PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 16: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering (38) handles the puck in his NHL debut during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks on November 16, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)
Who’s in trouble?
The Pittsburgh Penguins will play their second of seven preseason games on Wednesday, visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets, and a few veterans might already be sweating as the youngsters played well on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Some under-the-radar players may have been otherwise overlooked but are in the Penguins camp on a “show me” type deal, and are look like they’re making headway in their ultimate goal.
Fittingly, the questions that arrived via X on Wednesday morning, as we awaited the Penguins’ morning skate before departing for Columbus, centered on veterans, young players, and who would still be in Pittsburgh after the final cuts.
The most muddled picture remains the right side of the defense. The clearest is the left side, and the forwards crew is beginning to shake out with some of the players you want to see, but a couple of surprises, too.
Penguins Q&A
Do Broz and Hallander crack the NHL roster out of camp?
— Matt Meagher (@Flux_cc) September 24, 2025
Short and sweet: I think Broz has all but put himself in the NHL lineup. He would have to regress immediately. However, Filip Hallander has some work to do.
I don’t think Hallander will make the opening night roster, but I do believe he’ll get at least an unleaded cup of coffee this season. As the intensity of camp has ramped up, and in the Montreal game, others were better.
Coach Dan Muse doesn’t yet know if Hallander is a center or wing, which is probably bad news for his NHL chances. Also, Hallander was clear that he came back to North America to resume his hockey journey, not because he expected an NHL spot.
who’s playing the left side defense to open the season?
— arkansas sucks (@cwhitney29) September 24, 2025
We all have eyes, and unfortunately, Ryan Graves submitted a brutal performance on Monday against Montreal. It would be a brave move to put him on waivers and send him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but Graves is looking increasingly like the Penguins’ version of Wade Redden.
He took a pair of minor penalties, and neither was a good penalty. Both were quite bad.
If we’re removing any contract considerations, Graves is out. The left side is Parker Wortherspoon–who looks pretty good, Owen Pickering–who is better when he doesn’t try to be too much, and Ryan Shea. Caleb Jones will get a good look Wednesday, and I’ve liked him very much.
The LA Kings banished Jones, 28, to the Ontario Reign of the AHL last season, and he played just six NHL games. However, his pace very much fits the Penguins’ obvious bend back to speed, speed, and lots more speed. LA is not a speed team.
Also, a strong caveat: this is a snapshot of a moving train. It could very much change by next week.
How does Koivunen look different compared to the end of last year?
— smash (@SmeeshyBeeshy87) September 24, 2025
Did you want him to look different? He looks very much the same, and that’s a good thing. His puck poise is wonderful. His ability to read the play and play off of good linemates is going to make Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin (or Tristan Broz?) very happy.
Also, I wrote that block before Muse praised his “puck poise.” (I love it when I use the same words as the coach, preemptively. That makes me feel smrt, er, smart.)
Am I crazy for thinking Brunicke reminds me of Fox
— Rutsburgh (@rutsburgh) September 24, 2025
Hey, your mental state is none of my business. But as for comparing Adam Fox to Harrison Brunicke, that’s not really a parallel that I’d make yet. Fox is a bit more electric and knows how to finish.
It’s tough to compare Brunicke until I see him unleashing his shot more often. I don’t know how it compares to players whom he skates like, such as Noah Hanifin. I haven’t yet seen Brunicke bring up the rear on a full speed rush and unleash a laser past a goalie, or make it past the readline on his own rush.
For right now, just let him be a brilliantly smooth skater with a few more levels to reach.
Is the Danton Heinen, Blake Lizzotte, Kevin Hayes, Tammasino & Aciari era over before it ever began?
— Td (@Td412Crew) September 24, 2025
Yep.
In my top 13 forwards projections, I currently don’t have space for Philip Tomasino. Acciari is breaking down quickly, and his injury that will keep him out for at least a couple more weeks only serves to highlight the speed of the younger players who haven’t blocked 513 shots and delivered 1034 hits.
Why are Penguins fans so quick to downgrade Blake Lizotte? A 27-year-old spunky center with great wheels, a great work ethic, and who knows his role?
Hayes’s future is also quite cloudy, especially when dealing with a longer-term injury that will be re-evaluated in mid-October. The .02 here is that Broz has taken his spot.
What surprises make it out of camp?
— David Sevenx (@razzledazzleMD) September 24, 2025
I think Caleb Jones qualifies as a surprise. So, too, does Rafael Harvey-Pinard, whom I’ve really … really liked thus far. I think Robby Fabbri is here for a reason, and he’s performed well–I’d be surprised if they merely let him walk without a contract offer, but that might be the handshake deal, too. He needed a place to show his worth, and he’s done that so far.
I’ll have more on Jones on Thursday or Friday.
Dan, The Pens have some talent and had many many 2 goal leads last year before collapsing over and over again. What caused all those lead collapses and can they improve the D and G to maybe win those games this year?
— Td (@Td412Crew) September 24, 2025
I probably wrote 50,000 words on this subject last season alone. That’s not an exaggeration, either.
In short, they didn’t buckle down and play good fundamental hockey. They obtained leads by outplaying their opponent, but were unable to continue the pace or the fundamentals, or clean play.
Eventually, their darker angels took over, and turnovers, sloppiness, or simple mistakes got the better of them because that’s who they were.
Also, hockey history misleads many fans. Teams used to sit on leads like an older brother punishing an insolent sibling, but the new, more open game just doesn’t allow that anymore. Leads are much tougher to hold in 2025 than in 2004.
We’re seeing a record number of leads lost, and a lot of teams are in the same predicament, though the number of Penguins’ self-inflicted gaffes was astounding.
So, a younger team that is more prone to fundamentals and energetic puck pursuit rather than an older team prone to fancy plays and mistakes will help a great deal.
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