The Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up their third day of training camp before a packed house at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Saturday.
Team 1, featuring Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, Nick Robertson, Owen Pickering, and Harrison Brunicke, kicked things off, followed by Teams 2 and 3.
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This was the final day of group practices before the Penguins play the Buffalo Sabres in their first preseason game on Monday,
With that in mind, here’s a look at some observations from the three groups.
Team 1
– I know I probably sound like a broken record, but Nick Robertson has had a fantastic camp. He was lights out again on Saturday, showcasing his release and his agility. He roofed a puck past Arturs Silovs during an offensive-zone drill, then made a great diving play to keep another puck in the zone.
He also continued to get more reps with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell on the top line. There’s a decent chance it sticks once the regular season starts on Sept. 30.
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– Elmer Soderblom was promoted to this group and had a strong session. He scored a couple of really nice goals, including one at the end of a drill when he went around Owen Pickering and sniped the puck into the top corner of the net.
His camp got off to a bumpy start after he misread the schedule on Thursday and practiced with Team 3, but he followed it up with two great days in a row. He’s very much in contention for that 12th forward spot.
– Taylor Gauthier had his best day yet in the crease. He made a ton of nice saves and looked confident in each drill.
It’s highly unlikely he makes the main roster, but he should get plenty of starts in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year.
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– Owen Pickering was great defensively throughout the session, breaking up several odd-man rushes and maintaining great gap control. His skating also looks improved compared to last season.
He’ll get some NHL time this season, but I doubt it’s going to be right away.
Apr 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images
Team 2
– Ben Kindel was sniping the puck with authority throughout Saturday’s session. It didn’t matter whether it was Joel Blomqvist or Sergei Murashov in the crease; he peppered pucks to the top corner.
He definitely got bigger over the summer, which will only help him moving forward. There’s a real chance he pots 20+ goals this year.
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– Rutger McGroarty had a strong session on Friday and continued that momentum into Saturday. He skated on the fourth line with Blake Lizotte and Ville Koivunen and made several strong defensive plays during 5-on-5 drills.
In one play, he applied pressure at the point and knocked the puck away from Ilya Solovyov with ease.
He also forechecked hard and scored a few nice goals, including one where he went forehand, backhand through the five-hole. He scored another at the end of a 3-on-3 drill with the same move, but he lifted the puck over Blomqvist’s glove.
He’s competing his tail off out there.
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– Bryan Rust was absolutely flying out there and, like Kindel, was scoring at will. He got more reps with Kindel and Kuzmenko, and there’s a real chance the Penguins open with those three on their third line when the season starts.
‘I Was Excited For The Opportunity’: Liam Ruck Reflects On Saturday’s Practice With Crosby’s Group
‘I Was Excited For The Opportunity’: Liam Ruck Reflects On Saturday’s Practice With Crosby’s GroupLiam Ruck got the chance to practice with Sidney Crosby’s group on Saturday and loved it.
Team 3
– Tanner Howe and Bill Zonnon were finding each other pretty frequently in the offensive zone. They showed great chemistry, which fans should look forward to in WBS this year.
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– Carter Sanderson scored some nice goals at the Prospect Tournament last week and brought that ability to Saturday’s practice. He has a quick release and isn’t afraid to use it.
It will be fun to track his progress with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen this year before he heads to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28.
The Penguins have an off day on Sunday before they play the Sabres in their first preseason game on Monday. The lineup will be revealed sometime before Monday’s morning skate.
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