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The talk of the town in Pittsburgh right now might be 11th overall pick Ben Kindel, as he appears primed to make the final cut on the Penguins’ NHL roster.

But there is another Penguins’ 2025 first-round pick who is garnering some attention early on in his season as well.

Center Will Horcoff – selected 24th overall by the Penguins in this year’s draft – got off to a roaring start for the University of Michigan Friday night. Horcoff recorded a natural hat trick during an 11-1 win against Mercyhurst, and he did it in style.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Horcoff, 19, is playing in his first full season with Michigan. He joined the team mid-season last year and was the youngest player in the NCAA, compiling four goals and 10 points in 18 games.

The big centerman is expected to take a step forward with the Wolverines this season playing on the team’s first line alongside TJ Hughes and Jayden Perron. Other notable players suiting up for Michigan this season include Malcolm Spence – selected 43rd by the New York Rangers in 2025 – and Michael Hage, who was selected in the first round (21st overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in 2024.

Horcoff – the son of NHL alumni Shawn Horcoff – was one of three first-round selections by the Penguins this season, with the others being Kindel and forward Bill Zonnon (22nd overall).

‘Weâ€re Thrilled With The Players That We Have’: 3 Takeaways From Penguins’ Day One Draft
Day One of the 2025 NHL Draft is officially wrapped, and the Pittsburgh Penguins were certainly one of the more active teams in the first round.

Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

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The Pittsburgh Penguins held their first scrimmage of training camp on Wednesday.

The scrimmage lasted approximately an hour, with one 25-minute period held at the Covestro Rink and the other at the FedEx Rink. Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Avery Hayes were on the top line for Team Black, while Evgeni Malkin, Anthony Mantha, and Danton Heinen were on the top line for Team White.

Team White won the scrimmage by two, 5-3, thanks to a hat trick from Kris Letang. He was everywhere on the ice, skating methodically and showcasing his shot throughout. After Sam Poulin opened the scoring for Team Black, Letang scored the next two goals to give Team White a 2-1 lead.

Letang’s second goal was especially impressive, beating Jarry with a one-timer that went in and out of the net in what felt like a millisecond. He later got a hat trick on a penalty shot after getting tripped near the boards. Letang was paired with Ryan Graves for most of the scrimmage and skated fluidly throughout.

Outside of Letang, let’s look at a few other players who stood out during the scrimmage.

The entire Heinen-Malkin-Mantha line

Evgeni Malkin was on the top line for Team White and his line was living in the offensive zone during the scrimmage. He set up Danton Heinen with a sick behind-the-back pass near the boards for a mini breakaway and Heinen buried the puck to give his team a 3-2 lead.

Letang would later get the eventual game-winning goal, but Anthony Mantha would put the exclamation point on the game at the end of the second period with a snipe past Maxim Pavlenko to make it 5-3. Pavlenko played the entire secon period after Tristan Jarry played the first.

Training camp has only been going for a week, but due to the chemistry that Malkin and Mantha already have, it would be a surprise if they didn’t start the season together on the second line.

Sam Poulin

Poulin opened the scoring for Team with a nice shot that beat Sergei Murashov five-hole in the opening period. Outside of that, he played a methodical game and was on a line with Gabe Klassen and Boko Imama.

Even though it was only a scrimmage, Poulin needed a performance like this since he looked rough during Monday’s preseason game against the Canadiens. He now needs it to translate to other preseason games since he’s still likely on the outside looking in for a full-time roster spot.

Sergei Murashov

After he was arguably the Penguins’ best player during Monday’s preseason game, Murashov carried that momentum into Wednesday’s scrimmage.

He played the entire scrimmage since Joel Blomqvist is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and made a tremendous save on Crosby when it looked like he had a sure goal from about 10-15 feet out. Murashov flashed the glove on Crosby, which drew some nice cheers from the crowd that was on hand to watch the scrimmage. His positioning was also rock-solid during both periods.

Murashov continues to be the best goaltender at training camp, but it remains to be seen if he crack the opening night roster. This isn’t a prospect that the Penguins want to rush.

The Penguins will play their second preseason game on Wednesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Puck drop will be at 7 p.m. ET, and fans can watch the game live on the Penguins’ official website.

Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

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Tuesday’s title vs. title match between NXT champion Oba Femi and TNA world champion Trick Williams ended in a no contest before chaos erupted in a massive brawl.

All hell broke loose when Williams sauntered to Mike Santana, who was sitting at the announce table, and slapped him on the side of his head. Santana didn’t take kindly to that whatsoever and immediately attacked Williams.

The bell then rang, signifying the end of the match. However, that didn’t symbolize the end of the action. TNA and NXT wrestlers then rushed to the ring and fought each other.

In the midst of the violence, there was a moment of serene peace. Ricky Saints calmly walked over to the WWE NXT Championship belt and picked it up, fiercely determined to win it on Saturday at No Mercy. Femi then caught Saints’ act, grabbed the title and stared his foe down with the belt held high as the show faded to black.

On last week’s Homecoming episode of NXT at Full Sail University, a special edition of the Grayson Waller Effect took place with Femi and Ricky Saints as the guests ahead of their scheduled NXT title match at No Mercy.

During the segment, Williams interrupted and made it clear that he wanted to win back the NXT Championship that he held twice before.

Amid the conversation between Femi and Williams, Waller took several shots at TNA, which prompted a number of TNA stars to make disgruntled posts on social media about NXT’s treatment of TNA.

After Trick and Oba exchanged words, they agreed to have a winner-take-all match this week on NXT with both the NXT Championship and TNA World Championship on the line.

Since the start of 2025, Femi and Williams have locked horns on numerous occasions, and the NXT title has been at the heart of their rivalry.

Oba won a Triple Threat match against Trick and Eddy Thorpe at New Year’s Evil back in January to win the NXT Championship for the first time, and Femi later successfully defended it in a Triple Threat against Williams and Je’Von Evans at Stand & Deliver in April.

When they met on Tuesday, the stakes were higher than ever before since titles from two different companies were on the line, placing the future of both NXT and TNA in the palm of their hands.

Because of the importance of the match and the unhappiness TNA wrestlers expressed last week, there was seemingly a good chance that they would get involved in some form or fashion.

That is exactly what happened (albeit after Williams instigated the entire affair), resulting in no clear winner, and paving the way for Femi vs. Saints for the NXT Championship to happen Saturday at No Mercy as originally scheduled.

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With a potential TNA invasion looming, a big interpromotional title vs. title match headlines WWE NXT tonight.

NXT Champion Oba Femi and TNA World Champion Trick Williams will clash with both of their titles on the line. It’s a winner-take-all match where the winner will leave with both belts. However, we could potentially see the TNA roster get involved in things. Last week saw the TNA talent — led by Bound for Glory title challenger Mike Santana — voice their displeasure on social media over how NXT is treating them.

Tonight’s NXT is the go-home show for No Mercy. At the PLE, Ricky Saints has a title shot scheduled against tonight’s Femi vs. Williams winner.

We’ll find out Speed Women’s Champion Sol Ruca’s No Mercy challenger tonight when Candice LeRae and Lainey Reid meet in the finals of a number one contender’s tournament.

Plus, Myles Borne and Lexis King continue their rivalry in a Lights Out match.

Join us for live coverage beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

After recapping last week’s Homecoming, the show begins with footage from earlier today of NXT Champion Oba Femi and TNA World Champion Trick Williams arriving to the building.

NXT is on the air from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando, and in front of a live studio audience.

Lexis King slides in from stage right aboard his gimmicked throne. Fog covers his feet on the stage. Myles Borne enters and flips a switch, and the arena light go dark. Under only spotlights, Borne attacks King. The “lights out” match is underway, and the lights are indeed out.

Myles Borne vs. Lexis King in a lights out match

Both combatants are dressed in street clothes. Borne in combat pants, and King is dressed in what appeared to be a homage to his father, Brian Pillman.

The lights are dim in the sound stage, and the ring is lit by only spotlights. The match is no disqualification, and weapons come into play early on. Metal folding chairs and trash cans are used early on. Tables and the ring steps are used later on.

They brawl through a commercial break, and they brawl around ringside. King threatens to Pillmanize, but Borne fights back and sends King crashing through the barricade. The ring steps soon come into play. Back in the ring, a table is set up and a section of the ring steps. Borne also whips King with a belt.

King is setting up for a spot on the stairs when Borne counters and DDT’s King on the steps. Borne then leaps off the stairs with a Borne Again that puts King through a table. Borne then covers King for a pinfall.

Match result: Myles Borne defeated Lexis King via pinfall in a lights out match

— Robert Stone and Stevie Turner are backstage for a skit in Ava’s office. Ava is in England and on speaker phone with Stone and Turner. Stone informs her that TNA wrestlers are walking around backstage. Stone ask Ava if she invited them, but Ava soon hangs up due to bad cell service. Not before Ava tells them she has confidence in them.

— NXT North American Champion Ethan Page is walking towards the Gorilla Position on his way to the ring for the next segment, when the show comes back from a commercial break. Meanwhile, TNA talent is seen lurking backstage.

Ethan Page issues a challenge to Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.

Page grabs a microphone after entering the ring. The audio feed is muted several times, presumably because of foul language chanted by the studio audience. Page hints at such as well.

In the audience is El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., or is he? Page cuts a promo on him. “Wagner” stands up, and Page challenges him to a fight right now.

A referee comes to the ring and the match is on.

Ethan Page vs. “El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.” (Tavion Heights in disguise)

“Wagner” makes quick work of Page, and “Wagner” locks in an angle lock submission hold. Page taps out for a submission.

Match result: “El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.” defeated Ethan Page

Afterwards, “Wagner” unmasks as Tavion Heights. Page defends against Heights on Saturday at No Mercy.

— A locker room skit sets up a match later on between Jordynne Garce and Arianna Grace.

Candice LeRae vs. Lainey Reid in the WWE Speed Womenâ€s Championship #1 Contender Tournament Final

The match was fast-paced since it was so short, which is typical of a Speed match. Both looked great going the ring before going to the finish, as they go home with under a minute remaining in the match. They trade near falls when Reid counters LeRae . Reid levels LeRae with a knees strike, and Reid scores a pinfall.

Match result: Lainey Reid defeated Candice LeRae via pinfall to win the tournament

In winning, Reid earns a title shot against Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca on Saturday at No Mercy.

— Jaida Parkers cuts a promo on Lash Legend.

Jordynne Grace vs. Arianna Grace

The battle of Graces was more of a showcase for Jordynne than Arianna. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo appears at ringside after the match to console Arianna. Just before going home, Grace fires up with a series of short-arm clotheslines. Grace then lifts Arianna into a Torture Rack, and she sends Arianna crashing to the mat with a powerbomb.

Match result: Jordynne Grace defeated Arianna Grace via pinfall.

Blake Monroe enters the sound stage after the match, and she storms the ring with a bunch of weapons. She grabs a kendo stick wrapped in pink fabric. Grace grabs a chair, and they dual with the weapons. Grace then double-legs Monroe and they brawl on the mat as referees and security runs out to break up the impromptu fight.

Robert Stone and Stevie Turner come out to declare the Grace-Monroe match at No Mercy is weapons match inside of a steel cage! Grace and Monroe celebrate the news by resuming their pull-apart brawl.

— Lainey Reid is interviewed by Kelly Kincaid. Reid vows to win the North American title on Saturday. The Fatal Influence trio confront Reid after the interview.

NXT Women’s Champ Jacy Jayne is face-to-face with Lola Vice

Jacy Jayne, with her NXT Women’s Championship belt over her shoulder, enters for an in-ring promo. Jayne cut a great promo on Lola Vice. This was great business, and it got better when Lola Vice enters to confront Jayne.

Champion and challenger go face-to-face in the ring. Vice cuts a promo on Jayne. These two play off each other really well, and this was a helluva go-home segment. Jayne finally goes over the line by bringing up Vice’s family, and Vice lays her out with a spinning back fist. Great stuff here.

— Josh Briggs is the focus of a personality profile sponsored by an insurance company.

Joe Hendry, Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors vs. Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin & Saquon Shugars in a six-man tag team match

Hendry teams up with Chase U against Darkstate in this trios match. In the babyface corner was Andre Chase, while Darkstate’s Cutler James was in the heels corner.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

NXT TV RESULTS
SEPTEMBER 23, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
LIVE ON CW NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

NXT Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Booker T

Ring Announcer: Mike Rome

Backstage Correspondent(s): Sarah Schreiber

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST

-Tonight’s show, a go-home show for No Mercy, opened with recaps from last week’s special Homecoming episode.

(1) MYLES BORNE vs. LEXIS KING – Lights Out match

The two fought outside the ring before anyone could be properly introduced, and the ref didn’t call for the bell until they got to the ring, with a chair and a trash can. Vic mentioned this is the third Lights Out match in NXT history. I’ve seen every match they ever aired, so apparently I’ve blocked the other two out. Tonight’s match is just a street fight in low light, and both guys can very clearly see one another, so I’m not sure what good the stipulation is doing (but it’s something different to look at, which is fun enough). The chair got involved early and often, with both men taking bumps off of it within the first two and a half minutes.

King slowed it down with a chinlock, then slammed Borne onto the chair for two. King repeatedly pasted Borne with the trash can as Vic tried to justify the match stipulation by saying “you can hardly see these two at times,” which was completely false. Borne caught King with a scoop slam leading to the first split-screen break. [c]

Upon return, Vic said “we can hardly see right in front of us.” I have my issues with Vic, but there is no way he’d say something so blatantly idiotic without being fed to do so. The action spilled outside, where Vic’s candy stash had somehow been strewn about the announce table side. The two jockeyed for position until Borne monkey flipped King into a corner post, where King had trapped a chair between ropes. King quickly took the power back by charging Borne into the steel steps. There was a “this is awesome” chant by a…very generous crowd. King trapped Borne’s head in a chair and went to slam on it, but Borne moved, then charged King into and through a barricade, drawing the chant that CW loves to mute to kill the momentum for those of us at home.

King set up the lower steps inside the ring, then went out to get Borne, who repeatedly used a leather belt on King. King managed a superkick and walked Borne up the small steps, where a table was set up nearby. He tried to suplex Borne through the table, but Borne switched and hit a DDT on the steps. Borne hopped up onto the steps and hit Borne Again on King through the corporate branded table, after which Vic said “He snapped into it!” Oh boy. Borne got the pinfall victory.

WINNER: Myles Borne at 11:48.

(Wells’s Analysis: It was a standard street fight, except the lights were low. It had plenty in common with every other semi-short-form street fight, and with the face winning, maybe the feud is over now. It’s great that Borne has had something to do to continue getting TV minutes, but it would be nice to see him move up the card again, as he did some really good stuff with Oba Femi. King was strong throughout the feud as well, and feels as if he’s in his final form of being a more irritating Miz on the main roster before long)

-Rob Stone and Stevie Turner talked about TNA wrestlers arriving at the show. They tried to ask Ava via phone whether she invited them, but Ava’s phone was apparently cutting out and she said “I trust you two to figure it out.” [c]

-Ethan Page hit the ring. Fans chanted “asshole,” which CW bothered to mute. Nobody cares about that word, CW. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. was at ringside, and Page called him out as having “screwed him out of his victory” at Worlds Collide. He personally invited the “hombre,” as he called him, to No Mercy, but called for him to hit the ring now. Wagner did so, and he throttled Page easily, and a ref showed up to count a tapout by Page. Was that a real match? Wagner ripped off his mask, and it was actually Tavion Heights, who had the upper hand ahead of their match at No Mercy.

-Jordynne Grace and Arianna Grace, among others, were in the women’s locker room. Arianna was blathering about makeup and said something about wanting to make sure people knew she and Jordynne weren’t related, and Jordynne said later on, they can show people just how different they are in the ring. Arianna freaked out as Jordynne walked off.

-Candice Lerae was introduced ahead of the Speed Tournament final. [c]

-NASCAR’s Cole Custer, who forgot to bring a personality, introduced the women in the next match. After one awkward pause, Vic said “Hell of a racer…hell of a ring announcer.”

(2) CANDICE LERAE vs. LAINEY REID – Winner faces Sol Ruca for the Speed Championship next week at No Mercy

Sol Ruca and Zaria were on the perch. Ruca held up a “boo” sign when Reid was introduced. Lei Ying Lee (formerly Xia Li in WWE) and Xia Brookside were shown walking through the back. Action was fast and furious as the backdrop demands, and midway through the match, Lerae trapped Reid in a crossface. Reid broke free, then broke a pinning combo with a bridge, and they each went for pins and cot two counts. Reid hit a flash knee for the victory.

WINNER: Lainey Reid at 2:25.

(Wells’s Analysis: Not much to say when the matches are so short, but the knee looked like it connected pretty good. The invitational tournament ends with the NXT wrestler winning, but she doesn’t have much of a personality yet beyond snotty. That’s genuinely a great start, but hopefully we start to see something more now that she’s got a match with Ruca lined up)

-Jaida Parker cut a pre-recorded promo on Lash Legend. She said she gave her the reality check she needs, and this ain’t over by a long shot.

-Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley bonded in the back over losing friends. Paxley started playing with Valkyria’s hair, and Valkyria said “you’re weird, but you’re consistently weird, and I need that in my life.” Izzi Dame showed up with one of Paxley’s Barbie dolls and said she dropped it. She said Valkyria left her once, and would do it again.

-Jordynne Grace was introduced ahead of her match with Arianna Grace. [c]

-Vic promoted John Cena’s last appearances in Boston and New York City.

-Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors were checking up on a banged-up Andre Chase and Chase brought in Sam Mayer and Cole Custer to talk about going fast while being safe. Custer had a racing helmet on. Mayer teased saying Joe Hendry’s name but couldn’t remember it. Finally Dixon mentioned it, and “Custer” took off his helmet, and it was Hendry. DarkState said they’d meet in a six-man tonight. Cutler James looked at Mayer and said he’d see a car crash tonight.

(3) JORDYNNE GRACE vs. ARIANNA GRACE

Arianna jumped Jordynne before the bell for a cheap leg up. The ref got separation and called for the bell. Arianna worked Jordynne over with some basic slowed-down offense but Jordynne trapped her and slammed her against the corner. She hit the Direct Effect shortly afterward. This was shorter than the Speed match that preceded it by a couple of seconds.

WINNER: Jordynne Grace at 2:23.

Outside, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo was checking on Arianna in an obviously semi-sensual manner, continuing the background tease where they were flirting a couple of weeks ago. The camera focused elsewhere, and Blake Monroe showed up and brawled. Stone and Turner showed up and Turner called out that they’d have a Weapons match on Saturday, and Stone raised the stakes by putting it in a cage.

-Kelly Kincaid talked to Lainey Reid, who had a basic but decent promo about her match with Sol Ruca on Saturday. Fatal Influence walked by, and Jacy Jayne congratulated Reid and wished her luck Saturday. She then left Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx behind her and said she’d handle Lola Vice herself. Henley turned to Nyx and said “She can’t be serious.” [c]

[HOUR TWO]

-Jacy Jayne cut a promo in the ring mostly on the fans, saying they called her a third wheel, beatable, and a transitional champion. She said it was funny that Lola Vice could possibly be the one to knock her off. She said Vice had improved immensely, but shouldn’t be holding the Women’s Championship. (True, but Vice isn’t exactly alone there). She said Lola isn’t the underdog in this story – Jayne is. She said while Lola was shaking her ass, Jayne was busting her ass.

Vice hit the ramp and said Jayne was just another person talking about her ass, but at least she has an ass to shake. Is this World Championship material yet? Vice did indeed call Jayne out as a Toxic Third Wheel. She said a year ago she was emotional when she got a shot against Roxanne Perez, but this time it’s different. She said she’s more than a fighter – she’s a professional wrestler. She pandered to the crowd and said it’s for the people who always believed in her. She said it’s fitting that it’s called “No Mercy” because that’s what she’ll show Jayne when she beats her ass.

Jayne said she knows she’ll get beat up, but Vice is too preoccupied with pleasing everyone and somehow, Jayne will walk out with the title. She said afterward, Vice will look her parents in the eyes and all the sacrifices they made for her were for nothing. She said she’d walk out knowing she was her family’s biggest disappointment. Vice swiftly rotated and backfisted Jayne, who sold it like death and lay motionless as Vice held up the Women’s Championship belt. This was a pretty okay hype segment, but the match is still Jacy Jayne vs. Lola Vice.

-The six-man tag is up next. [c]

-In a branded segment, Josh Briggs cut on fans, “damn seat-fillers,” who said he didn’t connect with people. He said people just don’t get it and want approval, like JeVon Evans. He said the approval he’s chasing makes him weak. He said he doesn’t care if he connects with you as long as his boot connects with Evans’ face. He said all he cares about is the 1-2-3. Another in a series of strong promos for Briggs.

(4) JOE HENDRY & KALE DIXON & URIAH CONNORS (w/Andre Chase) vs. DARKSTATE (Dion Lennox & Osiris Griffin & Saquon Shugars) (w/Cutler James)

For a third time tonight, heels jumped before the bell. We settled into Connors being the early face in peril as DarkState nade frequent tags. Dixon made the tag and he and Lennox had a nice sequence as the audience tried on a “Chase U/DarkState” dueling chant that was honestly about 50-50. Andre must be wondering where it all went wrong. Hendry tagged in and soon after, everyone got involved. The faces cleared the ring of the heels and Dixon hit Shugars & Lennox with a plancha. Hendry and his partners all did a Hendry twisting pose and the match went to commercial with no split-screen. [c]

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