The Pittsburgh Penguins may have had a dream 2025-26 season, but that doesn't mean they didn't face problems.
The Penguins struggled to defend in their own zone, especially in front of the net. There were too many goals allowed in those high-danger areas.
Penguins general manager/president Kyle Dubas wasn't happy with that and made changes to the defense this offseason, trading for Kaedan Korczak and signing Declan Carlile and Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Korczak looks poised to play on the right side, while Carlile and van Riemsdyk are set to play on the left.
Korczak confirmed Thursday that he was having coffee with his in-laws when he learned about the trade. He's super excited to join a Penguins team in a different situation than the Vegas Golden Knights.
"Just talking with Kyle and the coaches, it's exciting to be a part of that group that's gonna hopefully bring that next step to the organization," Korczak said. "You obviously have those guys who can lead you. You've got some Hall of Famers here who can show us the way, so I'm really excited for the opportunity to be a part of this group."
Korczak has skated with Sam Girard at training camp, and they have a good chance of opening the regular season as the Penguins' third defensive pair. They would be a well-balanced pair: Korczak is more of a defensive defenseman, while Girard likes to do his thing in the offensive zone.
Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Declan Carlile (67) controls the puck New York Rangers in the first period controls the puck against the New York Rangers in the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Switching gears to Carlile, he's also stoked about joining a Penguins team that's building towards something.
"I think it's really exciting," Carlile said. "Obviously, we're trying to build and keep pushing. They had a good year last year, and obviously we want to push the envelope even more and get farther into the playoffs. I'm excited to come in here and do my part, and try to help the team win."
Carlile has worked with Erik Karlsson at training camp, and the two have started to develop some chemistry. After Parker Wotherspoon played so well with Karlsson last year, the Penguins believe Carlile can step in for him after trading Wotherspoon to the Golden Knights for Korczak.
Like Karlsson, Kris Letang also looks poised to have a new defensive partner for the 2026-27 season. He didn't mesh well with Girard at the end of last season and has been paired with van Riemsdyk at camp.
TVR is great defensively and could help Letang the way Brett Kulak did before he was flipped to the Colorado Avalanche for Girard. TVR signed a two-year contract with the Penguins in free agency and likes that the team puts success above everything else.
"Obviously, I was part of a Stanley Cup team my rookie year (2014-15 Chicago Blackhawks). 13 years later now, and I haven't gotten back, so you realize how hard it is, and when you get older, you realize the chances are going to be limited, so you want to go places where success is on the forefront, and here is obviously always like that," van Riemsdyk said. "Sid is always pushing guys, Geno, Karlsson, Tanger. They've been here. They've been part of great teams, and as long as they are around, I think they're always going to be pretty damn successful."
If Korczak, TVR, and Carlile all play at a high level, it will go a long way toward the Penguins' goal of returning to the playoffs this season.
Just as they did last season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are easing into their roster cuts.
And, on Sunday, they made their first one.
Pittsburgh re-assigned goaltender Matvei Nikonovich to his OHL club, the Barrie Colts, making him the first cut of 2026 training camp. Nikonovich, 18, was selected in the fifth round (160th overall) by the Penguins in this year's draft after they traded into the draft to select him.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Belarusian netminder put together a nice season in the MHL - Russia's junior league - in 2025-26, posting a 1.96 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage in 38 appearances. He was selected by the Colts in the 2026 CHL Import Draft on Jun. 30, and this came after his MHL team, Ladia Togliatti, disbanded.
After sending back Nikonovich, the Penguins are down to 68 players in camp. They are set to play four pre-season games in five days this week, starting with the Buffalo Sabres at home on Monday. They will play the second part of a back-to-back on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings in Pittsburgh before a day off Wednesday.
Nothing has been confirmed by the team, but a larger wave of roster cuts should be expected Wednesday, before the Penguins hit the road for their final two pre-season games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Sabres.
The Colorado Avalanche gave Alan Roach plenty of reasons to yell into his microphone Sunday night.
Roach, the longtime public-address announcer at Ball Arena, was back behind the mic for the first time this season, and the Avalanche made sure he had plenty of work to do. Colorado scored four times over the final two periods to pull away from the Utah Mammoth for a 4-1 preseason victory at Ball Arena.
Beckett Hamilton and Taylor Makar scored in their preseason NHL debuts, while Gavin Brindley and Brock Nelson also found the back of the net. Martin Necas, Nazem Kadri, Artturi Lehkonen, Devon Toews, Brindley and T.J. Hughes each recorded an assist.
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped all seven shots he faced before giving way to Ilya Nabokov, who made 16 saves on 17 shots. in his preseason NHL debut.
Colorado dictated the pace of much of the opening period but couldn't find the net. That all changed in the second period.
What Happened
The Avalanche broke through at 8:54 of the second period.
Hamilton finished from the right side of the crease after Necas knocked down a pass from Mammoth defenseman Maveric Lamoureux and quickly turned the broken play into a scoring chance.
Utah answered late in the period when Yegor Borikov scored from the doorstep at 15:27, sending the game into the second intermission tied 1-1.
The stalemate did not last very long.
Brindley put Colorado back in front just 1:52 into the third period, finishing off a two-on-one rush with Kadri.
Then came an unusual decision in a preseason game: Utah challenged the goal for offsides. The challenge failed, and the resulting delay of game put the Avalanche on the power play. Colorado wasted no time making the Mammoth pay.
Lehkonen found Nelson in the high slot, and Nelson buried a one-timer at 2:27 to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead.
Makar then put the game away late in the third.
Brindley chipped the puck out of the neutral zone, sending Makar in on a partial breakaway. Makar finished the opportunity at 17:27, giving the Avalanche their fourth and final goal of the night.
Not a bad way for the Avalanche to get the season started.
Next Up
Colorado will head north for its second preseason game Monday night, facing the Winnipeg Jets at 6 p.m. MT. The game can be heard on Altitude Sports Radio 950 AM.
The Buffalo Sabres are looking to improve on their solid 2025-26 season, in which they finished as the best Atlantic Division team in the regular-season. Buffalo beat the Boston Bruins in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series before they fell to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2. And now, Sabres fans are expecting at least as good a performance.
To that end, here at TheHockeyNews.com, we’re breaking down the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in an second-year online series called “Know Your Enemy”. In each file in the series, we’re analyzing how Buffalo played against each East team, as well as how they’re likely to fare against each team in the East this year. And in this particular file, we’re focusing on the Ottawa Senators.
The Senators suffered a massive blow this summer with the defection of former captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. Here’s this writer’s view on how the Sabres will perform in their four regular-season showdowns this season:
BUFFALO SABRES VS. OTTAWA SENATORS
NEW SENATORS PLAYERS: William Eklund (LW), Samuel Ersson (G), Andre Burakovsky (LW), Philip Tomasino (RW), Sammy Blais (LW)
2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Senators 1-1-1
2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: November 4 at Buffalo; December 14 at Ottawa; February 26 at Buffalo; March 7 at Ottawa
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? With the expanded 84-game schedule this season, the Sabres now will have four games against the Senators, and those four games are spread out across the regular-season fairly evenly. Three of those games will take place well in advance of this year’s trade deadline, which falls on March 1, 2027. So Buffalo scouts will have a fairly good idea of Ottawa’s lineup, and vice-versa.
That said, with the Senators almost certain to take at least a small step backward without Tkachuk on board, there’s really no excuse for the Sabres not to capitalize on Ottawa’s weaker lineup and pounce on the Sens, right out of the gate.
Buffalo’s first game against the Sens will be in the Sabres’15th game of the season, which gives Sabres coach Lindy Ruff plenty of time to sort out his forward lines and defense pairings. And unless there are major injuries to either or both teams, Buffalo should take it to Ottawa – not with ease, but certainly, with authority.
Like any divisional rivals, there’s no shortage of bad blood between the Senators and Sabres – and there’s also recent trade history between them, including the Josh-Norris-for-Dylan-Cozens blockbuster. The Senators have won the trade to this point in time, as Norris hasn’t stayed healthy enough to prove his value to Buffalo. But certainly, that trade adds another layer to the animus between the two teams.
Regardless, with an extra game against each other this season, the Sens/Sabres rivalry will be supercharged – and these two teams could be squaring off against each other in the first-or-second-round of the 2027 playoffs. That’s why their regular-season games are so important. They want to establish dominance over each other, and whoever does will be on the right track to later-season success.
The Buffalo Sabres will practice at Key Bank Center early Monday morning, before heading to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins at the PPG Paints Arena on Monday night. It is expected that the roster for the exhibition debut will closely resemble one of the groups that took part in the Blue and Gold scrimmage on Saturday, but with a preseason schedule of four games, the Sabres and many other NHL clubs appear to be focusing more on generating familiarity with players that they’ve already decided will make their 23-man roster and less on players battling to make the club.
The Sabres will be at a slight disadvantage because of their three-headed monster between the pipes, as carrying Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis will allow them to retain one fewer blueliner or forward. Where the club will carry less than the normal amount will be on defense, as it is probable that head coach Lindy Ruff will opt to go with seven defensemen, with Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power, Olin Zellweger, Louis Crevier, Conor Timmins, and Zach Metsa.
Noah Ostlund signs an eight-year contract extension with the Sabres.
The group of youngsters, headed by 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka, as waiver-exempt and will begin the season in Rochester, while veterans like former first rounder Ryan Johnson and Buffalo native Dennis Gilbert will have to clear waivers to be sent down to the AHL Amerks.
Up front, the sports hernia injury to veteran Jason Zucker will likely have the winger starting the season on injured reserve. The only possible roster quandary may involve forward Jiri Kulich, who has not played an NHL game in 10 months. The 22-year-old still is waiver exempt and could be sent down to Rochester to ramp up after such a long layoff, although his placement on the fourth line might indicate that Ruff will ramp him up by playing decreased minutes with Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn.
If the Sabres decide to send him down, that could mean that Ruff will decide to keep non-exempt Tyson Kozak, or veteran Conor Sheary as the 13th forward, while Kulich gets more top line opportunity to start the campaign.
NEWARK, NJ - SEPTEMBER 20: Ryan Schmelzer #49 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates with Ben Steeves #37 and Cam Squires #75 after scoring a goal during a game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on September 20, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey.(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This afternoon, the New Jersey Devils kicked off their preseason with a home matchup against the New York Islanders.
Things started off a bit slowly for the Devils, despite the eventual favorable outcome. In the first period, they were outshot 12-6, only playing a bit over 10 minutes at five-on-five because of a myriad of penalties. In that period, there were two near-goals: one for each side. The first came off the stick of Cody Glass, who took a feed while cutting across the net and chipped it past Vitek Vanecek after Ethan Edwards was run through the post, which knocked the net off the moorings. While the officials conversed, the Devils were not awarded a goal nor a penalty, shortly after taking their third penalty of the period. In those six penalty killing minutes, the Devils allowed three shots and looked pretty decent, only giving up a couple of high-danger chances. Later in the period, David Rittich was scrambling around the crease and had a loose puck just about covered up when he was rammed and jammed with the puck into the net. As the Islanders began to celebrate (barreling over a linesman in the process), Rittich went chasing after the offenders, causing a bit of a scrum that led to a four-on-four sequence.
Late in that first period, though, Ethan Edwards took a hooking penalty on Calum Ritchie, which gave the Islanders a four-on-three at the start of the second period. With that power play, Cole Eiserman scored the first goal of the game. Rittich just got a bit stuck at the far post.
It would not take long for the Devils to tie the game. Ryan Schmelzer, captain of the Utica Comets, scored on a quick counterattack off a feed from Ben Steeves after a Devils power play had expired.
David Rittich largely did well to keep the game tied throughout the second except for an adventurous departure from the crease that probably would have been punished by a full-NHL squad. I think that the Devils could do without decisions like that one given the goaltender they had just moved on from during the summer. The Devils dominated the expected goals battle in the second period after having a rough time in the first period, so giving momentum away in spots like that during the regular season is to be avoided.
In the third period, the game was a bit more back-and-forth with Connor Brown scoring the game-winner. In what has been a bit of a usual move for him, Brown poked the puck loose at the blueline off of Marshall Warren’s stick, racing the other way for a breakaway. He beat Vitek Vanecek cleanly, putting the Devils up 2-1.
The Devils largely controlled play after that game-winner, including a two-minute power play where they had chances but did not convert. At the end of the game, the Islanders had Vanecek pulled for the extra attacker, but they were not able to do much with the opportunity, only putting up one shot on Rittich with the six-on-five. So, the Devils took this one at a 2-1 score.
With this being a largely AHL-heavy lineup, the Devils seem to be saving more veterans for tomorrow night’s matchup against the New York Rangers. Today, Amadeus Lombardi led the way in expected goals percentage, trailed closely by Xavier Parent (with Parent leading by far in raw expected goals for at five-on-five). While I have not been noting Parent as a roster contender so far, today is a reminder not to count him out entirely. Parent is someone who plays with energy and has a drive to score, as he led the Devils in individual expected goals per all-situation 60 minutes today (2.044/60) despite not playing much on the power play.
And, to his credit, while I think he was a bit too hectic in net, David Rittich saved 1.82 goals above expected on 24 total shots against, per Natural Stat Trick. That is, statistically, a good first start for him.
Tomorrow, we should be seeing some of the top six. I am looking forward to it.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of the preseason opener? Did you watch? Did you attend? What was your experience if you were at the game? What did you think of Lombardi’s first preseason game? Silaev? What about the returning veterans in Brown, Glass, and Dillon? What did you think of Rittich? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
The saga between Vezina and Hart Trophy Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets has reached critical mass, as the Olympic gold medal-winner failed to report to training camp, and was subsequently suspended by the Jets. The 33-year-old goalie reportedly requested a trade after the regular season, but GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been unable to get an offer that he deemed equal value.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated last week that the Florida Panthers pursued Hellebuyck, but traded assets that were offered in the proposed trade to Ottawa for winger Brady Tkachuk and to New Jersey for goalie Jacob Markstrom. They also reported that three clubs; the Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth, and Carolina Hurricanes are still in the mix for the veteran netminder, who has five years left on his contract at $8.5 million per season.
The Sabres reportedly came closest to pulling off a trade for Hellebuyck, but as to how close they came, is open to interpretation. Friedman said on this week’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Jets wanted the fourth overall pick that Buffalo obtained in the Bowen Byram deal, and did not want to give up the eighth overall pick, which they used to select Swedish forward Viggo Bjorck.
The biggest potential impediment to a deal now is that Friedman believes that Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has put the Jets on his five-team no-trade clause, and with Winnipeg wanting a goalie in return in the deal for Hellebuyck, that would seem to put Buffalo as a longshot as his final destination.
The Chicago Blackhawks played their first preseason game on Saturday night, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. It was a mostly AHL lineup with a few NHL bubble players, so evaluation was the main purpose.
Now, they announced on Sunday that they have sent three players back to their respective major junior teams for the 2026-27 season.
Forwards Ryan Roobroeck (Guelph Storm - OHL) and Parker Holmes (Sarnia Sting - OHL), along with defenseman Ty Henry (Erie Otters - OHL), are all headed back up north for their upcoming campaigns.
All three players participated in the 2026 Prospect Showcase, and each worked on different things throughout the camp, practices, and games. None of them were involved in the preseason game, and they are now headed back to their teams.
Roobroeck was selected in the 2026 NHL Draft, so it will be his first post-draft season as he works toward becoming a professional.
Holmes scored a nice goal on the rush against the St. Louis Blues prospects last week and continues to build on his promising junior resume.
As for Henry, he was supposed to go to the NCAA this year, but he decided to head back to the Erie Otters of the OHL this year. After missing the entire 2025-26 season due to a scary leg injury that he sustained at Blackhawks rookie camp, he is working his way back from that tough situation. Skating in the OHL will be great for him.
Blackhawks' training camp roster now sits at 47 players. That includes 27 forwards, 15 defensemen, and 5 goalies.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
This will be the first of four preseason games for the Penguins before they open the regular season against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sept. 30.
Monday's game will feature a mix of veterans and younger players who are trying to crack the roster. Here's the lineup:
Forwards
Andrei Kuzmenko
Filip Hallander
David Gustafsson
Justin Brazeau
Bryan Rust
Connor Dewar
Hendrix Lapierre
Elmer Soderblom
Tristan Broz
Tanner Howe
Carter Sanderson
Ben Kindel
Avery Hayes
Defensemen
Ryan Graves
Tomas Galvas
Owen Pickering
Chase Pietila
Harrison Brunicke
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Kris Letang
Goaltenders
Sergei Murashov
Joel Blomqvist
We could get our first glimpse of Ben Kindel centering Bryan Rust and Andrei Kuzmenko in game action since they've been on a line together to start training camp. They've had solid chemistry thus far.
The same can be said for Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kris Letang since they've been paired together throughout camp and look comfortable.
We'll see if both goaltender play or if one of them will get the entire game.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 05: Alex Tuch #89 of the Buffalo Sabres carries the puck against Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 5, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins listed the players who will take part in the first preseason game on Monday night against Buffalo.
The roster for tomorrow's preseason game vs. Buffalo has been announced ⬇️
Below is the Penguins’ lineup for Monday night’s preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET, and fans can watch the game on SportsNet Pittsburgh, or tune into the game on the Penguins’ official flagship radio station, 105.9 ‘The X’.
FORWARDS
10 – Andrei Kuzmenko 11 – Filip Hallander 13 – David Gustafsson 16 – Justin Brazeau 17 – Bryan Rust 19 – Connor Dewar 22 – Hendrix Lapierre 25 – Elmer Soderblom 26 – Tristan Broz 40 – Tanner Howe 62 – Carter Sanderson 81 – Ben Kindel 85 – Avery Hayes
DEFENSE
27 – Ryan Graves 32 – Tomas Galvas 38 – Owen Pickering 44 – Chase Pietila 45 – Harrison Brunicke 57 – Trevor van Riemsdyk 58 – Kris Letang
GOALIES
1 – Sergei Murashov 30 – Joel Blomqvist
One forward and one defenseman listed will be scratched. Based on early practice pairs, that might be Tomas Galvas since all the other players have their partner from the early practices listed. The team might want to see Galvas in a game situation and shake up those pairings for this game.
For the forwards, the camp line of Kuzmenko, Kindel and Rust have been working together and might be a future middle line for the team in the regular season. Besides them, a host of fringe players fighting for a spot in the lineup – if not the roster all together – will be in the mix. Between Hallander, Brazeau, Dewar, Lapierre, Soderblom, Broz and Hayes there should be a lot of motivated forwards looking to stand out and show why they belong in the picture when it comes to the crowded situation at the bottom of the lineup.
Competition continues in net with the two goalies battling for one NHL roster spot both dressing for tomorrow’s game. Typically goalies early in the preseason are planned to split the time in net, though it hasn’t been announced yet who will start and if the other will get the opportunity to get into the game.
Most NHL players have to do their time in the minors before the big league comes calling, and Isaac Howard is one of them. He came to the Edmonton Oilers training camp this year after spending last season working on the parts of his game that needed more time in Bakersfield.
“I think from a year's time ago, I feel like a completely different player out there,” Howard said. “Just with my mindset on details. And I think a year is a lot of time, and I definitely feel a lot different.”
Howard has had a good camp too. Mike Babcock said he didn't love his game on Saturday night, though he also pointed out that it was just a preseason game. There are still practices and preseason games left before Edmonton has to make its roster decisions.
Howard spent last season in Bakersfield and used the year to mature his game. He had already shown his shot and speed, so much of his development involved the details required of an NHL forward
“[He’s] definitely a more mature player. He's a great kid," said Hyamn. "He wants to be an NHL player, a full-time NHL player. Doesn't just want it. He thrives for it. He's working as hard as anybody can work out there. I think he's really attentive to the details and what he has to do.
“I think everybody knows that he has an unbelievable shot,” continued Hyman. “Nobody worries if he can score or make plays. You can do all those things; it’s just going and being physical and getting in on the puck first and doing all the little things.”
Howard has been focused on those areas throughout camp and has remarked on how he has made things simpler for himself.
“I just feel a lot better rounded, [more] mature out there,” said Howard.. “[Some] confident with the puck, wanting the puck more, making the plays I know I can make, and I think also just harping on little details and making my game simpler in a way as well is just forechecking hard, creating loose pucks, using my speed, and it just makes the game easier.
“I worked a lot this summer on sprinting, conditioning, being able to hold a sprint longer, and I think it's helped me so far in camp,” said Howard. “I feel lighter. I'm even a little bit heavier, but I feel lighter on my skates.”
It's those kinds of changes that Hyman was talking about, such as getting to pucks, staying involved on the forecheck and handling the pace of an NHL game.
“Of course, it's a big opportunity, and I want to be an NHL player, and it's laid out in front of me to go work hard, harp on small details, and show up every day and just be hungry,” said Howard.
Babcock's assessment on Saturday is part of the process Howard is going through during camp. And it seems both parties had a reasonable understanding of what went wrong and how they were going to fix it. It is obviously not the reason Howard would get sent down, if he gets sent down at all.
“It's been fun playing with him,” said Hyman. “If he can establish himself as the player that we all think he can be and that he wants to be, then he's going to be a huge part of this team.”
Howard had a good understanding of the areas he needed to improve on from last season. His camp has shown some of that progress, and the rest of the preseason gives him time to earn the full-time NHL job he came to Edmonton looking for.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source.Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
We are officially three days into 2026 NHL training camp for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it has been quite the battle so far. Unlike in years past, these three camp days are the only full camp practices, making the three days - and the upcoming four pre-season games in five days - that much more meaningful.
Before the Penguins kick off their pre-season schedule with a home tilt Monday against the Buffalo Sabres, however, there are likely to be a few areas of the roster trimmed. On day one of camp, assistant general manager Jason Spezza did say that not everyone would get a look in the games due to the condensed schedule.
"There's only four pre-season games," Spezza said. "There's not going to be opportunity for everybody in the pre-season like we normally would have, so it's a matter of rewarding the guys that have shown that they are getting closer by giving them games and seeing where they are."
Yes, Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Egor Chinakhov, specifically, have looked the part in training camp, but we know they will make the team. Guys like Nick Robertson and Andrei Kuzmenko have showed well, too, but it's highly unlikely they won't be on the NHL roster.
So, which fringe players have stood out enough to earn an opportunity in pre-season games? Here are five of them, plus a few others to keep an eye on.
Hallander, 26, is a name many folks had been omitting when talking about players who could break camp. After all, he did play in only 13 games last season before a blood clot kept him out for the rest of it and into the summer.
But, after a long and challenging return-to-play process, Hallander is healthy and ready to make a run at the roster again.
And, as one of the best players through three days of camp, no one is omitting him anymore.
He said that he had been skating throughout his recovery, and that is noticeable. He looks like he's gained a step. And that's not the only thing, either: He is performing like a player with a season-long lost opportunity due to circumstances entirely out of his control, and his drive to make this roster is tangible.
Hallander is making the small plays. He's showing 200-foot acumen. He's showed off his playmaking ability. Basically, he's picking up right where he left off last season, and then some.
At this point, it will be surprising if he's not on this roster at the end of camp. Unless he tanks in the pre-season games, I think he's earned a spot already.
Okay, maybe I'm cheating a bit here. But hear me out.
Last training camp, the pairing of Pickering and Brunicke was tried in camp until Brunicke separated himself far enough away from Pickering that he was working with the NHL guys. They also got a brief NHL regular season sample that looked, well, pretty disastrous.
Now? They both look NHL-ready, and they look ready as a tandem.
Through these three days of camp - and, particularly, on the third day - Pickering and Brunicke have been paired almost exclusively with the top line of Robertson, Crosby and Rickard Rakell in drills. On day three, they were the only pairing to get reps with that line in any of the line drills, and that was with Sam Girard and Kaedan Korczak in the same group.
They have a great feel for each other out there. Pickering looks poised, has vastly improved his gap control and defensive posture and makes the right decisions in relation to Brunicke. His partner is doing what he does best in joining the rush, creating offense and making better reads at NHL speed. He's made some ridiculous passes, too, and they all look crisp.
At the very least, Pickering and Brunicke have earned a good look in the pre-season. Even if they are still likely to start the season as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's (WBS) top pairing because of the sheer numbers game, I think there's a good chance they stick around until the very end of camp.
It's not exactly a secret that Sergei Murashov probably has the inside track to the second NHL goaltending spot to tandem with Arturs Silovs.
But do not overlook Blomqvist, who has been the most consistent goaltender to open camp.
It has been a tumultuous couple of years for the 24-year-old Finnish netminder, who sustained an injury during a 2025 camp in which he did not look particularly confident. Now, however, it appears he has gotten that confidence back, and he came ready to earn that second NHL spot.
On day one, he outshone Murashov, making save after save and making it look relatively easy. Murashov did come around on day two, and, especially, on day three, making some ten-bell saves. But Blomqvist's performance has not wavered at all during these three days.
On the goaltending front, it's best not to assume anything, even if the outcome seems like a foregone conclusion. Blomqvist is a very capable goaltender who knows his NHL chances with the Penguins are on the line, and he's playing like it. The battle between the two of them will be, perhaps, the most interesting one to watch when games begin Monday.
I can imagine there are few worse feelings in the world as a professional athlete than mixing up a schedule and being late for the first day of tryouts, especially when you know your job is on the line.
And, make no mistake, Soderblom's job is on the line. He is waivers-eligible, and there is so much competition on the forward front that it's difficult to say with certainty that he'll be on the final NHL roster. What makes matters worse for that first day - when he was supposed to report for Team 1 but mixed up the schedule, was late and skated with Team 3, the prospect group - is that camp is shorter, and every day is more impactful.
But, boy, has he showed out since. In addition to scoring a few nice goals in camp on day three, he looks comfortable. He's been showing off his soft hands, his hockey sense, his ability down low and, of course, his advantageous 6-foot-8, 254-pound frame in one-on-one battles.
There is no one else quite like Soderblom on the Penguins' roster, and honestly, he's kind of a bigger, more rounded-out version of Justin Brazeau, who is one of the players in the same positional battle.
He will get a good look in pre-season games, but despite his day one mishap, he looks better than most vying for the precious few NHL roster spots up to this point.
I'm going to put out a name that I feel hasn't been talked about a whole lot in Livanavage.
The Penguins signed him to a two-year, entry-level contract out of the University of North Dakota at the end of the 2025-26 regular season, and he played in one game, activating his ELC. He didn't really have a real opportunity to show much in that one game, but he is really showing out so far in camp.
He's largely been paired with Ilya Solovyov, which is a good indicator of who the Penguins feel is close to NHL action, as Spezza suggested. Solovyov was the seventh/eighth defenseman for the stretch run of the season last year, so it's not a nothing burger that these two are paired together.
And Livanavage, who added 15 pounds to his 6-foot frame this offseason, has looked entirely comfortable in all the drills. He hasn't missed a beat when jumping into plays or helping drive offense from the blue line, but he has been calculated in his defensive efforts, too. He's even sniped a few pucks with authority past Murashov and Blomqvist.
His tandem with the bigger, more stay-at-home Solovyov has been seamless. I expect that pairing to stick in pre-season games, but to me, this almost reads like a legitimate one-v.-one battle for what is likely the seventh and final defensive spot on Pittsburgh's roster.
- I didn't name him in this piece, but Rutger McGroarty is putting together a nice camp, too.
Perhaps, other than Hallander, there is not a soul at camp who wants this more than McGroarty. His effort and drive is tangible, as are some of his improvements in skating and other aspects of the game.
It's an uphill climb for him to make this roster, but I do think he's right in the mix as far as the battle for the final spots. This is a guy who wants to be an NHLer, and he wants to be an NHLer right now. That is very evident through three days of camp.
- Ville Koivunen has put together a solid camp, too, although I liked his first two days better than his last. He's one of the guys who needs to be seen in game action before any further determination can be made on his readiness.
Just through the drills, it looks like his decision-making and processing is happening a bit quicker, which is the main hurdle that has prevented him from securing a full-time spot. He's also, noticeably, a whole lot bigger than he was last year, and he is noticeably harder to knock off the puck.
He needs to stand out just a bit more to have a legitimate shot over some others like Hallander and Soderblom, though.
- Robertson is worth mentioning again because, man, has he looked good.
The speed is noticeable. The shot is popping. He already looks to be developing some chemistry with Crosby, and he looks like a natural fit on that line along with Rakell.
I think this line will stick. It's hard to tell with the different groupings, obviously, and Rust has been Crosby's longtime winger. But Spezza said groupings and lines are a bit more intentional this time around, and I don't think Robertson and Rakell being glued to Crosby for three straight camp days - and the only camp days - is a coincidence.
- Piggybacking off of that, the idea of a Kuzmenko-Ben Kindel-Rust third line is certainly an intriguing prospect.
Rust's five-on-five defense has sharply declined, and Kuzmenko has never been particularly apt defensively. But, in a third-line role, Rust may not feel as much pressure to sacrifice defense for offense, so that could be mitigated a bit.
At the end of the day, though, if this is a line that sticks, it's a line that can score. Rust is good for 25-30 goals in a full, healthy season. Kuzmenko has 30-goal upside and scored 39 during his rookie season. Guess who benefits greatly from that?
The 19-year-old Kindel, who still has a ton of untapped offensive potential. If this is the third line to start the year, I'd expect Kindel's production to spike quite a bit.
- Dan Muse was voiceless after days two and three, to no one's surprise. He is a high-energy coach who operates a high-energy camp and expects maximum effort from every single player there. He demands a lot.
But, off the ice, he is as mild-mannered as they come. When Team 3 was transitioning rinks Saturday, Muse took the time to chat with some young fans and sign a few jerseys. This is the kind of human he is. Very genuine, very conversational.
This is only year two for Muse, but I expect big things from him. The Penguins have a good coach on their hands.
- Don't be surprised to see Liam Ruck get one pre-season game. He was moved to Crosby's group on day three, and that's because he earned it.
I don't expect him to make the roster for a number of reasons, including his lack of an ELC. But he looked pretty natural in the NHL group, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a look in game action so the Penguins can see what they have and where he is.
- Pre-season rosters for Monday's tilt will be an interesting thing to look out for. Given the shortened camp - and the two-game maximum for NHL players with 100 or more games - it stands to reason that the first two will be prospect-heavy, especially with a day off Wednesday and roster cuts likely.
However, the first two games are also the home games. Traditionally speaking, veterans aren't typically asked to travel for pre-season action. So, we may see some veterans sprinkled into the home lineups.
But because the final two games are road games in Columbus and Buffalo and the roster will be smaller for those games, they might be travelling this year.
In other words, I actually have no idea what to expect as far as how rosters for four games in five days will be handled with all of the new circumstances. It will certainly be interesting to see who gets paired with who, nonetheless.
The Carolina Hurricanes are going to have their work cut out for them Sunday night as they prepare to face the Florida Panthers in their preseason opener.
The Hurricanes will primarily be icing a roster comprised of prospects and AHL players while the Panthers meanwhile will be playing almost their entire NHL roster.
"It'll be a huge challenge for us, obviously," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour. "But it's also an opportunity for guys because if they can show in a game like that, they can show in any type of game."
The game will take place at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.
The game will be streamed on the team's website.
Here's how the Hurricanes lined up at the morning skate on Sunday:
Bradly Nadeau - Charlie Cerrato - Felix Unger Sorum Juha Jaaska - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Viktor Neuchev Josiah Slavin - Skyler Brind'Amour - Justin Robidas Gleb Trikozov - Ivan Ryabkin - Zach Lansard
Mike Reilly - Joel Nystrom Juuso Valimaki - Dominik Badinka Noel Fransen - Charles Alexis Legault
1. One of the keys for me will be seeing how some of the younger guys handle themselves in what's going to be a very difficult environment. There's a lot of very young and inexperienced players on the Hurricanes' roster, but will any of them be able to shine a little bit?
2. It'll also be notable to see which defensemen can separate themselves from the rest of the pack. With five guys competing for one roster spot (four of whom will be playing in the game), this is going to be a golden opportunity for guys to try and standout.
3. The final thing I'm looking for is how does Pyotr Kochetkov look. It's been a long time without NHL action for the Russian goalie and so I'm curious to see how he looks. Obviously he's not gonna have a lot of help, but I'm more so curious to see how he looks physically and if he is making good reads.
Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Rieger Lorenz wanted to make sure the jump to professional hockey didn't catch him by surprise.
So far, it hasn't.
Lorenz was one of the Minnesota Wild's most noticeable young players in their preseason action Saturday, scoring a goal and earning praise from both head coach John Hynes and veteran center Nico Sturm.
“I thought Lorenz was impressive tonight,” Hynes said. “You kind of notice him in camp. Really good energy, highly competitive.”
The goal certainly helped Lorenz stand out, but it wasn't what impressed Hynes most.
“Obviously he scored the goal, but I just think his overall game,” Hynes said. “He had a big blocked shot, and he was a player that I think over the course of the game, he kind of caught your eye quite a bit.”
That's exactly what Lorenz is trying to accomplish during his first training camp with the Wild.
The 22-year-old forward spent the summer training in Calgary alongside professional players and made a concerted effort to increase the pace of his game before arriving in Minnesota.
“I'm really comfortable,” Lorenz said. “My group in the summer back in Calgary, we got a lot of pro guys out there. I really pushed myself this summer to try and pick up the pace in my game. I think those guys pushed me, so it's been a pretty seamless jump into camp so far.”
Lorenz also had an opportunity to get an early taste of professional hockey last season.
After finishing his college career, he joined the Iowa Wild and got a firsthand look at what would be required of him at the next level. Instead of entering the offseason wondering how his game would translate to professional hockey, Lorenz had a blueprint for what needed to improve.
“I think that was a big emphasis on going to Iowa and seeing what the pro game entails,” Lorenz said. “I think doing that allowed me to kind of see where my game needs to grow in the offseason. Not kind of going in blind and just wondering what it's like.”
Now he's putting those lessons to use.
Lorenz has also been paying close attention to the NHL players around him during camp. While watching stars such as Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber has given him a glimpse at the skill and pace required at the top of an NHL lineup, Lorenz understands his path to the league will likely require something different.
“The bottom depth guys, they're super reliable,” Lorenz said. “That's kind of going to be my role as I move up the ranks. So kind of learning as much as I can from those guys, which Foligno and Sturm have been great for that.”
Sturm has apparently been impressed with his young teammate, too.
“Oh yeah, Reegs was great,” Sturm said. “He's really shifty, but most importantly, he's got a little bit of a bite to him.”
That bite has shown up in more ways than one.
According to Sturm, Lorenz hasn't acted like a young player afraid to make his presence known while surrounded by NHL veterans.
“He is chirping out there and stuff, which is, you know, a lot of guys that play their first game or NHL preseason games, they shy away from some stuff,” Sturm said. “But he was out there, just full of confidence.”
Then Sturm offered perhaps the strongest endorsement of Lorenz's night.
“Also a guy that I think is going to be a good NHL player.”
One preseason performance won't determine Lorenz's future, but Saturday provided another encouraging glimpse.
He scored. He blocked shots. He competed. He picked up an assist. And, maybe most importantly for a prospect trying to establish himself during training camp, he made people notice him. Including the Wild's head coach.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Florida will open their abbreviated preseason slate when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at Amerant Bank Arena.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has said that his plan during the shortened training camp and preseason would be to play his veterans early and then give them time to rest ahead of Opening Night.
For those who may have forgotten, Florida’s regular season opener is just nine days away.
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilamanis
Cole Reinhardt – Cole Schwindt – Jack Devine
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas
Matvei Shuravin (seventh defenseman)
The goaltenders are Jacob Markstrom and Cooper Black. Markstrom is expected to play at least some of the game, but its not yet known if he will play all sixty minutes.
Maurice said that Panthers goalie coach Robb Tallas would be handling how the goaltenders are used during the preseason, but did indicate the expectation was that Markstrom would play Sunday.
Photo caption: May 20, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; FloridaPantherscenter AleksanderBarkov(16) celebrates his goal against CarolinaHurricanesgoaltender Antti Raanta (32) in the second period of game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. (James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports)
Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 3These are observations from Day 3 of the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp. 
