MONTREAL, QC – SEPTEMBER 22: Montreal Canadiens right wing Patrik Laine (92) tracks the puck near Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Sergei Murashov (1) during the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 22, 2025, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ kids and those fighting for a roster spot amidst a crowded group got their first chance to show what they could do in a game situation Monday, and most did not disappoint, though at least one veteran was not good at all. We also had a chat with one of those scrappers in the battle, and he showed pretty well, as did goalie Sergei Murashov, who stood on his head.
Elsewhere in the Daily, TSN has the preseason 2026 NHL Draft rankings, Sportsnet has the Calder Trophy favorites, and the restricted free agent contract squabbles are getting heated, including in Nashville and Anaheim.
We’re back to a full day of practice at the UPMC Lemieux Complex today. I must applaud coach Dan Muse; these three-a-day sessions wear me out. I’ve actually fallen asleep before midnight most nights since camp began last week.
For most people, that might sound normal. For me? That’s rarer than a Honus Wagner baseball card, a giant comet, or me folding my laundry when it comes out of the dryer.
Yet Muse has a smile on his face every day that he talks to us, and besides his worn-out voice, he is not slowing down.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Let’s start with the breakdown of training camp. It was an intense first few days, and we even got to catch a scrimmage with the guys who didn’t play last night. So, what have we learned, and who is in the lead for a roster spot? Here’s our Penguins training camp analysis.
There was only one person I needed to talk to yesterday after the morning skate, and his game performance didn’t disappoint. Before his return to Montreal, we chatted with gritty and speedy small forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard.
I don’t know if he makes the roster, but he is making his case very well.
And let’s get into last night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. The first two periods were all Penguins, but the third period was all Murashov. Here’s the breakdown and analysis–who played well and one vet who earned an F–in the Penguins Report Card.
Montreal Hockey Now: Would you like to know how the other side saw it? Yep, the kids were all right on the other side, too. Marc Dumont’s Montreal Canadiens‘ breakdown.
I’ll tell ya straight up, I loved watching that game last night. That was pure joy for me, seeing some of the guys I’ve been talking to for a couple of years begin to have their breakout moments. I sort of came to cover the Penguins AFTER the success, and after most of the room had been together for several years. I was merely a face in the crowd, but I’ve built a nice rapport with a lot of the newbies, and to a man, I like them. It’s also enjoyable seeing young players take that first step of many.
NHL Rumors, News, & NHN
The first RFA uh-oh we’ll report on is Luke Evangelista. He packed up and left Nashville yesterday without a contract.
Ongoing discussions between the Nashville Predators and Luke Evangelista; however, the two sides remain significantly apart on money on a 2 yr term. The talented young forward has left Nashville and is returning to Canada to continue to train while negotiations continue.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 21, 2025
NHLtraderumors.me: Mason McTavish and the Anaheim Ducks are still a mile apart. Unlike John Malkovich, the Ducks will not pay the man his money.
New Jersey Hockey Now: Perhaps the rosiest of the three scenarios is in New Jersey, where both team and player are working toward a deal, and there seems to be some common ground. However, as James Nichols writes, there is a wedge between the two sides. The latest Luke Hughes and the New Jersey Devils.
The NHL compensation schedule is all wrong. A $4.6 million player should not require a team to forfeit a first and third-round pick. Perhaps a second and third? I suppose we’ll have to wait a few more years to clean up this mess as the game prioritizes young players, but the CBA suppresses their salaries.
Sportsnet: The early favorites and darkhorses for the Calder Trophy.
TSN Video: The TSN preseason draft rankings show. Gavin McKenna and the rest of the top players for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Vegas Hockey Now: What?! General manager Kelly McCrimmon said he was done, finished, and would spend the last two years of his career on LTIR. However, Alex Pietrangelo has other ideas and is rehabbing his hip in hopes of making a comeback before he even leaves. Hannah Kirkell has the latest on the Vegas Golden Knights‘ leader.
Philly Hockey Now: Will James has a few thoughts from the shootout win over the New York Islanders. It was Rick Tocchet’s debut, and here’s the Flyers analysis.
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