3 Big Penguins' Storylines To Watch in 2025-26

With final NHL rosters submitted and the pre-season officially coming to a close, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be an interesting team to watch for a plethora of reasons in 2025-26.

For starters, they are having two teenagers in Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel debut on their NHL roster for the first time since 2006. They are also in the midst of a rebuild with an uncertain timeline and with some veterans on the brink of retirement. And, of course, they have a few players in contention for Olympic spots at the Milan games in 2026.

So what are some of the biggest storylines that figure to follow the Penguins in 2025-26?

It’s no secret that three Penguins in particular – defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell – are garnering a lot of attention in the trade market. That has been the case since the trade deadline last season, and it will – more than likely – continue to be the case into the season.

With Rust on the shelf for now with a lower-body injury – and Dubas seemingly most hesitant to deal the veteran forward – it stands to reason that, if a big player is to be dealt by the Penguins this season, it will probably be one of the other two first.

Karlsson enjoyed a healthy, solid pre-season and camp, and Rakell has been experimented with at the center position and on the penalty kill – seemingly showcasing his versatility. They’re also both vying to play for Team Sweden in Milan, and they will actually have the opportunity to play in Sweden with the Penguins as part of the NHL Global Series on Nov. 14 and 16.

Will one of them go, or will the Penguins continue to hold out?

Update On Penguins’ Rumor Mill – Community Post
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The opening night NHL roster is indicative of the Penguins beginning to usher in a youth movement. And, depending on what happens on the injury front, that could be even more true as the season bores on.

With Brunicke, Kindel, and Ville Koivunen – as well as Filip Hallander – beginning the season in Pittsburgh, it’s fair to wonder how far the young guys can take them. They also have guys like forwards Avery Hayes and Tristan Broz, defenseman Owen Pickering, and goaltender Sergei Murashov waiting in the wings at the AHL level and likely first in line for a mid-season call-up. Rutger McGroarty is also out indefinitely with an upper-body injury and figures to return at some point.

Will the young guys make this team better, should they stick around? Do Kyle Dubas and the Penguins continue to hold out on most of their youth this season in hopes of a long Calder Cup run at the AHL level? Or do the young guys populate the roster more and more as the season goes on, potentially providing a spark of energy?

No one expects much from the Penguins this season, and with a generational talent waiting in the wings for the 2026 NHL Draft, it will be interesting to see how much runway the Penguins give their talented but unproven young guns.

Top Prospects Brunicke, Kindel Confirmed To Make NHL Debuts In Penguins' Season Opener
Top Prospects Brunicke, Kindel Confirmed To Make NHL Debuts In Penguins’ Season Opener
Even though rosters were trimmed to 23 on Saturday, there was no guarantee that the Pittsburgh Penguins were going to carry those exact 23 players into their season opener against former head coach Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Among all the noise this season will be a bittersweet storyline for Penguins’ fans – and everyone across the NHL – to follow. And that concerns the future of Penguins’ legend Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin, 39, is entering the final season of the four-year deal he signed in the summer of 2022. His production has been declining for the past two seasons, and last year, he posted just 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games – which, for a player of Malkin’s stature, is underwhelming.

Dubas said that the Penguins will reconvene with Malkin over the Olympic break to discuss plans for his future and whether or not he plans to play another season. In an interview during training camp, Malkin indicated that he is still undecided in that department, and he also reiterated that he wishes to finish out his career in Pittsburgh – even if a player like Brad Marchand won another Cup after being dealt by his longtime employer.

“I hope I stay here,” Malkin said. “Like Sid, Tanger, Penguins forever, for sure. I hope we play great. I want to stay here, for sure.”

Even if the ball is entirely in Malkin’s court on whether or not he finishes his career in Pittsburgh, the season he ends up having could determine whether or not 2025-26 is his farewell tour. It will certainly be a storyline to keep an eye on as the season progresses, and Penguins’ fans will just have to wait and see whether the future Hall-of-Famer has anything left in the tank.

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On Friday, Pittsburgh Penguins’ veteran center and future Hall-of-Famer Evgeni Malkin spoke with the Pittsburgh media about how, when, and where he envisions his career coming to an end.