Listen, we just got some breaking news at Penguins practice about Ben Kindel. I have no idea if I can update this blog with my thoughts from tomorrow’s matchup against the Washington Capitals, but if I can, I will, if not look for a separate blog detailing how this blogs title forward fared.

In the previous few days a few major things happened:

• Justin Brazeau (4 weeks), Tristan Jarry (3 weeks), and Noel Acciari (3 weeks) all went onto the IR
• Danton Heinen (meh), Ryan Graves (trash), and Sergei Murashov (Russian Fleury) were all recalled and Owen Pickering was returned to Wilkes Barre
• The Penguins blew a 3 goal third period league (I may never recover from this)
• Filip Hallander missed a glorious chance in the first period set up by Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby
• Ben Kindel scored two goals and played over 22 minutes including on the top power-play and the 6-5 situation at the end of the game.

All of that leads us to today where the Pittsburgh Penguins are currently practicing and we got our first look at what the lines will be after the injuries, which also includes top line forward Rickard Rakell (8 weeks). I have posted the lines below:

Ben Kindel – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha – Evgeni Malkin – Tommy Novak
Phil Tomasino – Danton Heinen – Ville Koivunen
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Filip Hallander/Kevin Hayes

Parker Wotherspoon – Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea – Kris Letang
Ryan Graves – Connor Clifton
Matt Dumba – Harrison Brunicke

Obviously, one thing absolutely jumps off the page. BEN KINDEL 11th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is slotted next to Sidney Crosby on the 1st line. Some people have noted that removing him from his third line slot makes this team much weaker down the middle. That might be true, but Heinen isn’t going to hurt you playing there, he’s kind of a nothing burger but to be honest while the analytics have been good, the third line hasn’t really lit it up (on the score sheet) because Novak and Koivunen have both been off to really unimpressive and underwhelming starts. Filip Hallander is a fine player, but he can’t finish and is more suited for a bottom six role (we might have a new Dominik Simon on our hands). Hallander was ultimately hurting this team’s most important line so why not take your first-round pick and staple him next to Sidney Crosby? We have seen plenty of evidence to support Kindel can play in all three zones strikingly well for an 18-year-old, so the matchups shouldn’t pose a problem. Kindel can shot the puck, and we all know 87 can get him the puck a hell of a lot better than his previous linemates. You also have to think longer term, what if this line actually clicks? Now you have the ability to have a third line of McGroarty-Rakell-Koivunen, or it frees up the ability to trade Rakell without damaging the Penguins ability to make the playoffs. All and all, I LOVE this idea.

Other thoughts on today’s lines from practice

• I know I stated Novak has struggled a little to start the season. However, he has played better over the last couple of games. Tomasino on the other hand? He just doesn’t have it and should not be on this team when it’s healthy. I thinking putting Novak on Geno’s line makes a lot of sense and could help continue Malkin’s resurgence.
• That third line is going to be what it has been for the past few seasons, boring. If Koivunen finds his AHL game or NHL game from April of last year there is hope, but if not don’t expect much from them (McGroarty needs to get healthy in the worst way)
• Kevin Hayes is healthy but that doesn’t mean he should be in the lineup. The Penguins have injected so much team speed this year and I don’t mean to be hyperbolic but with the singular addition of Kevin Hayes I think that would all get wiped away. Maybe get him into one game so you can convince Jim Rutherford to take him off your hands since Vancouver desperately needs center help
• We are going to see Ryan Graves play hockey again on Thursday and the thought of that makes me want to vomit. Maybe the stint in the AHL will have helped him find hockey Jesus and I will be pleasantly surprised?
• Connor Clifton has not fared well in his couple of games this year. The Penguins did get abused in front of the net the last few games and Clifton is this roster’s best deterrent for that so I guess I see the vision, but I’d rather see Dumba or Brunicke take that spot.
• Speaking of Brunicke, he will be eating nachos again (or at least it seems). I understand the thought process of having him around all the Hall of Fame talent and a coaching staff that was brought in specifically for players of Brunicke’s age, but the kid needs to play hockey to get better. If he is consistently going to be sitting out, sit him for five games and let him go on his “conditioning stint” in Wilkes Barre for a couple weeks to sure up his defensive game. While he has been rather atrocious in the D-zone in his last four games, the talent is obvious, so the team needs to figure out a plan that doesn’t include playing only 1 or 2 games every week.
• We won’t know until tomorrow who starts in goal, but Sergei Murashov should get the nod. Throw the kid right into the fire. Goalies are always hard to project but this kid has been a stud from day one at every single level he has played. He’s your future so why not see how he fares against the leagues all time goalscoring leader Alex Ovechkin?

I will either update this tomorrow with some game thoughts or post like I said at the beginning of the blog.

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