Projecting the Penguins 2025-26 Lineup & Depth Chart
Impossible is the task is projecting the Pittsburgh Penguins starting lineup.
There are almost assuredly more trades coming, and those trades will unlikely be one-sided deals sending Penguins veterans one way purely in exchange for future assets. The only thing for certain that we can predict is the uncertainty.
However, as the Penguins approach mid-July, general manager Kyle Dubas has had the Draft and July 1 opportunities to continue remaking the roster, and the results have thus far centered on a few first-round picks rather than exits or acquisitions.
As currently constituted, the Penguins have too many forwards and too many defensemen, and perhaps not enough goalies ready for the big show.
For the purpose of projection, we are going to assume that Erik Karlsson is not a Penguins defenseman on opening night. That is not based on inside intel, but mere appearance.
Read More: Gauging Erik Karlsson’s Trade Value
Also, goaltending is quite hard to predict because the easy thing to project is Joel Blomqvist being the backup to Tristan Jarry. However, Blomqvist’s mid-season meltdown when called up to the NHL was troubling. He didn’t just give up too many goals–as all Penguins goalies did–but he was picked apart by shooters. And allowed too many soft goals, too.
Blomqvist has struggled over the last two years when the spotlight has been on him; in the 2024 AHL playoffs with an NHL spot riding on his performance, and last season when the job was his following the team placing Jarry on waivers.
He projects as the backup, but Dubas might be advised to have a veteran such as Alexander Georgiev on a PTO or weasel a cheap deal from former Vegas Golden Knights goalie Ilya Samsonov.
While not stacking wins will have benefits for the 2025-26 Penguins, losing games because of poor goaltending can be demoralizing, and there’s no reason to subject young players to a game in which their efforts are wasted.
However, to put a finer point at the end of the projections for the campaign, the goal is NOT to tank, though Dubas is also under no obligation, nor is it his objection to build the best team possible. There is a middle ground between spending assets for a few meaningless wins and tanking. That canyon of compromise between the two is digging for players who could be diamonds in the rough, giving players a chance to step out of the shadows, and inserting young players into the lineup.
Drop your projections in the comments below.
Projected Pittsburgh Penguins Lineup
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Ville Koivunen
Rutger McGroarty-Evgeni Malkin-Bryan Rust
Danton Heinen-Tomas Novak-Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
13th forward: Philip Tomasino
First Call Up: Tristan Broz
Demoted: Joona Koppanen, Justin Brazeau.
Wild Card: Filip Hallander. He essentially announced at mid-season that he would return to North America, so it would be unreasonable to assume he was promised an NHL spot to return. He could push his way into the top nine or be sent down to WBS for a bit more work.
Also, we don’t know where Kevin Hayes fits. He could be a third-line LW or waived.
Acciari and Heinen are needless veterans in the lineup that the team should clear. However, until they do, they’re in the lineup.
Defense
Owen Pickering-Kris Letang
Parker Wortherspoon-Harrison Brunicke
Ryan Shea-Connor Clifton
7th & 8th D: Jack St. Ivany, Ryan Graves
Demoted: Alex Alexeyev. Matt Dumba.
Inflection points: The Penguins could recoup more draft picks if they are able to reclaim the best of Dumba. However, it’s been several years, and it shouldn’t be expected. Alexeyev needs to play hockey, and he’s an ideal candidate to get heavy minutes and responsibility in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Wild Card: Will Graves be better with a new system, or will we see the tentative problematic defenseman who has essentially played his way out of the NHL despite a six-year contract with a $4.5 million salary cap hit?
I think the Penguins have reasons to keep Shea in the lineup, primarily because he’s been the most steady left-sider still under contract. However, he has size, a little bit of aggression, and some offensive ability. It’s time to take the training wheels off, not put him on the right side out of necessity, and let him reach his potential, whatever that might be.
When pen hits paper, it’s impossible not to put Brunicke in the lineup.
Goalies
Tristan Jarry
Joel Blomqvist
First Call Up: Sergei Murashov.
In fact, we think Murashov could be ready to take the Penguins’ net by mid-season, very much in the same way that Matt Murray once shoved aside everyone else and took the net.
Categorized:Penguins Penguins Lines Penguins Offseason Analysis Pittsburgh Penguins
I think Sam Poulan will get a heavy look this year with the new coaching staff. Weather he is 4th line center or on the wing I think it is a priority to give him serious nhl playing time this year now that Sullivan is out of the picture. He is physical and can score.
I’m sorry but nothing about Poulin points to him getting regular playing time. He’s had plenty of chances and he never does anything with them.
I’d argue Sullivan never really gave him a chance Muse is hopefully not sully. Muse wasn’t my preferred option but he deserves a chance and I hope Dubas brought him in to give youth more playing time over washed up vets.
Let’s pray that more changes are coming!
Dan, safe travels!!!!!
Philip larson will get the backup role
Also forget hayes
Yeah, I added a line about him. Honestly, I have no idea where he fits.
Good spare part to keep scratched
I could see Heinen and Acciari being traded between now and the deadline. Heinen can play through the lineup and a playoff bound team should covet Acciari. Hayes seems like J. Carter in his final season, may play some games here and there but will probably see a lot of the press box or hit the waiver wire.
The Penguins once again have a glut of “meh” players, and you are actually missing two of them….no Imama and Hayes shown up there. I have a hard time envisioning Hallander leaving the SHL as the 2nd leading scorer to come play in the AHL. I think he has a spot somewhere in the lineup. In the forward group, I think that is the biggest issue…continuing to give 30 something aged vets with no future upside lineup spots over younger guys this team needs to determine if can be longer term pieces here. Similar to what was said on Hallander,… Read more »
Given the current layout, there isn’t space for Imama.
I agree there, Brazeau or Imama, not both.
Then why did we sign him?
An organizational depth chart has more than 13 forwards.
Ok thanks Dan
I get a thumbs down for asking a simple question lol
How would you feel about a third line of Novak-Broz-Heinen if Mantha ends up in the top 6? Maybe I’m over-estimating but if Broz is ready for the NHL that seems like a decent top 9 even without one of Rust/Rakell
I am a big proponent of Broz getting to find his ceiling, whatever that may be.
Broz is the most slept on prospect, mostly because he go mono. Prior to that he was the best player in WBS, bar none. He’d have gotten games last year if not for that terrible luck.
Somebody large and in front of the net- Crosby – Rust
Rakell (or whoever Rakell is traded for) – Malkin – Mcgroarty
Koivunen – Novak – Mantha
and your 4th line looks good haha.
Take some time to yourself.
We’ll still be here.
Love the stories & pics of your travels tho….
Man, I forgot all about Novak. I wonder if he slides into the top six if there’s another trade this offseason.
An interesting take without EK. I wonder about a projection without Raks and Rust? Mantha becomes top RW.
Koivunen-Crosby-Rust
Malkin-Novak-McGroarty
Hallander-Broz-Mantha
Brazeau-Lizzo-Tomasino
(Imama)
Wotherspoon-Letang
Shea-Clifton
Pickering-Brunicke
(Graves-St. Ivany)
Jarry
Blomqvist
Trade: Rakell, Heinen, Acciari, EK65
Waivers/Wilkes-Barre: Hayes, Dumba, Dewar, Alexeyev
Not sure about Hollander
I like him!
I really think they’ve got to find a way to get Hayes, Acciari, and Heinen off this team. I do not see a place for them at all anymore. They’re just taking roster spots from others.
And I agree about Brazeau getting demoted. Pens fans are under the misconception that he’s a tough physical presence but he’s not. His career high in penalty minutes is 16, he doesn’t even remotely play on the edge.
I pray this is not the line up! That’s a Sullivans line up 🙁
Crosby, Rakell, Koivenen line 1. Malkin,Rust,McGoraty line 2. Broz,Martha, Hallender line 3 . Lizotte,Poulin, Tomasino line 4. Pickering and Letang, Graves and Dumba , Clifton and Shea. Breinke plays college hockey. Dubas scatters the spare parts to the 4 corners of the world
Did they trade Karlsson and I missed it?
You’ll have to read the story again
I hope Dubas trades both Accari and Heinen.
I will almost guarantee the roster is way different than this what you have..
Rakell-Sid-Koivunen
Rutger-Geno-Rust
Heinen-Novak-Mantha
Imama-Acciari-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Tomisino
Hayes-Poulin
Graves-Letang
Pickering-Brunicke
Shea-Clifton
Wotherspoon-Dumba
Alexeyev-St Ivany
Koppanen, Broz and Hallander ready at a minutes notice
This is with Karlsson already traded which seems like is gonna happen.
More trades needed also……Graves, Rakell, Heinen, Hayes and possibly others.
This team might not win a bunch of games but with the right combination of players, they can be much harder to play against than recent seasons.
Samsonov is a free agent
Thank you.
Love this. Though Rakell & Ville seem like similar players as Rust and McGroarty seem like similar players. Prefer to separate them, IMO.
Rakell and Ville being the more true scorers. Rust and McGroarty being the more grinders and opportunists.
Yikes.
Ok, I hear you Dan in this, but have a few questions or thoughts for you. First off goalie area. Get it and understand about Bloom, but if you bring in another goalie aren’t you creating the same goalie jam log like last year and then 3 goalies in WB? Seems like Blooms will be included in a trade as an extra piece if Sergei is the real deal. Second, with Dubas history, can’t see Hayes being waived and sent down. Too much “respect” to send him to the AHL. Just don’t see it. I get the rest and not… Read more »
Why does everyone keep forgetting about Filip Larsson? He still has a year left I think he will fed to backup jarry and then flipped at the deadline. Murashov and blomqvist split in the AHL though gauthier was signed to an AHL deal so wonder what’s going on there.
I haven’t forgotten him. My scouting analysis just wasn’t that glowing where I pegged him as ready (or able?) for the NHL.
Here’s my lineup if the pens successfully deal rust, rakell and Karlsson.
Forwards:
Mcgroarty-Crosby-koviunen
Tomasino-Malkin-Mantha
Novak-Hayes-poulin
Dewar-Lizotte-heinen
Extras: acciari, Hallander
Sent down:Brazeau
First call up: Broz
Defense:
Pickering-Letang
Brunicke-Clifton
Dumba-Alexeyev
Extras: Graves
Sent down: wotherspoon, shea, st ivany
I really like the youth-vet dynamic on D and yes I’m keeping dumba up because the hope has to be to flip him for something at the deadline you gotta play him to do that. Graves still a lost cause unfortunately nothing you can do with his contract.
Goalie:
Jarry
Larsson
First call up: blomqvist
Yikes! So you got zero return for those three players? 😉
As well, if that’s the third line… oy! Give me Broz over Hayes every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I find it adorable you see koivunen as a top six option. I’ll wager a crisp Lincoln he’s a fourth liner. Also, first time head coach Kyle Dubas will definitely have his boy brazeau in the starting line up
For crying out loud it’s summer. Do we really need to hear about the Penguins 365 x 24, or is it just fodder to keep the blogs making money? It’s disheartening that it’s come to this.
If you’d like to take the summer off, great. Come back in September. So, don’t read it. Being mad at me for working seems pretty weird.