Big 4 keys as Pens open season in Philadelphia

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pens begin the 2026-27 season where the previous one ended Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Every year brings questions, here is a look at four big keys as the Pens look to take another step back under second-year head coach Dan Muse.

New goalie look

• Arturs Silovs goes in as the number one goalie, although that moniker holds less weight than in some years with the opportunity for more of a split, or for 22-year-old Sergei Murashov to win that job. It’s hard to find a person who covers or is associated with the Penguins that doesn’t believe Murashov is the real deal. Last year in the Calder Cup Playoffs, Murashov had a 2.11 goals against average and .931 save percentage. Let’s also remember Silovs is only 25 and still may have his best hockey ahead of him.

Line combinations/Defensive pairings

These obviously will change when a few players return and other injuries that will happen over the course of a season. Here is how they will likely start

Nick Robertson-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell

• Robertson brings speed, although injured Bryan Rust might eventually work his way back to the top line

Egor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin

• This line produced last year after Chinakhov arrived from Columbus. It should be an inspired Malkin with Andrei Kuzmenko (out for personal reasons) as an option if it doesn’t flow—Kuzmenko will find a spot somewhere

Filip Hallander-Hendrix Lapierre-Ville Koivunen

• With Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau out with injuries, this line could look a lot different when they are healthy

Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Elmer Soderblom

• Last year the Pens got exceptional play out of the fourth line, Lizotte and Dewar were huge parts of that. Soderblom needs to use his size (6’8”, 254 pounds).

Defensive pairings

Declan Carlile-Erik Karlsson

• Karlsson is coming off his best Pens season and works with a new partner

Trevor van Riemsdyk-Kris Letang

• TVR is working on his off side, this pair has combined to play 1,986 NHL games

Samuel Girard-Kaeden Korczak

• A third new pairing with Girard getting another shot with the 6’3” Korczak, who has a little sandpaper to his game

Young forwards

• Injuries are giving early opportunities to a couple of young forwards. Koivunen was signed to an 8-year contract in the offseason and immediately has a chance to prove himself. Hallander (6’2”, 207 and a lefty shot) is returning from injury. In his last full season in Sweden (2024-25), he had 26 goals and 27 assists in 51 games. Rutger McGroarty played 24 NHL games as a 21-year-old last year, he averaged over a point-per-game in the AHL last year. Avery Hayes is waiting in the wings.

Big 3 finale

• Thoughts of it existed in our minds last year, but it appears to be the final season for Crosby, Malkin and Letang. Never in the history of North American professional sports has a trio played together for a longer period of time. Both Crosby and Malkin enter the final years of their contract, Malkin signing a one-year deal this offseason. Crosby enters a season in his final contract season for the first time, but expectations are Crosby remains in Pittsburgh, potentially for a few more years. Malkin is the most emotional of the three, what will he bring in his final go round?

Following the season opener in Philadelphia Wednesday, the home opener against Montreal on Saturday.