The Pittsburgh Penguins enter the 2025-26 season having gone three straight seasons without qualifying for the playoffs, and it appears likely to become four unless they exceed expectations.
They are still super talented up front, led by captain Sidney Crosby. He's still one of the best players in the NHL and is coming off three-straight 90+ point seasons. He may be 38, but he still has quite a bit left in the tank.
Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are coming off career-best seasons and look poised to start the season with the Penguins after being involved in trade rumors over the summer. They also still have 39-year-old Evgeni Malkin, who can still make some things happen and will likely have better linemates for this season. The other two spots in the top six will be up for grabs during training camp and the preseason.
There are other good players on this roster going into the season who have already had big seasons for the Penguins, but let's take a look at a few under-the-radar players who could break out this year.
Tommy Novak
Novak was acquired by the Penguins in the Michael Bunting trade before the 2025 NHL trade deadline and played only two games for the Penguins before suffering a season-ending injury. He finished the season with 13 goals and 22 points in 54 games.
He's now back to full health and has the makings of a player who can do it all. He can play third-line center, but he can also slide into the top six if necessary. There's a good chance that he and Malkin get some minutes together this season since Novak is an excellent distributor and an underrated finisher. Both elements work really well for Malkin's line.
Before this season, Novak finished the 2023-24 season with 18 goals and 45 points in 71 games. Six of those goals came on the power play, so expect him also to receive PP time this season, whether it's on the first or second unit.
Novak is someone who Penguins fans should be excited about for this season.
Arturs Silovs
Silovs was acquired by the Penguins on July 13 from the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and forward Chase Stillman. Silovs wasn't going to get much playing time with the Canucks next season due to their goaltending duo of Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen, so they found a new home for him.
Silovs will have the opportunity to compete for Tristan Jarry's backup spot and is coming off an outstanding run in the Calder Cup Playoffs, winning the MVP and leading the Abbotsford Canucks to the Calder Cup title. He finished the playoffs with 16 wins, a 2.01 goals-against average, and a .931 save percentage.
He's still only 24 and has also already played in some big games for Team Latvia at the World Championships and for the NHL's Canucks in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He helped his country win Bronze at the 2023 World Championships and has a knack for playing well in big games.
If that play in big games can translate to the NHL for a full season, he'll have a good chance of earning a new contract with the Penguins since he's a restricted free agent after the season.
Penguins Name New Roving Coach To Organizational StaffThePittsburgh Penguins have made yet another new hire on their organizational coaching staff.
Filip Hallander
I've said this before, but fans shouldn't sleep on Hallander going into the season, considering his performance over the last two years in the SHL (Swedish Hockey League). He looked like a different player in Sweden, finishing this past season with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games. His 53 points ranked second in the league, and his goals also ranked second.
His all-around game significantly improved during the last couple of years in Sweden, following two seasons in North America with the Penguins' organization. The Penguins picked him in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft, but he didn't get to North America until the 2021-22 season.
After this past season, Hallander signed a contract with the Penguins at the end of April and is ready to fight for a full-time spot in the lineup. If he can bring over what he did in Sweden to the Penguins, they may find themselves with a solid depth contributor for pennies on the dollar.
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