TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun discusses Pittsburgh’s direction with their 8-4-2 record, Matvei Michkov’s slow start and Ryan Getzlaf’s unique role for Team Canada.

Gino Reda: Back in September, our very own Pierre LeBrun poured fuel on the fire of the Sidney Crobsy trade rumours, when he said he gets why there’s all the trade talk. Time now to re-visit that situation with the guy who kicked that hornet’s nest, Pierre Lebrun.

When you asked Sid about getting moved out of Pittsburgh before the start of the season it was all because we figured the Penguins would be brutal and not make the playoff.s But what’s the Pens talk now that Crosby and his teammates are challenging for top spot in the East?

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby skates back to the bench during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby skates back to the bench during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pierre LeBrun: You can go back to his comments in September at that Vegas player media tour. One of the important things that Crosby said was that he understands why there was white noise about his future when the team keeps missing the playoffs.

Well guess what? The thing that removes that white noise, and this is what Crosby was hoping for this year, is that the team had a great start and that they were in the mix, and that’s what they have.

I had a chance to sit with Kyle Dubas for an interview for a piece for The Athletic that will come out on Wednesday and we addressed Sidney Crosby’s future. It’s really tired hand in hand with the long and short term planning for Dubas and the Penguins. They want to continue to get younger and re-haul the roster but in the interim, being competitive for Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin is important too when you’re rebuilding a team.

Dubas said to me: “There’s only one thing that makes everything go away on that subject. Winning.” And that’s that the Penguins have done in the opening month. I don’t know how sustainable it is and we’ll see if that third-period collapse Monday in Toronto has an impact. But this is the perfect script for all that trade talk to go away as far as media speculation.

It’s the Penguins being in the mix. That was the plan and right now that pkan is woring for Kyle Dubas and Sidney Crosby.

Reda: Matvei Michkov led all rookies in goal last season and was tied for second in points but he’s been pretty quiet out of the gate this year. What are the Flyers saying about what they’ve seen so far?

Matvei Michkov Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov plays during an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (Matt Slocum/AP)

LeBrun: There’s disappointment from the Flyers, Gino. One goal in 12 games to start the year for Michkov. The reality is, as has been explained to me, is that he didn’t show up to camp in good enough shape. His offseason prep wasn’t adequate. Now he’s behind the eight ball and is working his way back. And he is working. A lot of credit to the kid here he’s doing all he can to get back to the level he needs to be.

But what you’ve seen this year, his uneven play, the too many turnovers not enough separation in terms of his skating and getting away from the opposition. We’re not seeing his top level of play yet but it’s getting better.

Obviously, the Flyers know this is a one off, they think. They love this guy and he’s got such a bright future with them. But there’s certainly a lesson here and he’s not the first NHL player heading into year two to, as someone said to me, maybe Michkov though it would be easy. It’s not easy, it’s the toughest league in the world and he wasn’t quite ready for it.

Certainly interesting but I think they feel like he’s going to get there soon.

Reda: We’re just over three months to puck drop at the Winter Olympics and there’s some serious work going on behind the scenes in preparation for the December 31st date when the rosters are going to be announced.

What are you hearing from the coaching staff and the guys helping to prepare this team?

Hockey Canada jersey Hockey Canada jersey

Lebrun: Just a reminder. Team Canada’s management group led by Doug Armstrong is meeting next week in Toronto ahead of the NHL GM meetings. At those GM Meetings, as I’ve reported before, they plan to cut down their list. They want to work with a more manageable number heading into the final six weeks before that Dec. 31 deadline to name the full roster.

I wrote a story this week on Ryan Getzlaf, who has a pretty unique role in that Olympic Team Canada management staff. His official title is Player Relations Advisor but as Getzlaf explained to me, that role, which was created ahead of 4 Nations last year, has really evolved. His job, as he explained it, is that he’s an advisor to Doug Armstrong in the sense that he’s trying to tell the management group the players he feels that under the most immense pressure will fit the best in that Team Canada dressing room at the Milan Olympics.

Of course, he should know. Twice an Olympic gold medal champion as part of the 2010 and 2014 Canadian Men’s Olympic teams. That’s the role Getzlaf has now within that Team Canada construct.

It’s a delicate conversation. Which guys does he think can actually handle this? There are so many players on the bubble and they’ve got tough decisions to make here soon.

All this say is that Ryan Getzlaf would one day like to work in an NHL front office. This is where his mind is at. he’s learning the craft here and this is a great experience.