Penguins Make Roster Even Clearer as Regular Season Approaches

The Pittsburgh Penguins had plenty to figure out coming into the pre-season, and with just two games remaining ahead of their regular season opener next Tuesday, there's still plenty of questions left unanswered.

Now, their roster for their latest pre-season tilt with the Buffalo Sabres has given us some insight on where they are headed, with some young talents expected to push for a significant role in 2025/26.

While the likes of Crosby, Rust, Rakell, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson are locked into the roster, there are many spots up for grabs, and ahead of their matchup with Buffalo, they've revealed a lineup that is full of young players fighting for a roster spot.

Perhaps the most surprising piece of this puzzle is 2025 first-round pick Ben Kindel, who has starred in the pre-season, and while many expected him to head back to the WHL at some point, he's making a case to be on the opening night roster this season.

Beyond that, the Penguins still have Harrison Brunicke, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes and Owen Pickering among other young names on the roster, showing that Dan Muse is a man of his word, and is truly giving the young players a chance to earn their role.

On top of that, there are plenty of veterans still having to earn their spots this season, and given the state of the Penguins organization, it's clear that Muse is trying to instill competition for every single spot, something that's on clear display as the regular season approaches.