Well, today is the day: Pittsburgh Penguins‘ training camp is finally here.
With full rosters revealed – and GM and POHO Kyle Dubas speaking to the media at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday – there are sure to be some intriguing storylines heading into camp this season.
Here are six training camp storylines to watch this year.
After former head coach Mike Sullivan and the Penguins parted ways at the end of April, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas got to work in replacing most of the coaching staff. That started with new head coach Dan Muse’s hire on Jun. 4, with assistants Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, Rich Clune, Troy Paquette, and Mike Stothers to follow.
Muse said upon his hire that the Penguins would likely deploy a mix of systems, so there figures to be some changes in that department. It will also be interesting to see Nelson’s approach to the power play and Stothers’s to the penalty kill, which are the respective units they will be overseeing. Stothers will also be the defensive coach, something that has been a sore spot for the Penguins over the past several seasons.
‘I Couldn’t Be More Excited To Get Started Here’: 3 Takeaways From Dan Muse’s Introductory Press Conference As Penguins’ Head Coach
On Wednesday, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas formally introduced Dan Muse as the 23rd head coach in franchise history at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
But another thing to watch is that Muse values an individualistic approach to coaching, which is something he discussed in his introductory press conference in June.
“You have guys in different places in their careers, and that’s very clear,” Muse said. “My job coming in here is going to be to help maximize each person and to help each person work toward what their highest level could be right now. And that’s going to be my focus.”
Be on the lookout for small changes from Sullivan’s old system. Major changes don’t happen overnight, and it will be in the beginning stages during camp. But there should still be some evidence of change.
The battle at the forward position will be one of the more interesting ones in all of camp. We wrote about some dark horse candidates to crack the NHL roster out of camp, but honestly, roster spots aren’t even guaranteed for Koivunen and McGroarty out of camp.
McGroarty missed the Prospects Challenge with an undisclosed injury, and Dubas will provide an update prior to the start of training camp on Thursday. But, assuming he is in the equation, who may realistically be able to beat out Koivunen and McGroarty for an NHL roster spot?
Some of the names on the short list include SHL Forward of the Year Filip Hallander, prospects Avery Hayes and Tristan Broz, and Robby Fabbri, who was signed to a paid tryout (PTO) contract on Wednesday. But, to be clear, this list is very short.
Koivunen and McGroarty both proved they belonged at the NHL level at the end of the 2024-25 season, and the Penguins are pushing toward a youth movement. This will be revisited a bit later, but they are the two prospects with targets on their backs – even if some veteran players have targets on their backs as well.
4 Dark Horse Candidates To Break Penguins’ NHL Roster Out Of Camp
Pittsburgh Penguins‘ training camp is officially only two days away, and there will be many storylines to watch this year.
One of the other most interesting positional battles for the Penguins during training camp and the pre-season will, without a doubt, come on the left side.
During the offseason, the Penguins signed Parker Wotherspoon, Alexander Alexeyev, and Caleb Jones, and they are retaining Ryan Graves, Ryan Shea, and Owen Pickering. Perhaps even prospect Emil Pieniniemi can be included in the positional battle group, too.
As evidenced, there is a lot of uncertainty on the left side, and the battle for – really – all three spots is wide open. With the departure of Matt Grzelcyk in free agency, Wotherspoon is probably the frontrunner to be deployed in the Penguins’ top-four alongside one of Karlsson or Letang, but the other two spots are anyone else’s to take.
Is Pickering ready for top-four minutes, and can he crack the roster? Can Graves find new life under a new coaching staff? Can Shea step up like he did at times last season? Can Alexeyev, 25, surprise and reach greater heights this season?
If you’re looking for true positional battles where nothing is guaranteed, this is the one for you.
Can Penguins’ Defenseman Bounce Back This Season?
Among the biggest holes on the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ roster this season is the one at left defense.
Brunicke was the story during training camp in 2024, as the then-18-year-old impressed Dubas, the coaching staff, teammates, and fans alike with what appeared to be pro-readiness at such a young age.
In fact, he impressed so much that he hung around camp until the very end, when the Penguins elected to keep McGroarty on the roster instead due to several factors such as the injury situation, McGroarty’s impressive camp, and the already-existing logjam on defense. But even though McGroarty got the edge in the end – and Brunicke had to be sent back to juniors – the young defenseman made a pretty strong impression and nearly earned a nine-game trial with the NHL club.
If he finds that level again this time around – or if he bests his camp from last year – he may just force the Penguins’ hand. If they are as committed to the youth movement as they seem to be, Brunicke would, at least, get the nine-game trial in that case – especially since sending him back to junior hockey this season may not be the best thing for him, and the AHL/CHL rule change will likely not come into effect this season.
Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects 2025: Defenseman Exceeds Expectations, Eyes NHL Roster Spot
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.
The goaltending situation within the entire organization will be interesting to watch. But there is a particular battle in training camp that should provide a lot of intrigue.
Since Alex Nedeljkovic was dealt to the San Jose Sharks and Arturs Silovs was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks, the door has been opened to a legitimate battle for the second goaltending spot on the NHL roster. Tristan Jarry figures to be on the NHL roster, but Silovs and Joel Blomqvist both have an inside track at that other slot.
Who will come out on top? Silovs put together a remarkable Calder Cup campaign with the Abbotsford Canucks last season, and Blomqvist showed signs of potential in his first 2024-25 NHL stint. They’re just one year apart in age, and they have a similar degree of experience at the NHL level.
This battle is another one that’s wide-open, and the result could prove very consequential for either – especially with Sergei Murashov knocking on the door.
4 Penguins Who Could Surprise In 2025-26
It’s no secret that the expectations for the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t exactly sky-high this season. The team is somewhere in the midst of a rebuild, and there is uncertainty regarding the futures of several players on the roster.
If the young players really show out for camp, do not be surprised to see Dubas exercise waivers to move some of the veterans off of this roster.
Obviously, the big names would be safe, and guys like Tommy Novak and Anthony Mantha are unlikely to go anywhere. But anyone else? Well, it’s anyone’s guess.
Veterans such as Danton Heinen, Kevin Hayes, and Noel Acciari are not guaranteed a roster spot. Even younger players like Connor Dewar and Philip Tomasino – both just signed to one-year deals this summer – are not. Simply put, if a guy like Hallander plays well enough to earn a spot on the team, he is not going to be blocked as was the case in years prior.
If the young guys earn it, they will be rewarded. So, expect to see one or two of the veterans waived after training camp.
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