Hockey is Coming! Penguins September Schedule & What to Watch

There will be no need to wake you up when September ends. With the calendar flip, we countdown the days to the autumnal equinox, shorter days, and hockey season. With the falling leaves, the Pittsburgh Penguins will begin their 2024-25 campaign in less than two weeks.

While they have not yet announced their training camp schedule, it usually follows the Prospects Challenge by a few days. We also know that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been in town and skating at the UPMC Lemieux Complex this summer.

Prospects Challenge

The Penguins will compete against three other teams from September 13-16 at the Harbor Center in Buffalo, which is the side rink and practice facility connected to Key Bank Arena.

Penguins hockey begins in 10 days.

• Friday, Sept. 13: Penguins vs. Boston 12 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 14: Penguins vs. Ottawa, 12 p.m.
• Monday, Sept. 16: Penguins vs. Buffalo, 5 p.m.

If you’d like to check out the Friday or Saturday early game, or make a road trip to see some of the prospects in preseason games, use Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Hotels.com referral page offers some discounts. The Anchor Bars around Buffalo have a Weck and Wings special for $20, which we recommend. Or go to Charlie the Butcher’s, specifically famous for their Beef on Weck.

On the ice, PHN can confirm some of the Penguins’ top prospects were in town last week, training at the UPMC Lemieux Complex.

The Prospects Challenge was to be another good look at 2023 first-round pick Brayden Yager. However, it will now be our first good look at newly acquired winger Rutger McGroarty, whom the Penguins acquired for Yager on Aug. 22.

“I was promised a spot on the prospects tournament roster, that’s it,” quipped McGroarty at his introductory press conference last week.

In addition to McGroarty, the Prospects Challenge roster will also include 2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering, fluid skating defender Harrison Brunicke, who was drafted 44th overall in June, and Russian goalie Sergei Murashov, who decided to leave Russia and signed his entry-level contract on July 30.

Read More: Penguins Announce Prospects Tournament Roster

Penguins Training Camp

Of course, not long after training camp begins, the preseason games will begin. The Penguins will have a full training camp roster and more than enough players on NHL contracts, as well as a handful of new prospects participating in camp and fighting for opportunities in the preseason.

Last year, training camp began on the Thursday following the tournament. If the same schedule holds this year, training camp will begin on or about Sept. 19. However, the Penguins’ first preseason game is Sept. 21 in Buffalo. followed by a home game against Buffalo on Sept. 24.

So, it’s entirely possible the Penguins camp will begin earlier this year.

Penguins September Schedule

• Saturday, Sept. 21: Penguins at Buffalo 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 24: Buffalo at Penguins, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 28: Penguins at Detroit, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 29: Ottawa at Penguins 7 p.m.