Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Penguins recall Filip Hallander for further testing and name Arturs Silovs the starter vs Vegas
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Josh Yohe says Arturs Silovs starts vs Vegas, and Filip Hallander's IR recall adds more Pittsburgh Penguins stress.
Silovs has earned it.
Yohe noted he has allowed only 16 goals in his last eight starts, and that kind of calm has been rare in Pittsburgh lately.
The Penguins need calm because this is a heavyweight game, not a schedule-filler.
They enter Sunday at 30-15-13, with Vegas close behind at 28-17-14.
Here's the exact Yohe post, and yes, it is a big deal for how this staff is thinking.
Silovs is 24, drafted in 2019, sixth round, 156th overall by Vancouver, and Pittsburgh acquired him by trade on July 13, 2025.
That's not a résumé that screams "automatic starter," which makes today's vote of confidence even louder.
Arturs Silovs and the Pittsburgh Penguins chase stability
You can feel the fanbase bracing for the first soft goal, because we've watched too many nights swing on one bad bounce.
Tactically, the key is rebound control, because Vegas lives off second looks and quick slot touches.
Now the other shoe: Hallander's rehab hit a speed bump, and that matters for the bottom-six and the forecheck.
Hallander is 25, drafted in 2018, second round, 58th overall by Pittsburgh, and the club has already said his blood clot diagnosis meant a minimum three-month absence.
If he cannot ramp up soon, Pittsburgh's depth becomes a nightly patchwork, especially when the schedule tightens in March.
So this game is simple: Silovs gives them a chance, the skaters keep Vegas out of the middle, and the Penguins stop borrowing trouble from their own blue line.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Pittsburgh Penguins explore center trade market as Sidney Crosby absence tests playoff race
Pittsburgh Penguins explore center trade market as Sidney Crosby absence tests playoff race
| POLL | ||
MARS 1|147 ANSWERS Penguins recall Filip Hallander for further testing and name Arturs Silovs the starter vs Vegas Should Arturs Silovs stay the Pittsburgh Penguins' starter through March? | ||
| Yes | 119 | 81 % |
| No | 28 | 19 % |
| List of polls | ||