Even if things haven't been going so hot at the NHL level for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there are some good things happening down on the farm. 

And one Penguins' forward prospect is beginning to make a pretty good case for an imminent NHL call-up. 

23-year-old winger Avery Hayes - signed to a two-year entry-level contract this summer by the Penguins - is on quite the run with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins right now. In his last 11 games, Hayes has six goals and 11 points to go along with 38 shots on goal, and he continues to get better and better as the season rolls on. 

On the AHL season overall, he has nine goals and 17 points in 23 games - including three game-winning goals and the tying goal to send the game to extra time on Saturday against the Utica Comets, which ultimately ended in a 3-2 shootout loss for WBS.

Gritty effort from Hayesy! pic.twitter.com/Vg07kBaGtw

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) December 21, 2025

The undrafted forward showed out well in NHL training camp as one of the final cuts from the camp roster, making it until the last week. Hayes earned his entry-level contract last season after putting together a campaign for WBS that included 23 goals and 42 points in 60 games - as well as six game-winning goals. 

He has yet to make his NHL debut with the Penguins, but given the big club's immense struggles as of late - Pittsburgh has lost eight straight games - it would come as no surprise if Hayes does have his NHL debut sooner rather than later. There is an NHL roster freeze until Dec. 28, so until that time, Pittsburgh can only recall AHL players on an emergency basis. 

After Eighth Straight Loss, Where Do The Penguins Go From Here?The Pittsburgh Penguins are at a crossroads after their 4-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, which handed them their eighth straight loss. What's next for the organization?

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

The house wins on Hockey Night in Canada. 

The Calgary Flames continued their strong play on home ice Saturday night, earning a 6–3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Mikael Backlund led the way with two goals, while Connor Zary and Mackenzie Weegar each recorded three assists. Weegar’s performance included the 200th assist of his NHL career. Ryan Lomberg, Adam Klapka, Joel Farabee and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for Calgary, while Devin Cooley turned aside 34 shots to secure his fourth win of the season.

The Flames went All-In early, and with Hockey Night in Canada spotlighting the matchup, the Flames delivered an energetic start.

Calgary opened the scoring at 3:54 when Zary drove the net and created a rebound that found its way to Backlund, who shoveled the puck home for his eighth goal of the season.

The Flames extended the lead at 8:42 after sustained pressure in the Vegas zone. Yan Kuznetsov’s point shot made its way through traffic and deflected off Klapka in front, slipping past Akira Schmid to make it 2–0.

Vegas responded at 10:02 when Riley Smith broke in alone, made a move to the backhand, and beat Cooley to cut the deficit to one on just the Knights’ third shot of the game.

Calgary answered again at 15:45 as Zary picked off a pass in his own zone and led a 2-on-0 rush with Lomberg, who finished the play to restore the two-goal advantage.

Moments later, Lomberg dropped the gloves with Jeremy Lauzon following the ensuing faceoff, igniting the Saddledome crowd. Calgary carried a 12–6 edge in shots after the opening 20 minutes.

The second period featured steady pace and flow, and the Flames capitalized. At 8:38, Backlund drove the net and stayed with the play, sliding home his second goal of the night off a pass from Weegar, with Zary picking up the secondary assist. The goal gave Calgary a 5–1 lead and marked Weegar’s 200th career NHL assist.

Vegas pulled one back at 14:34 when Kaeden Korczak fired a shot through traffic that eluded Cooley, making it 5–2.

The Golden Knights pushed in the final frame, outshooting the Flames 21-5 and applying sustained pressure, generating several quality chances. Mark Stone converted on the power play, batting a bouncing puck into the net to bring Vegas within two at 5–3.

However, with the Vegas net empty, Huberdeau scored into the empty net to seal it for the Flames. 

Three Takeaways:

Brzustewicz Settling In:

Hunter Brzustewicz continues to look comfortable at the NHL level. In his fifth game since being recalled, he made mature reads, directed pucks to the net, and even rang a shot off the post. He looks close to finding his first NHL goal any game now.

Triple Chip Performances:

Zary recorded his first multi-point game of the season with three assists and now has four assists in his last three games. Weegar also finished with three helpers, highlighted by his career milestone.

Captain Leading the Way:

Backlund’s two-goal night proved pivotal. With four goals over his last two games, the Flames captain continues to deliver timely offence and set the tone for his team.

The Final Word: 

Backlund on his hot hand:

“Some good plays, just trying to go to the net and put the puck in. Obviously it feels good to score some goals and help the team win.”

Lomberg on the goal and fight: 

“(Lauzon) hit Matty (Coronato) pretty good a couple of shifts before… it just kind of worked out that I scored before I got the chance to ask him (to fight).”

Weegar on 200 assists milestone: 

“I think I got more compliments on the plus-2 than I got on the 200th assist tonight… (Backlund) gets the goal that I got the 200 on and I look up to Backs a lot so it’s a great moment for sure.”

With every passing game, folks are waiting to see the Pittsburgh Penguins snap out of whatever malaise they find themselves in. 

With yet another loss - this one against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday in the first of a home-and-home back-to-back - they clearly have not found a way out of it. And it doesn't seem like any solution is in sight, either. 

Going into the month of December, the Penguins were 12-7-5, and they won their first two games of the month against the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Since then, they have dropped seven straight games, with four of those in regulation and four in overtime. 

They still have games in hand on almost every team above them in the standings, but so does everyone else around them in the standings. And, with the way they are playing, those one to three games in hand mean less and less with each loss. They end Saturday just three points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for last place in the Eastern Conference, and they are now four points out of the final wild card spot - a place they found themselves in just a week ago.

At this juncture, it seems pointless to keep asking what the Penguins can do to fix their situation. This hasn't been a gradual downward spiral. No, this has been an utter freefall, and it's almost unreal when considering that 33 of the 34 teams - like the Penguins - who have finished the month of October 8-2-2 have made the playoffs.

There were early warning signs that the start may have been a bit of a mirage. Team goaltending and shooting percentage (PDO) were high to begin with, and they have since fallen off. But even as those numbers began to balance out, the Penguins were still middle-of-the-pack from a five-on-five analytical standpoint, and their special teams were the best in the league.

Dan Muse: "You go through a stretch like we've been going through, sometimes you start to grip the stick too tight... It's not easy on anybody. But we got to turn the page."

More from tonight ⬇️ https://t.co/VnAUT1i9zO

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) December 21, 2025

All in all - even if they were never going to be the team they were in October - there is still a lot to indicate that this team should not be losing or performing the way that it is right now. They're better than this. And they know they're better than this. 

But, results are results. And the Penguins aren't getting them right now. They're at a juncture in their season where their performance in the immediacy is going to dictate what direction the team is going to take for the rest of this season and beyond. 

So, what now? Where do the Penguins go from here?

Well, there are some things in the "now" that need addressed. The NHL holiday roster freeze took effect Friday and runs through Dec. 28, so the Penguins can only have roster movement in the form of IR transactions and emergency recalls during that time. They play three more games in that time. 

And there are also more long-term things, too, that intersect with the short-term focus. 

Pittsburgh Penguins To Have New Majority OwnershipThe Hoffmann Family of Companies, which is acquiring a controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins, said its goal is to support Kyle Dubas with everything he needs to bring the team back to the top.

Special teams are becoming less special

A week ago, the Penguins had a top-five penalty kill unit. After the 4-0 shutout loss to Montreal?

They're ranked 18th. 

The unit has surrendered eight goals in the last six games, and that almost directly correlates with the loss of Blake Lizotte to injured reserve seven games ago. Lizotte is, without a doubt, the Penguins' best penalty-killer, and he has arguably been their best bottom-six forward this season. They are sorely missing him on the PK, in defensive zone situations, and in six-on-five situations, which have also been a disaster lately. But he is not expected back until after the holiday, so the Penguins need to get back to the aggressive approach they were taking with him in the lineup.

As for the power play? Even that has slid in recent games - again, almost directly correlated with the loss of Evgeni Malkin eight games ago. The unit has dipped below 30 percent for the first time this season, and it is now ranked third in the league after spending almost the entirety of the season at the top of the league. It is just six for its last 31 (19.4 percent), and it has surrendered two shorthanded goals in that time. 

The Penguins need to get back to basics on both units, and they need to get there fast. They are clearly more than capable, but injuries have killed them on both units.

3 Injured Penguins' Forwards Skate Before Team Practice WednesdayThe struggling Pittsburgh Penguins could be getting some help soon on the injury front

No trades right now... but what if this continues past roster freeze?

Obviously, the Penguins already made a big trade when they sent forward Sam Poulin and Tristan Jarry - their best-performing goaltender of the season - to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12 in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. Clearly, the Penguins have struggled mightily since then. 

But there are still other prominent names on the board. And with each loss, their time in Pittsburgh becomes less secure. 

Erik Karlsson has been one of the few players still performing relatively well through this stretch, and he is outpacing both of his previous seasons with the Penguins point-wise. He is also - generally speaking - playing better defensive hockey this season. With just one year remaining on his contract that the Penguins owe $10 million on - and with all three of their retention slots open - he is a clear candidate to be moved well in advance of the deadline if things continue to go south. 

NHL Rumors: 3 Penguins Featured On New Trade BoardThese three Penguins have made a new trade board.

And then, there is Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Rust's production - 12 goals and 28 points in 32 games - may still be enough to entice a team to give up a pretty good package for him. But his defensive play has been abysmal this season, and that won't go entirely unnoticed by potential suitors. 

As for Rakell? His month and a half on injured reserve didn't do him or his trade value any favors, as he has three goals and 10 points in 14 games but no goals in his five games since returning to the lineup. There is still time for Rakell to gain traction, but it's unclear where he'll be deployed in the lineup going forward, even with Malkin back in the picture. 

A month ago, folks were talking about all three players still being in Pittsburgh by season's end. Now, the conversation has shifted back to the one being had prior to the start of the season: Will any of them remain by season's end?

If the Penguins can't turn things around in quick fashion, there's a good chance at least two of the three won't. And GM/POHO Kyle Dubas has stressed that, while expectations for this season have been elevated because of what the team showed early on, the long-term plan cannot be compromised.

'It Just Made Sense For Us To Do It At This Time': Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Gives Insight On Jarry TradeIt's safe to say that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-deal-tristan-jarry-to-edmonton-oilers">the trade sending Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday</a> - which returned goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick - surprised a whole lot of people, fans and players alike.

Is going young or sticking with underperforming vets more conducive to losing?

Truthfully, there really isn't an easy answer for this question. And if the Penguins continue to fall, it will be interesting to see how they handle this dilemma. 

There is a widely held assumption that trimming underperforming veterans off the roster - names such as Kevin Hayes, Danton Heinen, Connor Clifton, and Ryan Graves - in favor of younger players like Tristan Broz, Avery Hayes, Harrison Brunicke, and Owen Pickering would suddenly give the Penguins a jolt and, potentially, return better results. 

While this is a nice idea in theory, that's not necessarily going to play out in practice. 

For one, getting whatever value the team can out of said veterans is always the preferred route to waivers or losing them for nothing by season's end. And, if the team isn't winning, it doesn't necessarily hurt a tanking strategy to simply keep throwing them back out there. 

World Juniors: Canada Makes Cuts, Penguins' Brunicke Included In Final 25It appears that Canada's roster for the World Junior Championship (WJC) is coming into focus, and one <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' prospect will be part of the tournament.&nbsp;

However, giving the kids some runway could - realistically - end in the same result. The truth about youth movements is that they're often messy. There are going to be players - such as Ben Kindel - who outperform expectations and can help more immediately than others. 

But, more often than not, that youth needs adjustment time. Rutger McGroarty could use some top-six minutes to see how his game develops. Ville Koivunen could, perhaps, use the same thing. Broz has played in one NHL game and would need time to marinate in a bottom-six role. Avery Hayes - although registering six goals and 11 points in his last 11 AHL games - will need much of the same. 

And Brunicke and Pickering? Brunicke is probably a bit further along than Pickering at this point, despite being a teenager - and he was loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship by the Penguins. But there is still a lot of defensive work for him to do. And Pickering is reaching a point where he probably has to begin showing signs of progress at the NHL level, even if they are small steps. 

Then, there is the goaltending situation, as Arturs Silovs - still just 24 years old - has lost seven straight games while Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist continue to light up the AHL with save percentages of .941 and .935, respectively. However, as good as they've been, they're both unproven in their NHL minutes up to this point. 

The thing to remember with icing the "kids" is that there are going to be mistakes and growing pains. And not every prospect is going to pan out. The Penguins could, quite possibly, be a lesser team with all the kids replacing those vets in the lineup. 

But that's the thing: There comes a point when watching the kids make the mistakes and plummet the season is much more palatable than watching those veterans do similar kinds of things.

The Penguins will have some roster decisions to make on the horizon - namely the Jan. 3 40-game deadline for Kindel and Brunicke, where the Penguins lose a year of restricted free agency should they remain on the NHL roster - and it should say a lot about where they believe they're at in terms of their season and their longer-term outlook with the rebuild. If they believe some of these prospects can help more immediately, they should be on the roster.

But, if not, they may just ride it out with their veterans until at least the trade deadline - for better or for worse.

Rick Westhead Spotlights Canada's Troubled Hockey Culture: 'I Need People Who Are In This Game To Read This Book'Rick Westhead explores the dark side of hockey in Canada with his newest book, "We Breed Lions." He shares stories of wrongdoings at all levels of the sport, including youth hockey.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Andrew Mangiapane hasn't been scoring goals. That much is obvious. His last one came November 3 against Nashville, and when he finally ended the drought Saturday afternoon in Minnesota—tipping an Evan Bouchard shot past Filip Gustavsson at 13:35 of the first period—it had been 21 games and 47 days since he'd seen one cross the line.

But something else has been happening while the goals dried up. Mangiapane has been everywhere. Forechecking relentlessly. Showing up on pucks. Never really stopping. It's been a slow development and albeit, extremely subtle.

But when Edmonton signed Mangiapane as a free agent this past summer, they weren't chasing the guy who scored 35 goals and 55 points for Calgary in 2021-22. Everyone knew that season was a fluke—a career year fueled by perfect linemates and power play minutes that would never be replicated. The Flames knew it too, which is why they eventually traded him to Washington for a second-round pick.

Edmonton didn't sign him to score goals. They signed him to be annoying. To forecheck in waves. To always be there when opponents try to break out cleanly. To be the guy who never gives defenders a clean look, never lets them settle into their game, never stops coming at them shift after shift.

For the first month or two, it looked like another depth signing that might not work. Mangiapane was fine but not particularly noticeable. He wasn't hurting the team, but he wasn't helping much either. Five goals through 36 games isn't moving any needles. Twelve points doesn't inspire confidence in the acquisition.

Then, in Montreal's road game, Mangiapane started showing up more consistently. He started being that constant presence that makes defensemen uncomfortable. He started being there on every loose puck. Every time the whistle blew and players went at it—he was there. He did it again Saturday against Minnesota—not just scoring the goal, but being everywhere all game long.

Oilers’ Mistakes Against Minnesota Won’t Be Sustainable With Ingram In GoalConnor Ingram faces Vegas Sunday, and the Oilers' lack of attention to detail and defensive lapses against the Wild offer little confidence for his starting debut.

"I think I'm a tenacious, hard-working forward," Mangiapane said when Washington acquired him. "I feel when I'm playing my best is when I'm forechecking their 'D', making them turn pucks over and then I can use my ability kind of in tight and finish, make plays from there."

He's been doing that lately. Actually doing it, not just talking about it. 

He's bounced around the lineup, but let's be real, everyone has. Kris Knoblauch shuffles lines constantly, trying to find combinations that work. Mangiapane has played with just about every center on this club, with various fourth-line combinations. He's been scratched. He's been elevated. He's averaged 11:37 of ice time per game, significantly less than the 14-15 minutes he saw in Calgary and Washington.

None of that seems to bother him. Or if it does, he's kept it to himself and just kept working.

Oilers Provide Several Injury Updates: Pickard Starts vs. WildCalvin Pickard starts versus the Wild on Saturday as multiple Oilers face uncertain recovery timelines, with Roslovic close and Jarry's condition raising significant concern.

The 21-game scoreless drought was a problem, though. Going from November 3 to December 21 without scoring while watching teammates celebrate goals every night tests anyone. But Mangiapane didn't shrink. He changed his game, or found it again, or however you want to look at it, but it worked.

Saturday in Minnesota, the puck finally cooperated. Draisaitl moved it up to Bouchard at the point, and Mangiapane was already in the slot, ready to redirect whatever came his way. Bouchard's shot arrived low, Mangiapane got his stick on it, and the puck lifted over Gustavsson's pad to make it 2-1.

His fifth goal of the season. His first since November 3. It cut Minnesota's lead in half and gave Edmonton life before McDavid tied it 2-2 later in the period. The Oilers eventually lost 5-2, so the goal didn't matter much in the standings, but it validated what Mangiapane has been doing for weeks now.

NHL Rumors: Oilers Urged To Address This Trade Need Should the Oilers be looking to improve their blueline at the deadline?

Being there. Always being there. Never stopping. Never giving opponents a clean look or an easy shift or a moment to breathe.

The development has been slow. The adjustment period was real. But somewhere between a very slow start to the season, a road trip to Montreal and Saturday afternoon in Minnesota, Mangiapane found his place on this team. He's the third-line winger who forechecks in waves, shows up on every loose puck, and occasionally tips one in when the opportunity comes. He doesn't complain about ice time. He doesn't sulk when the goals don't come. He just keeps working.

The goal on Saturday ended the drought. But what's more encouraging is how he's been playing the past few weeks. A be everywhere, get in your face kind of depth winger who never stops working, rather than trying to recapture that 55-point season that was never sustainable anyway.

Ex-Oilers Forward Milan Lucic Signs With Overseas ClubFormer Edmonton Oilers forward Milan Lucic is continuing his career overseas.

It took time. It wasn't smooth. But Mangiapane has figured out what Edmonton signed him to do, and he's been doing it. The scoreless streak made it harder to notice, but the work was there. 

He's finding his place. And for a team that needs depth players who can contribute by being everywhere, and annoying, with relentless energy, that's exactly what they need from Andrew Mangiapane.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.