NHL fans have been counting down the days to the 2025-26 season ever since the Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive season back in June.
Some offseasons - like that of the Panthers - have been quite short, while others have been two months longer. And in many ways, that longer wait has added even more anticipation.
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there may still be a lot of summer business left. But, no matter what happens the rest of the summer, there are going to be several storylines to be on the lookout for once the puck drops on their regular season on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.
Here are five of those storylines to watch for during 2025-26 season:
1. How high can Crosby climb?
Given the fact that the Penguins are in a period of transition, one of the main events for folks to look forward to - as always - is watching their captain take the ice on a nightly basis.
And he has the chance to reach some pretty big heights this season on the all-time scoring list.
Right now, Sidney Crosby sits ninth all-time in scoring with 1,687 points - just 36 points behind fellow Penguins’ legend Mario Lemieux at 1,723. But Crosby has an opportunity to climb even higher than that as long as he remains healthy and assuming he doesn’t experience a significant dropoff in production in his age 38 season.
Ahead of Lemieux at 7th and 6th, respectively, is Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Marcel Dionne (1,771). He would need 85 points to pass Dionne and sit sixth all-time heading into 2026-27 - which seems entirely reasonable given his straight-line production the last several years.
Penguins: Where Sidney Crosby Ranked On New Top Centers ListPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby may be entering his 21st NHL season, but he is still a legitimate superstar. He had another fantastic season in 2024-25 for the Penguins, as he recorded 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points in 80 games. This was the 20th season in a row that Crosby produced at an over a point per game pace, which is an NHL record.
If Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell stick around - and Crosby shows the same kind of chemistry with youngsters Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty that he did at the end of last season - 85 should be attainable. Next up would be Ron Francis at 1,798.
Crosby should also pretty handily enter the top-15 all-time in goal-scoring, as he is just 15 shy of Dave Andreychuk (640 goals) - who sits directly at No. 15.
2. Who takes the net?
WIth the newly acquired Arturs Silovs in the mix, the goaltending battle should be one of the most intriguing stories to keep an eye on this season. Presumably, it will be Silovs and Tristan Jarry jockeying for positioning at the NHL level.
But, even the tandem at the NHL level is not guaranteed. And the battle at the AHL level is wide open.
Joel Blomqvist, 23, made his NHL debut last season and had two shorter-term NHL stints with mixed results. He should, presumably, be in the mix for an NHL spot as well, but it’s unlikely that the Penguins carry three goaltenders, especially with the logjams they already have at forward and defense.
Penguins Facing Uncertain Goalie Split Entering 2025-26 SeasonOnce again, the Pittsburgh Penguins face goaltending questions heading into a season.
If he isn’t in the NHL mix, he will be added to an AHL battle with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) that also includes Filip Larsson, Taylor Gauthier, and the raw but high-upside Sergei Murashov. All four goaltenders certainly belong at the AHL level - and Gauthier, interestingly, signed an AHL contract despite being in Wheeling the past two seasons.
The Penguins have a lot of young goaltending depth, and it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out following camp and throughout the season.
3. Where will the kids call home?
It’s been discussed at length that the Penguins got pretty good looks at defenseman Owen Pickering and forwards McGroarty and Koivunen last season. All three showed that they should probably be playing in the NHL full-time next season, and they all seem ready to take the next step in their development.
But - again, as we’ve discussed at length - it’s not that simple.
According to PuckPedia, the Penguins currently have 13 forwards and eight defensemen on their active roster - which doesn’t include any of those three. The fact of the matter is that Pickering, McGroarty, and Koivunen will all need to put together standout camps in order to break the NHL roster and force Kyle Dubas’s and the Penguins’ hand with some of their veterans.
Of course, injuries are inevitable, as are changes. Even if none of the three break camp, they will almost certainly be the first to get called upon when the need arises. Still, where they call “home” for most of the season is very much up-in-the-air, even if it should be a relatively obvious conclusion.
What Are Realistic Expectations For McGroarty And Koivunen This Year?The Pittsburgh Penguins have a pretty decent forward group entering the 2025-26 season, especially if they don’t make any trades between now and October 7, when they open the regular season against the New York Rangers.
4. Who will be on borrowed time?
If one thing is for certain - especially if there is no movement prior to the start of training camp - all eyes will be on the trade board throughout the season.
Dubas got the ball rolling early last season when he traded center Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in November, so it’s reasonable to expect he won’t be trigger-shy if the right offer comes about for any player of value. This will be especially true if the Penguins start off as poorly as many expect their season to go.
If all of Rust, Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are on the roster to begin the season, it’s safe to bet that all three won’t be on the roster by the end of it.
Do The Penguins Need To Make A Trade Before Training Camp?The date is Aug. 21, and the Pittsburgh Penguins still have not traded Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, or Erik Karlsson.
5. Can they tank hard enough for McKenna?
Well this is the ultimate storyline, isn’t it?
What is the plan for next season? Are the Penguins trying to tank, or are they okay with being in the mushy middle again?
At this point - with the roster as-is - it’s hard to say they’re going full-tank. But that may change quickly depending on how the team starts. Either way, watching Dubas's approach to the roster and to the trade market should say a lot, regardless of how the team ends up performing.
Do The Penguins Have A Legitimate Shot At McKenna In 2026?WIth the 2025-26 NHL season just around the corner, teams are looking ahead to their respective training camps beginning in mid-September.
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