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Every Trade And Signing By The Pittsburgh Penguins In 2025

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, it was a busy, busy calendar year for the Pittsburgh Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas. 

With the Penguins in a transitional period, there is a lot happening in terms of movement. The trades started as early as January in 2025 and happened all the way to the last day of the year on Wednesday, when Pittsburgh acquired defenseman Egor Zamurov from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Philip Tomasino.

Between trades and signings, it's been a lot to digest, and there is a lot to look back on. So - as a refresher - here is every trade and signing (training camp transactions aside) that the Penguins made in 2025:

- Jan. 3, 2025: Penguins acquire defenseman Colton Poolman from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for forward Bennett MacArthur

- Jan. 15, 2025: Penguins place goaltender Tristan Jarry on waivers

- Feb. 1, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2025 conditional first-round pick (New York Rangers), forward prospect Melvin Fernstrom, forward Danton Heinen, and defenseman Vincent Desharnais from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O'Connor 

- Feb. 9, 2025: Penguins claim defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers from Utah. 

- Feb 13, 2025: Penguins acquire center Mathias Laferriere from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for right wing Corey Andonovski

Pittsburgh Penguins' New Year's Resolutions: 2025 EditionPittsburgh Penguins' New Year's Resolutions: 2025 EditionThere were some ups and downs for Pittsburgh Penguins' players in 2025. So what can they resolve to accomplish in 2026?

- Feb. 26, 2025: Penguins place forward Matt Nieto on waivers

- Mar. 3, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Finn Harding to three-year entry-level contract

- Mar. 5, 2025: Penguins acquire forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick

- Mar. 7, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Ryan Shea to one-year, $900,000 contract extension

- Mar. 7, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Schenn

- Mar. 7, 2025: Penguins acquire forward prospects Chase Stillman and Max Graham and a 2027 third-round pick from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Cody Glass

- Mar. 7, 2025: Penguins acquire defenseman Conor Timmins and forward Connor Dewar from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round draft pick

- Mar. 9, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Chase Pietila to a three-year entry-level contract

- Mar. 10, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Daniel Laatsch to a two-year entry-level contract

- Mar. 13, 2025: Penguins sign forward Avery Hayes to a two-year entry-level contract

'It Just Made Sense For Us To Do It At This Time': Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Gives Insight On Jarry Trade'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.

- Apr. 28, 2025: Penguins sign forward Filip Hallander to a two-year, $1.55 million contract

- May 31, 2025: Penguins sign forward Mikhail Ilyin to a three-year entry-level contract

- Jun. 13, 2025: Penguins sign forward Boko Imama to a one-year, $775,000 contract

- Jun. 13, 2025: Penguins sign forward Melvin Fernstrom to a three-year entry-level contract

- Jun. 17, 2025: Penguins sign forward Joona Koppanen to a one-year, $775,000 contract

- Jun. 27, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2025 first-round pick (#22) and a 2025 first-round pick (#31) from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick (#12)  

- Jun 27, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2025 first-round pick (#24) from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick (#31) and 2025 second-round pick (#59)  

- Jun. 28, 2025: Penguins acquire defenseman Connor Clifton and a 2025 second-round pick (#39) from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defensemen Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau

- Jun. 28, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2025 third-round pick (#91) and a 2025 fifth-round pick (#154) from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2025 3rd round pick (#85)

- Jul. 1, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2028 3rd round pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic

Chinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsChinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and it could be a sign of things to come over the next several months.

- Jul. 1, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to a two-year, two million contract

- Jul. 1, 2025: Penguins sign forward Philip Tomasino to a one-year, $1.75 million contract

- Jul. 1, 2025: Penguins sign forward Connor Dewar to a one-year, $1.1 million contract

- Jul. 1, 2025: Penguins sign forward Justin Brazeau to a two-year, $3 million contract

- Jul. 1, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Caleb Jones to a two-year, $1.8 million contract

- Jul. 2, 2025: Penguins sign forward Anthony Mantha to a one-year, $2.5 million contract

- Jul. 2, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Phil Kemp to a two-year, $1.55 million contract

- Jul. 2, 2025: Penguins sign forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard to a one-year, $775,000 contract

- Jul. 2, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Alexander Alexeyev to a one-year, $775,000 contract

- Jul. 9, 2025: Penguins sign forward Benjamin Kindel to a three-year entry-level contract

The Five Best On-Ice Moments For The Penguins In 2025The Five Best On-Ice Moments For The Penguins In 20252025 is about to end, so let's look at the five best on-ice moments for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

- Jul. 10, 2025:  Penguins acquire defenseman Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok

- Jul. 13, 2025: Penguins acquire goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick

- Nov. 24, 2025: Penguins sign defenseman Peyton Kettles to a three-year entry-level contract

- Dec. 12, 2025: Penguins acquire goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin

- Dec. 29, 2025: Penguins acquire forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick

- Dec. 31, 2025:  Penguins acquire defenseman Yegor Zamula from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Philip Tomasino

Penguins Trade Tomasino To Flyers For ZamulaPenguins Trade Tomasino To Flyers For ZamulaThe Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers made a trade on Wednesday.

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Observations From Blues' 6-1 Loss Vs. Avalanche

When Jim Montgomery was asked about why sometimes fear brings out the best in players.

“Because like even fear of losing brings out the best in you, because you pay more attention to detail, you think about … you’re preparing to stay in the moment because you’re afraid of fear of losing or fear of being embarrassed creates the same thing,” the St. Louis Blues coach said. “There’s urgency in everything you do and we haven’t had enough urgency as a group and I understand everything I’m saying points directly at me. I lead this team and I take full ownership of my part in us not having hit the standard that I believe we should be at.”

Well, the Blues forgot the memo of being embarrassed. Because on New Year’s Eve, they were embarrassed, bludgeoned, bamboozled, whatever one wants to call it.

Tony Duke said it best when he was vehemently looking at Rocky Balboa in the film Rocky III to “Throw the Damn Towel.” The Blues didn’t even have to drop the puck, because it would have been better to ‘Throw the Damn Towel’ before the puck was even dropped because the Blues were overwhelmed in the game’s first five minutes, and the Colorado Avalanche played true to form with their team name, putting up an avalanche of goals early and blitzed the Blues, 6-1, on Wednesday at Ball Arena in Denver.

It was literally over before it started, as the Blues (15-18-8) once again failed to start a game, and against the team that is far and beyond the best team in the NHL right now (30-2-7) and they made the Blues look like mince meat.

Dalibor Dvorsky did score for the Blues in the third period, which was all the offense the Blues got.

Let’s look at tonight’s game observations (and this will be brief, I can promise you):

* It was over before it started (almost) – The Avalanche are a well-oiled machine, and if you’re not ready to play against them, you can look like a fool.

Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin made sure of it, as far as the Blues were concerned.

Each player scored twice in the game’s first 4:39.

Whether it was poor coverage, a lack of protecting their own net, a neutral zone turnover and then not making up for it by covering your ground on the other end, five guys backing into the zone and allowing the Avalanche to dangle the puck on a string. That pretty much encapsulated each of the Colorado goals.

And that was that.

All I can say is poor Jordan Binnington, who once again had a team in front of him fail him miserably on the day he got named to Canada’s Winter Olympic squad.

It was so bad that at one point, the Avalanche were up 4-0 and outshooting the Blues 14-0 before the Blues even got their first shot – SHOT – on goal, and it was a Jimmy Snuggerud one-timer that needed a terrific Mackenzie Blackwood save.

It took the Blues more than 35 minutes(!) into the game to have more shots than the Avalanche had goals. That’s surreal even to type in, but it was true. The final shot clock total finished 43-13 and shot attempts finished 79-28. Ouch.

Jordan Kyrou’s quick one-timer at the back post off a Robert Thomas pass was the Blues’ sixth shot of the game more than 35 minutes into the game. Colorado led 5-0 at the time.

This is the kind of game that shows you that the Blues are closer to the bottom of the standings than they are to the playoffs, even though they end the calendar year just three points out of a wild card in the Western Conference.

But let’s be serious here. Do you want to finish as the second wild card and face this squad and get absolutely obliterated in four games? I think not.

So the Blues end the calendar year in 2025 with a 41-31-12 record.

That’s all I’ve got, because from a Blues standpoint, aside from Binnington actually making some great stops and a goal actually being waved off for goalie interference that actually upset MacKinnon because he was the culprit, they did nothing else.

To make matters worse, Thomas was on the ice in the last three minutes and appeared to have his leg rolled up on and was having trouble getting off the ice after the game.

Happy New Year.

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Canadiens Skilled Prospect Is On Fire In AHL

Montreal Canadiens prospect Joshua Roy has been having a solid season down in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Laval Rocket. In 20 games on the year with the AHL club, he has recorded eight goals, 10 assists, 18 points, and a plus-1 rating. With this, he has certainly been a key offensive contributor for Laval this campaign.

Yet, what's more encouraging is that Roy is only staying red-hot with Laval as of late. The Canadiens prospect currently has a four-game point streak with the AHL club, where he has recorded two goals and four assists over that span. He has also posted nine points over his last seven games, so there is no question that he is feeling it right now. 

Roy producing offensively like this with Laval is certainly good to see. If he continues to produce well for the AHL club, it could very well open the door for him to get another chance on the Canadiens' NHL roster again soon. 

Roy has played in three games this season with the Canadiens, where he has recorded zero points and two shots. In 38 career NHL games with the Habs over three seasons, he posted six goals, five assists, and 11 points. The young forward is still looking to break out and become a full-time NHL player, but he certainly is showing promise in the AHL right now. 

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Knicks squander double-digit leads, lack physicality in stunning 134-132 loss to Spurs

The Knicks wrapped up their 2025 slate on a sour note, squandering several double-digit leads in a frustrating 134-132 loss to the Spurs on Wednesday night at Frost Bank Center.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Making his third career start, rookie forward Mohamed Diawara tried his best to set a tone, draining a pair of threes within the first three minutes of action to help push the Knicks out to an early 10-3 lead. But it didn't take long for the Spurs to find a rhythm, as a quick 11-0 run midway through the first quarter erased their early deficit and made the Knicks burn two timeouts. Much to the delight of head coach Mike Brown, the Knicks maintained a hot stroke from beyond the arc, making a whopping nine threes that contributed to a season-high 45 first-quarter points. It was their 14th opening period with 40-plus points this season -- the mark actually matched their total from last season.

-- Just when it looked like the Knicks' torrid scoring pace was unsustainable -- their lead of 12 points was trimmed down to four with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter, due to a few turnovers -- another heat check arrived. In a span of three minutes, they rattled off 14 unanswered points, extending their lead to an imposing 71-52 with 3:51 left. However, the inevitable cold spell finally appeared, as the Knicks failed to score a single point in the final 2:54 before halftime. The Spurs took advantage of that lull with a 9-0 run, cutting their deficit to 73-63 at the break.

-- Jalen Brunson was naturally the first-half catalyst, delivering 13 points as one of eight -- that's right, eight -- Knicks who made a three. But his baker's dozen, plus 15 from Karl-Anthony Towns, didn't pack the punch that Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama flaunted. The behemoth youngster led all first-half scorers with 22 points -- he was solely responsible for the closing 9-0 run -- and the Knicks didn't feel this presence from him during the NBA Cup final, since the Spurs carefully restricted his court time to 25 minutes then.

-- A quick eight points on two threes from Miles McBride pushed the Knicks' lead back to 14 with 8:43 remaining in the third, but once again, their cushion wasn't comfortable for long. Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie sparked a monstrous Spurs rally by scoring 19 combined points across four-plus minutes, and suddenly, the game was knotted up at 91-91 with 4:24 left in the quarter. Keldon Johnson then made a floater that gave the Spurs their first lead since the 6:13 mark of the first and reignited the crowd. In spite of the momentum swing, the Knicks recovered on both ends of the floor, producing 11 unanswered points while holding the Spurs scoreless in the final 3:23 to reclaim a nine-point lead, 102-93. No surprise, it was Brunson who added eight points to that energized run.

-- The Knicks' battles with Wembanyama, who logged 31 points through three quarters, abruptly ended within the first 90 seconds of the fourth. After grabbing the rebound on a missed Knicks three attempt, Wembanyama landed awkwardly in the paint and cameras caught his right knee buckle. Wembanyama stayed down for a few moments before hobbling directly to the locker room without any assistance from trainers. While he appeared to mouth, "I'll be back," to concerned Spurs fans, the 7-foot-4 threat never checked back in.

-- Somehow, the sudden absence of Wembanyama didn't crush the Spurs' spirits. A pair of threes from Champagnie cut their deficit back down to five, 110-105, with 7:29 remaining and prompted a Knicks timeout. While the Knicks bit back, bumping their lead to 116-109 with clutch jumpers from Jordan Clarkson off the bench, the Spurs rallied behind Champagnie, who added another two threes to knot the score at 116-116 and set a new franchise record with 11-made shots from beyond the arc. Call it a career night for Champagnie -- he scored a game-changing 36 points. Moments later, De'Aaron Fox made a layup that gave the Spurs another lead, 118-116.

-- While the Knicks entered the final minute trailing by just a point, poor defense, foul trouble, and missed shots forced the Spurs to the free-throw line and placed them in a six-point hole with just 10 seconds left. Miraculously, McBride drew a foul on a three-point attempt and made each shot at the charity stripe, cutting the Knicks' deficit to three. But an ensuing jump-ball claimed by the Spurs resulted in a victory-sealing two more points for the Spurs, and even a buzzer-beating three from Brunson was all for naught. Considering the opponent and NBA Cup rematch buildup, this was no ordinary crumble for the Knicks. They entered the night 19-0 when leading after three quarters, too.

-- The Knicks found a new way to lose, as a staggering 22-made threes on 52 attempts somehow weren't enough. The defensive breakdowns were also apparent in the fourth quarter, as they gave up 41 points in the period and struggled to get in the face of Champagnie and others. Overall, the Knicks were outrebounded, 48-40, and charged with 13 more fouls than the Spurs (30-17).

-- Contributions from McBride and Clarkson, who combined for 41 points off the bench on 15 of 29 shooting, were proven essential. Why? OG Anunoby was held to a scant nine points, and Diawara failed to score once after his pair of first-quarter threes. Brunson scored a team-best 29 points with eight assists and four rebounds across 36 minutes, while Towns accounted for 20 points in 33 minutes. Mikal Bridges was also quiet, limited to 13 points over 35 minutes.

Game MVP: Julian Champagnie

Champagnie deserves rounds of champagne this New Year's Eve. The St. John's product's game-high 36 points on a record-setting 11 threes simply crushed the Knicks.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks (23-10) will begin the 2026 calendar year at home, with a Friday night matchup against the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 p.m. tip-off).

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Red Wings Ground Jets, Close Out 2025 With 2-1 Home Win

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As former Beatle John Lennon famously sang in his famed Christmas-themed tune, "Another year over, and a new one just begun." 

Well, almost.

The Detroit Red Wings put the finishing touches on the calendar year of 2025 with a few hours to spare before midnight, thanks to their 2-1 victory over the struggling Winnipeg Jets at Little Caesars Arena.

The Red Wings improved to 24-14-3 and now have a three-point cushion over the Montreal Canadiens for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

Meanwhile, the Jets, who won the President's Trophy last season as the NHL's best regular-season club, lost their seventh straight contest and fell to 15-19-4. 

The win, which was Detroit's sixth in their last seven games on home ice, was thanks in large part to a little help from an old friend of Winnipeg's. 

Mason Appleton, a 2015 draft selection of the Jets who played 351 games for the team, scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the first period for the Red Wings.

It came minutes after a power-play goal from Dylan Larkin, who opened the scoring earlier in the period with his 21st tally of the campaign. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

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Goaltender John Gibson concluded his December to remember by making 23 saves on the 24 shots he faced, allowing only Logan Stanley's goal midway through the third period. He finished the month with a pristine 9-1 record, and improved to 13-8-1 overall. 

Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, a metro-Detroit native, countered with 17 saves on the 19 shots Detroit fired his way. 

Alex DeBrincat Details the Red Wings’ Biggest Change This SeasonAlex DeBrincat Details the Red Wings’ Biggest Change This SeasonDetroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat detailed the major change for the Red Wings since the arrival of Todd McLellan, and how it's showing in their record.

The game also marked the first time in the NHL careers of former Chicago Blackhawks forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews that they played against one another; the two posed together at center ice for a photograph during pregame warmups.

Detroit’s players won’t have much time to enjoy the victory, as they’ll be back in action in less than 24 hours on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It’s on to 2026, which the Red Wings hope will ultimately bring their first postseason berth since 2016.

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Pittsburgh Penguins' New Year's Resolutions: 2025 Edition

With 2025 coming to a close, there is a lot to look forward to for the 2026 calendar year. 

And for Pittsburgh Penguins' players? There sure is a lot to build on. 

For some players, 2025 was a pretty successful year on the ice. Maybe they had the chance to find a bigger role and excel, maybe they broke some records, or maybe they got their first taste of the NHL and have continued to impress. And for others, things haven't gone as smoothly. Maybe they didn't perform to expectations, maybe they dealt with injuries, or maybe they fell short of some personal accomplishments or feats.

Whatever the case, it's about to be a new year, and it's never too late to start anew - or continue to improve. So, what should each Penguins' player resolve to accomplish in 2026?

Noel Acciari: Keep stocking up on Tylenol, Band-Aids, Ace Bandages, etc... because if he keeps playing the way he has been playing for the Penguins this season, he'll continue to need that stuff. 

Justin Brazeau: Remain healthy and maintain that shooting percentage of 28.6 in order to solidify a Rocket Richard campaign in 2026-27. And, hey, are we even joking around at this point?

Harrison Brunicke: Play in a lot of hockey games somewhere (doesn't matter where at this point!) for an extended period of time in order to work on the defensive zone shortcomings that need improvement. 

Yegor Chinakhov:Get along with the new coaching staff and score goals. A lot of goals. And, hey, playing a full season's worth of games would be swell, too!

Chinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsChinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and it could be a sign of things to come over the next several months.

Connor Clifton: Have a chance to rediscover his game in a new opportunity with a new team.

Sidney Crosby: Playoffs. Playoffs. Playoffs. Playoffs. Playoffs. Olympic gold. Playoffs. Playoffs...

Connor Dewar: Earn a new contract, as a home has been found on the fourth line with Acciari and Blake Lizotte. Keeping up the better-than-expected offensive production is paramount, too. 

Filip Hallander: Get and stay healthy in order to separate himself from the intrasquad bottom-six competition. That defensive value has not gone unnoticed.

Kevin Hayes: Take a nice, long, hockey-related vacation in Tampa or somewhere else nice after the trade deadline. Preferably somewhere the Stanley Cup Playoffs are being played this season. 

Caleb Jones: Playing in some hockey games, period, would be nice. 

The Five Best On-Ice Moments For The Penguins In 2025The Five Best On-Ice Moments For The Penguins In 20252025 is about to end, so let's look at the five best on-ice moments for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Erik Karlsson: Just make the playoffs in Pittsburgh once. Just once. It would make a trade feel a lot less sour and the Penguins' tenure feel more successful. Oh, and Olympic gold for Sweden. 

Ben Kindel: Get older. Maybe score a bit more? Is there really anything else at this point?

Ville Koivunen: To not be so unsure of himself. Stop hesitating, don't second guess, and just rip it!

Brett Kulak: Rediscover the 2024-25 form and become a rock-solid, steady defender... wherever the home ends up being post-deadline.

Kris Letang: Simplify and realize that he can still be effective even if his game has to evolve a little bit to fit his age. 

Blake Lizotte: Stay in the lineup at all costs and keep showing a high degree of importance to this team - or to another - to earn a nice new contract this summer. But, seriously, don't get hurt again. 

Blake Lizotte's Impending Return Can't Be Understated Enough Blake Lizotte's Impending Return Can't Be Understated Enough Blake Lizotte's return will go under the radar to some, but it shouldn't.

Evgeni Malkin: If this is it, ride off into the sunset with a playoff berth, and, maybe, a Cinderella Stanley Cup run for a storybook ending. If not, same thing, of course... but be prepared for his role to potentially evolve in his next contract (in Pittsburgh, not Florida. Sorry, Florida).

Anthony Mantha: Simply be ready for anything. Keep scoring, and he'll find himself on a playoff contender post-deadline, whether that's in Pittsburgh or elsewhere. 

Rutger McGroarty: The flashes are there, as is the process. So just stick to it, and the puck will keep finding the back of the net - and he'll find himself in a top-six role at some point. 

Tommy Novak: Keep doing exactly what he's been doing for more than a month now. Show two-way prowess, versatility, and value as a top-nine player, and he'll never, ever exit the lineup.

Rickard Rakell: Injuries are tough, and coming back from them is even tougher. Making the Swedish Olympic roster may now be a longshot, but finding that goal-scoring touch again could end up making or breaking his future in Pittsburgh. Need to prove too valuable to move on from.

Bryan Rust: Improve his defensive game, which is something that used to be a strength. Could help prop up his case to remain in Pittsburgh, too, if the production can keep coming in tandem with that. 

Rickard Rakell (No. 67) and Bryan Rust could be potential trade chips for the Penguins in 2026. Image credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Ryan Shea: It's been a good year. So, have an even better one! Show that the top-four stint in the first two months of the season wasn't a fluke and that the level of play is sustainable.

Arturs Silovs: Keep improving in shootouts and establish consistency at the NHL level. But, for real, those shootouts and breakaway situations are looking miles better than before!

Stuart Skinner: This is the time to prove himself worthy of a new contract as a starting goaltender somewhere this summer. Helping get this team to the playoffs down the stretch would certainly help his case.

Jack St. Ivany: No injuries! Two months last season, more than two months this season... no more, please.

Parker Wotherspoon: Top-four looks good, right? And being the ying to Erik Karlsson's yang is an even more impressive accomplishment! Just keep building a resume as a shutdown top-pairing defender... and the 2027 payday will come.

Egor Zamula:Hey, new guy! This left side is wide-open... so get re-established and vye for a permanent NHL roster spot next season. Use that size, hit some guys, show any kind of prowess at the net-front and in the defensive zone... and he's golden!

Penguins New Big Defender Could Be Nice SurprisePenguins New Big Defender Could Be Nice SurpriseNew Penguins defenseman Egor Zamula has the potential to be a solid addition.

Dan Muse: Keep learning the ins and outs of coaching at the NHL level every day. He's got a lot of favor with the organization so far, so he needs to prove why he's the guy the Penguins can compete with.

Kyle Dubas: Stick to the plan... whatever that is. Even if it might not be quite what people think it is.

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

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The Five Best On-Ice Moments For The Penguins In 2025

2025 is set to come to an end tonight, and even though the Pittsburgh Penguins didn't have any playoff success again this year, there were still plenty of extraordinary on-ice moments. 

It's always special when Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are on the ice together, considering how much that trio has accomplished over the last 20 seasons. 

With all of that in mind, let's look at the five best Penguins' on-ice moments from this year. 

Alex Nedeljkovic scores

Tristan Jarry made Penguins history by becoming the first goaltender to ever score for the franchise in 2023, and Alex Nedeljkovic became the second back on Jan. 17. 

The Penguins were beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 when Nedeljkovic played the puck behind the net and launched it all the way down the ice for his first goal. His teammates immediately mobbed him after leaping into the bench. 

Nedeljkovic also recorded an assist in this game, becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to record a goal and an assist in the same game. 

Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) celebrates his first career NHL goal with the Penguins bench against the New York Rangers during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The kids get their first NHL goals

The Penguins have gotten strong contributions from their kids throughout the year, making them more fun to watch. 

Rutger McGroarty scored his first NHL goal on Apr. 3 against the St. Louis Blues after he was called back up from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. McGroarty tied the game with 23.5 seconds left in the third with a great play in front of the net. Fellow rookie Ville Koivunen got the primary assist on the goal, which sent the game to overtime. 

Harrison Brunicke notched his first NHL goal against the New York Islanders on Oct. 9. He was coming down the middle in the offensive zone and buried a shot past Ilya Sorokin after Filip Hallander dished him the puck. 

Ben Kindel got his first NHL goal on Oct. 11 against the New York Rangers with a blistering shot past goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He has gone on to score seven more goals since then and has been fantastic in his first NHL season. 

Koivunen had been snakebitten to start his NHL career before finally scoring his first goal on Dec. 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He took a feed from Kris Letang and buried the puck into the back of the net. 

Letang notches his 600th assist

Letang hit a significant milestone on Oct. 21 against the Vancouver Canucks. In the Penguins' 5-1 win, which raised their record to 5-2-0 at the time, Letang notched his 600th assist. 

He's now the fourth active defenseman with 600 assists, joining Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, and Victor Hedman. Letang is also the 20th defenseman in NHL history to accomplish this feat. 

Letang is getting closer to another milestone: his 800th point. He's only nine points away from hitting it, and once he does, he will be the 20th defenseman ever to do it. 

Crosby passes Gretzky for PPG record

Alex Ovechkin wasn't the only one trying to break a Wayne Gretzky record this year. Crosby was tied with Gretzky for 19-point-per-game seasons and broke his record on Mar. 27 against the Sabres when he notched his 80th point. 

That point ensured that he would have his 20th point-per-game season in his 20th NHL season. He finished the season with 33 goals and 91 points in 80 games. 

He already has 21 goals and 40 points in 38 games this season and will notch his 21st point-per-game season if he keeps producing at this pace. 

Penguins Trade Tomasino To Flyers For ZamulaPenguins Trade Tomasino To Flyers For ZamulaThe Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers made a trade on Wednesday.

Crosby passes Lemieux in points

This had been slated to happen at some point this season, and Crosby finally did it on Dec. 21 against the Montreal Canadiens, his childhood team. He needed one point to tie Lemieux's franchise record in points and two to pass him, and accomplished both feats in the first period. 

His goal tied the record before his assist on Rickard Rakell's goal broke it, leading to his teammates mobbing him on the ice. Lemieux even had a beautiful message for Crosby after the latter broke his record. 

That assist got him to 1,724 points, good for eighth in NHL history. He's now up to 1,727 points and is 29 points away from passing Steve Yzerman for seventh on the all-time points list. He should be able to easily hit that mark in the second half of the 2025-26 season, assuming he stays healthy. 

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Flyers flat on New Year's Eve, suffer 5-1 loss to Flames

Flyers flat on New Year's Eve, suffer 5-1 loss to Flames originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers had a New Year’s Eve dud in Calgary, Alberta.

They were rolled by the Flames, 5-1, Wednesday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Travis Konecny scored the club’s lone goal, which made it 2-1 near the midway mark of the game. But Calgary restored order with back-to-back power play goals before second intermission.

The Flyers (20-12-7) were held to one goal for the second time in three games since the holiday break. They were unable to build off their 6-3 win Tuesday night over the Canucks.

Since last season, the Flyers have gone just 3-13-3 in the second game of back-to-back sets (2-3-1 this season).

Rick Tocchet’s club was swept by the Flames (18-18-4) in the two-game regular-season series between the teams. Calgary beat the Flyers, 2-1, at Xfinity Mobile Arena toward the beginning of November when Aleksei Kolosov was in net.

• Samuel Ersson surrendered four or more goals for the sixth time in 15 starts.

He had 20 saves on 25 shots. The 26-year-old wasn’t sharp and the Flyers didn’t help with penalties.

The Flames answered Konecny’s goal with a 5-on-3 power play marker after Cam York was whistled for tripping and Christian Dvorak was hit with a high-sticking penalty four seconds later.

With 3:47 minutes left in the middle stanza, Jamie Drysdale put the puck over the glass and Calgary capitalized again on its man advantage. The Flames were then in full control and that didn’t change in the third period.

Calgary netminder Dustin Wolf faced 26 shots from the Flyers.

• For the 27th time, the Flyers fell down 1-0. They’ve done a good job at picking up points and being mostly competitive, but the slow starts have to be a tad concerning.

• Noah Juulsen saw his first game action in two and a half weeks as he entered the lineup for Emil Andrae.

Andrae’s absence was a healthy scratch, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. It was surprising because the Flyers were coming off a win in which Andrae was a plus-2 with four hits over 19:27 minutes.

We’ll see if the 23-year-old defenseman gets back in there against the Oilers.

• The Flyers open the 2026 calendar Saturday when they visit Connor McDavid and Edmonton (3:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP).