great game by floating a puck all the way in. 4-1 NYR.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Power play Foxy from the point for his second of the night. <a href="https://t.co/wz5AG07r81">pic.twitter.com/wz5AG07r81</a>— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1977171223923810798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Shots in the second go 14-3 Rangers. Easily the worst period of the young season for Pittsburgh, and one that has tipped this game heavily towards New York.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Third period</h3>
The bleeding doesn’t stop for the Pens when Ryan Shea knocks Rempe down and takes out Silovs in the process. Goal ends up getting credited to Rempe, 5-1 New York.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Eddy puts away the rebound. <a href="https://t.co/rQYuuNjVZR">pic.twitter.com/rQYuuNjVZR</a>— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1977179712397910330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Taylor Raddish beat Caleb Jones to the far post and another one goes in. 6-1 Rangers.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Laba with the set up + Raddysh buries it. <a href="https://t.co/wCkRmvqU81">pic.twitter.com/wCkRmvqU81</a>— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers/status/1977184833848983755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Luckily that’s all the action.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Some thoughts</h3>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Great to see Rust return, and just 11 days after he was officially announced that would“<a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/news/67548/bryan-rust-out-minimum-of-two-weeks-with-injury">miss a minimum of two weeks</a>”. The phrasing of “be out a minimum of __” seems to be the new team nomenclature — and as it turns out more of a general guideline than literal declaration. Anyways, thought Rust was probably the best player on the ice in the first period, he was sharp right from the start of the game.</li>
<li>You never like to see a defender let a pass go through him on a 2-on-1 like it did on Karlsson, but at the same time a tip of the cap to Sam Carrick for the speed, angle and lift that he fired through the legs/stick of Karlsson. Sometimes the other guys makes a nice play, or in this case a really nice one.</li>
<li>There’s something precocious about Kindel, beyond just his baby face. Right before his goal, he started skating so fast he awkwardly tipped back a little and chugged and almost could have gone down as he was making a cross-over and almost got his legs hung up on each other. He made it work, take nothing away from him, it’s just that he’s not completely polished or smooth out there in an NHL world where these guys make everything looks so fluid and natural. It’s tough to shoot on the rush with the velo that Kindel got, nothing awkward about that.</li>
<li>At times you get reminders that the left side of the defense is Parker Wotherspoon/Ryan Shea/Caleb Jones. As the game went on this was one of those times. The talent limitation there is going to be glaring, even more when Karlsson and Kris Letang can’t cover it up. Those veteran RHDs did a better job in the first two games than they did tonight.</li>
<li>Letang also left the game in the third period and not so coincidentally the Rangers scored two out of their three ES goals on the night in the short time after that happened.</li>
<li>You could chalk this up as a special teams loss. The Rangers scored on two out of their three power plays AND scored a shorthanded goal. That’s three goals of the 4-1 lead after two periods. The Pens went 0 for 4 on night on the power play, giving up that goal. That’s no way to go through a game.</li>
<li>Speaking of that, Acciari lost the faceoff clean that led to Fox’s PPG and stood to put the game out of reach. Acciari is definitely reaching that Jack Johnson/Jeff Carter level of a washed up veteran that the coaches inexplicably trust to go get the job done next time — despite all recent evidence clearly shows that they are inadequate and there’s no good reason to continue to have confidence in them any longer. Coaches are always the last ones to come to that realization to pull the plug on a trusted veteran but the sooner that Dan Muse and company can get there on Acciari, the better. He just doesn’t have much that’s going to contribute positively and the team isn’t going to miss out on anything to stop using him. There might be bigger picture considerations involved, but for a focused output on the game action, it’s been tough to see Acciari out there for a while now. And yet, he still gets out there.</li>
<li>No one can justifiably be that upset with Silovs, he had tough circumstances for a goalie and the game got out of hand. (Now you know the ’but’ is coming..) But, after Silovs made 25 saves on 25 shots on Turesday, he gets touched up for six goals on 30 shots tonight. That’s been his career story to date – a goalie that is not without talent but has had issues keeping the puck out of the net consistently. Silovs will get plenty of grace on a night like tonight, and deservedly so. Just saying that despite the circumstances and context of this night that will be something to track in the bigger picture about how effective Silovs can be behind this Penguin defense in the long-run. It’s not an easy job.</li>
<li>Well, this was a dose of reality. Muse’s systems and instruction aren’t the magic bullet and Mike Sullivan, it turns out, can get the Rangers to play a good game. RIP in peace to a lot of feel good narratives from earlier this week. Nothing is ever as good as it seems when it’s going well (or as bad as it looks when it’s going poorly) and the former part of that saying holds a lot of truth for the Penguins in the first two games. It’s nice they got some results, but they remain the team that they are going to be in the long-run. Tonight serves as a reminder of that.</li>
</ul>
The Pens don’t have a good night tonight, but they do win two of their first three and now get to shift gears in major way. They go out to California for three games next week, starting Tuesday night in Anaheim for the first game on the trip. Time to flip the page and move on.
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Jim Rixner</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Gamethread: Rangers @ Penguins]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/game-open-threads/67679/gamethread-rangers-penguins" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/67679/gamethread-islanders-penguins</id>
<updated>2025-10-07T08:53:12-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-11T18:45:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="Game Open Threads" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Talk about the game with Pens fans here!]]></summary>
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Talk about the game with Pens fans here!
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</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Julia Stumbaugh</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Game Preview: New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins 10/11/2025]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/general/67826/game-preview-new-york-rangers-pittsburgh-penguins-10-11-2025" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67826</id>
<updated>2025-10-11T09:26:09-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-11T07:00:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="General" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Who: New York Rangers (1-1-0) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-0) When: 7:00 p.m. ET How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and MSG, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: Pens fans should get ready for some late nights ahead. The next few puck drops are set for 10 p.m. ET or later as the Penguins head West to […]]]></summary>
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Who: New York Rangers (1-1-0) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-0)
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and MSG, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: Pens fans should get ready for some late nights ahead. The next few puck drops are set for 10 p.m. ET or later as the Penguins head West to take on the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks on the road.
Opponent Track: The Rangers lost their season opener to the Pens in a 3-0 shutout on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, but ended up the other side of the blank sheet in a 4-0 win over the host Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
Season Series: One more win will allow the Pens to best last season’s series with the Rangers, which the good guys lost 1-3 while getting outscored 17-8.
Hidden Stat: If the Penguins beat the Rangers again tonight, it will mark the team’s first 3-0-0 start to a season since the 2013-14 campaign.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Getting to know the Rangers</h3>
Projected lines (from Thursday’s game)
FORWARDS
Will Cuylle – JT Miller – Mika Zibanejad
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck (?) – Alexis Lafreniére
Conor Sheary – Noah Laba – Taylor Raddysh
Adam Edstrom – Sam Carrick – Matt Rempe
DEFENSEMEN
Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox
Carson Soucy – Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen – Braden Schneider
Goalies: Igor Shesterkin, Jonathan Quick
Scratches: Matthew Robertson, Juuso Parssinen, Brett Berard
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Vincent Trocheck’s status is uncertain after the forward suffering an <a href="https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/1976467030380622318">upper-body injury</a> on Thursday against the Sabres. The Rangers responded to him leaving the game by bumping down Mika Zibanejad to play alongside Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere on the second line, per The Athletic’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6705355/2025/10/10/rangers-sullivan-shesterkin-trocheck-injury/?source=emp_shared_article">Vincent Z. Mercogliano</a>. </li>
<li>That resulted in two-time Stanley Cup champion Conor Sheary— who signed a one-year minimum deal with the Rangers one day before the season started— being elevated to skate on the top line. Here’s a look at some of the line shuffling Mike Sullivan did Thursday after Trocheck’s absence:</li>
</ul>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Lines without Trocheck look like: Cuylle – Miller – Sheary Panarin – Zibanejad – Lafrenière Edström – Laba – Raddysh <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a>— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/vzmercogliano/status/1976453943946539120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Shesterkin looked strong during his 37-save shutout against the Sabres on Thursday. He could be called on for another big performance tonight, especially if the Rangers’ relatively thin forward depth gets exposed by Trocheck’s absence.</li>
<li>The Rangers goaltender has stopped 15 of 16 high-danger shots he’s faced through the first two games of the season, per <a href="https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-leaders-for-2025-2026-season?utm_source=xdotcom&utm_medium=nhl_social&utm_campaign=pr">NHL Stats</a>. (Parallel stat: Pens forward Justin Brazeau leads the NHL with seven high-danger shots through two games).</li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Mike Sullivan on having Igor Shesterkin on his side as a goaltender: "It sure is nice, I tell ya" <a href="https://t.co/r7nlbaCdFt">pic.twitter.com/r7nlbaCdFt</a>— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYRangers/status/1976508630158504445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">And now for the Pens</h2>
Projected lines 
FORWARDS
Ville Koivunen – Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell
Anthony Mantha – Evgeni Malkin – Justin Brazeau
Tommy Novak – Ben Kindel – Filip Hallander
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea / Kris Letang
Caleb Jones / Harrison Brunicke
Goalies: Arturs Silovs, Tristan Jarry
Potential Scratches: Philip Tomasino, Connor Clifton, Mathew Dumba
IR: Bryan Rust (week-to-week, lower body), Kevin Hayes (upper body, week-to-week), Jack St. Ivany (week-to-week, lower body), Rutger McGroarty (indefinite, upper body), Joel Blomqvist (week-to-week, lower body)
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">How we sleep at night knowing the <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@penguins</a> are 2-0 and Evgeni Malkin leads the NHL in points. <a href="https://t.co/Q1iptTBFrs">pic.twitter.com/Q1iptTBFrs</a>— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/PenguinsPR/status/1976486163822055625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Bryan Rust, who rejoined the team for <a href="https://x.com/JG_PxP/status/1975964599267754479">Wednesday’s </a>practice in a regular jersey, seems like he’s approaching his season debut but has yet to commit to a return date.</li>
<li>The clock is ticking as to when Dan Muse and Kyle Dubas will need to decide whether Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke will active their contracts by staying with the Pens past nine games. So far they’ve both made a convincing effort to prove they’re ready for the full-time NHL gig, but the eventual return of forwards like Rust, Kevin Hayes and Rutger McGroarty could lead the Pens to decide to hold off on burning the first year of Kindel’s ELC for another year. </li>
<li>The Penguins <a href="https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/david-blackburn-celebrates-64-years-of-service-at-ppg-paints-arena-as-beloved-usher-and-ticket-taker">announced</a> Friday the team will recognize David Blackburn, who has spent 64 years working at Civic Arena and PPG Paints Arena, during Saturday’s game on his 90th birthday.</li>
</ul>
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</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>James Brady</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[How to make sure PensBurgh shows up in your Google search]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/news/67738/how-to-make-sure-pensburgh-shows-up-in-your-google-search" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67738</id>
<updated>2025-10-10T12:53:13-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-10T12:53:13-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[As many of you are likely aware, Google searches are … different these days. [The good news is Google is offering a solution for folks who like to get their news from specific sources. If you want to help PensBurgh — while also streamlining all your Google searches — there is now a way. Simply […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
<![CDATA[
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<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/imagn-27285737.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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As many of you are likely aware, Google searches are … different these days.
[The good news is Google is offering a solution for folks who like to get their news from specific sources. If you want to help PensBurgh — while also streamlining all your Google searches — there is now a way.
Simply <a href="https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=pensburgh.com">click on this link</a> and add PensBurgh as one of your “Source preferences.” That’s all there is to it!
Back in August, the tech giant debuted a feature called <a href="https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=pensburgh.com">“Preferred Sources.”</a> It’s a way for Google to prominently feature the results from websites you trust, like PensBurgh:
“With the launch of Preferred Sources in the U.S. and India, you can select your favorite sources and stay up to date on the latest content from the sites you follow and subscribe to — whether that’s your favorite sports blog or a local news outlet. …
“When you select your preferred sources, you’ll start to see more of their articles prominently displayed within Top Stories, when those sources have published fresh and relevant content for your search.”
As some of you might know, AI searches are hurting outlets around the world and in all spaces. We’ve worked hard at PensBurgh to build a brand you can trust and rely on for Pittsburgh Penguins coverage. Our goal is to serve you, the fans.
If you’re a fan of our work and want to get the best Penguins coverage possible, this is an excellent win-win to improve your Google searches while helping PensBurgh out.
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Jim Rixner</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Lemieux appearance is the cherry on top of great start for Penguins]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/news/67798/lemieux-appearance-is-the-cherry-on-top-of-great-start-for-penguins" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67798</id>
<updated>2025-10-10T10:54:23-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-10T10:54:23-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="News" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The Penguins are 2-0 to start this young season. Older stars in Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are playing extremely well, seemingly energized by the next wave of young players like Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke that have made their way into the NHL lineup. Sidney Crosby remains Sidney Crosby, to the surprise […]]]></summary>
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<![CDATA[
<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/gettyimages-2013763460.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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The Penguins are 2-0 to start this young season. Older stars in Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are playing extremely well, seemingly energized by the next wave of young players like Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke that have made their way into the NHL lineup. Sidney Crosby remains Sidney Crosby, to the surprise of absolutely no one. Justin Brazeau has debuted to production on the scale of 1991 Kevin Stevens (it’s early yet, but hey). Arturs Silovs posted a shutout in his first game, Tristan Jarry made 34 saves and earned a win in his game. New coach Dan Muse has been an early success with how focused and united they are playing right off the bat. The team even debuted a new surprise alternate jersey on the fly to add a little more flourish and excitement to the mix.
It hardly could have been a more charmed and successful start to the season, until it found a way to achieve another level when Mario Lemieux made an appearance at the home opener.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Greatness in the building 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rWiO93u526">pic.twitter.com/rWiO93u526</a>— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNPittsburgh/status/1976449571216654752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Lemieux’s relationship with the team has been strained, or distant or whatever term that best applies following the fallout from his sale of the team to Fenway Sports Group. That led to <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/penguins-ownership-expects-mario-lemieux-to-have-more-active-role-in-franchise-moving-forward/">a financial dispute</a> with FSG <a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron-cook/2023/03/20/mario-lemieux-pittsburgh-penguins-fenway-sports-group/stories/202303190116">over legal fees in </a>resolution from a lawsuit that minority partners of Lemieux made in a failed effort to contest the sale. After that point, Lemieux’s involvement and association with the team he was so closely tied to from 1984 to 2021 dried up almost immediately and has stayed that way for the better part of the last four years.
Whether it’s been more about that or in conjunction with gaining the well-deserved opportunity to enjoy retirement and spend his time privately doing whatever he and his family want, Lemieux has been notable by his complete absence from the Pens. He was at Jaromir Jagr’s February 2024 jersey retirement and usually attends a Penguin game around the time of his annual charity camp, but otherwise is rarely associated with the Pens these days.
That makes last night all the more special. Lemieux didn’t just wave to the crowd, he went down in the locker-room to say hello and congratulate the players after the game, something The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6705385/2025/10/09/penguins-lemieux-home-opener-malkin-islanders/">Athletic’s Josh Yohe</a> pointed out that “he hasn’t done in many years”. It was smiles and warm feelings all around, from players young and old.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">Past. Present. Future. <a href="https://t.co/h8M7JYpA9d">pic.twitter.com/h8M7JYpA9d</a>— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) <a href="https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1976483847060820146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
</div></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">That was one heck of a home opener. A surprise jersey reveal, a Big Three tribute, more magic from Geno and Sid, a first NHL goal… all capped off with a visit from Mario Lemieux. Tonight's 'Musings': <a href="https://t.co/lx0RfLtDaH">https://t.co/lx0RfLtDaH</a> <a href="https://t.co/5KRWgMH6tl">pic.twitter.com/5KRWgMH6tl</a>— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) <a href="https://twitter.com/PensInsideScoop/status/1976490152030765189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The added layer of intrigue is that Fenway is negotiating to sell some or even all of their stake in the Penguins, possibly even being close to a sale announcement with the Hoffman family. Lemieux was reportedly interested as well, though the franchise <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/news/67528/sportico-sets-1-7-billion-value-for-penguins">value has skyrocketed</a> since Lemieux sold and could prove to be a barrier to his attempts to buy back in. It could be that last night was a one-off and a social call for Mario to check up on people that he cares about. Regardless, it is an important signal that relations are beginning to thaw out and he might have more of a presence going forward, in whatever capacity or frequency that might be.
Just when you thought a 2-0 start couldn’t be any better.
]]>
</content>
</entry>
<entry>
<author>
<name>Adam Gretz</name>
</author>
<title type="html"><![CDATA[Erik Karlsson looks fantastic for Penguins]]></title>
<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/statistics/67789/erik-karlsson-looks-fantastic-for-penguins" />
<id>https://www.pensburgh.com/?p=67789</id>
<updated>2025-10-10T04:16:23-04:00</updated>
<published>2025-10-10T06:04:00-04:00</published>
<category scheme="https://www.pensburgh.com" term="Statistics" />
<summary type="html"><![CDATA[There have been quite a few fascinating developments over the first two games of the 2025-26 season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Will any of it last? Who knows! But the games have at least been interesting. The other big development so far? Defenseman Erik Karlsson looks like the Erik Karlsson the Penguins thought — and […]]]></summary>
<content type="html">
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<figure>
<img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.pensburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2025/10/gettyimages-2239616198.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />
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There have been quite a few fascinating developments over the first two games of the 2025-26 season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Not only have they won both games, but they have significantly outplayed both opponents. Maybe that says more about the New York Rangers and New York Islanders than it does about the Penguins (I suspect it might), but it has still been something to see.</li>
<li>The games have also been refreshing to watch compared to the better part of the past two seasons. Young players have brought some excitement. Head coach Dan Muse has brought a new voice, new ideas and a new system. They have been entertaining to watch, which is really all you can ask for this season. </li>
<li>Justin Brazeau has three goals, and two of them have been fantastic finishes where he flashed more skill than I was anticipating seeing from him. </li>
<li>Evgeni Malkin looks like he has found the fountain of youth.</li>
<li>The two teenagers, Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke, not only do not look out of place in the NHL, they look like they belong.</li>
</ul>
Will any of it last? Who knows! But the games have at least been interesting. 
The other big development so far? Defenseman Erik Karlsson looks like the Erik Karlsson the Penguins thought — and hoped — they were getting at the start of the 2023-24 season when they originally acquired him.
Karlsson’s first two years in Pittsburgh were quite polarizing, to say the least. The offensive numbers were still mostly there. Between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons he was 10th among NHL defensemen in points, while his underlying numbers in terms of driving possession and out-chancing opponents were mostly fine. When he was on the ice during 5-on-5 play the Penguins outscored and out-chanced their opponents. The numbers were there.
What wasn’t there was the eye-test. 
He never LOOKED the way anybody wanted him to look, and he seemed to lack the overall brilliance and dynamic play that made him a Hall of Fame talent and three-time Norris Trophy winner throughout his prime. 
There were big mistakes, missed assignments, ugly turnovers and it just did not seem like the Karlsson-in-Pittsburgh experiment was working. Or ever going to work. 
There’s also some truth to the idea that people were seeing what they wanted to see. 
If you trusted the numbers and were willing to accept that his style of play would sometimes lead to some ugly moments, you were probably fine with the way he played. If you didn’t trust the numbers, and put more emphasis on that eye-test and were expecting Norris-level play … you were probably disappointed. 
It reached the point where there was a push for the Penguins to just move his contract and get back what they could for it. 
But on Tuesday and Thursday he just seemed to be closer to Norris-level Karlsson than whatever it was the Penguins were getting the past two seasons. He has looked in control. The turnovers and bad players have been almost non-existent. His skating has looked superb. He’s just been … really good. 
Did he just hate playing for Mike Sullivan?
Did Mike Sullivan just hate coaching him and have no idea how to use him?
Is it just a case of Karlsson being fully healthy?
Or is Karlsson just determined to impress the scouts for Team Sweden to get himself put on the Olympic team for the 2026 games in Italy?
It could be a combination of all four factors. Whatever it is, the numbers have been there and he’s looked the part as well.
Whatever your expectations are for the Penguins this season, you should still want to see Karlsson play well. Even if it’s not for the Penguins, but for somebody else to see it and be more willing to take on a significant portion of his contract. There’s still an incentive to want to see him do well. 
Through two games it’s been a great start. Now let’s see if it continues. 



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