Evgeni Malkin joined Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson on the top power play unit in October 2026 after a two-game skid, while general manager Kyle Dubas relies heavily on veterans for early-season scoring.
Penguins Restructure Top Power Play Unit
Following consecutive defeats to the Winnipeg Jets and the Washington Capitals, the Pittsburgh Penguins shifted their tactical approach at an October morning skate in Columbus. The adjustments brought Evgeni Malkin onto the first power play unit after he previously operated with the second group.
The updated top unit pairs Malkin alongside Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, Ben Kindel, and Erik Karlsson. Tommy Novak moved to the second unit, which now features Egor Chinakhov, Bryan Rust, a rotating spot for Hendrix Lapierre or Ville Koivunen, and Kris Letang.
The tactical change arrived while the team converted 30.8 percent of its power plays early in the season, going 4-for-13. Malkin contributed two power play goals before the promotion, while Kindel and Chinakhov each tallied one. Novak added two power play assists, matching the totals of Karlsson and Lapierre, while Letang and Rakell each registered one assist on the power play.
The lineup alteration came directly on the heels of a 5-3 defeat to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Wednesday night. That result followed a 3-2 loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday, prompting the coaching staff to restructure the units ahead of their Friday matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Veterans Carry Early Season Scoring Load
The squad ranked 12th in the NHL with 3.25 goals per game while ranking 20th in goals allowed at the same rate, leaving them with 11 points in the standings near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Only two teams in the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia and Columbus, held fewer than the Penguins’ 11 points in the standings entering play on October 28. The offensive load continues to fall on veteran stars well into their thirties and forties.
The Penguins have adjusted their power-play units:1) Karlsson, Crosby, Malkin, Rakell, Kindel2) Letang, Novak, Chinakhov, Rust, Lapierre/Koivunen
- Evgeni Malkin leads the team with six goals at age 40.
- Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson remain central offensive contributors, alongside core trio members who secured Stanley Cup victories in 2009, 2016, and 2017.
- Nick Robertson serves as the top scorer under 28 years old with six goals, ranking seventh overall.
- Ville Koivunen recorded five points in 10 games following an offseason contract extension, while Ben Kindel added four points in nine outings after debuting with 18 goals and 17 assists as an 18-year-old in 2025-26.
Goaltenders Face Heavy Defensive Pressure
Arturs Silovs logged the majority of the crease time with a 2.87 goals-against average, sitting 27th leaguewide in that metric, while the goaltending corps ranked 21st in the league with a .888 save percentage.
Sergei Murashov posted a 3.50 goals-against average after a successful minor league campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate, where he went 24-9 with a .919 save percentage and 2.20 goals-against average before the Baby Penguins reached the Eastern Conference finals. Murashov represents one of the team’s most heralded prospects for years.
Defensive breakdowns compounded those early struggles, including a medical episode experienced by Ben Kindel on the team plane earlier in October. According to Money Puck data, only four NHL teams allowed more high-danger shots against than Pittsburgh’s early total of 23.
Kyle Dubas Weighs Roster Decisions
General manager Kyle Dubas oversees a development system rebuild intended to transition away from heavy reliance on aging stars. The Dubas regime spent significant energy rebuilding the team’s development system after predecessors hollowed it out by trading draft picks for assets during the prime years of Malkin, Crosby, Letang, and later Erik Karlsson.
Minor league producers Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty stand ready to step up and produce given the opportunity.
Trade speculation surrounds productive veterans like Erik Karlsson, 36, who recorded a productive 2025-26 season and a strong start to the current campaign. Long-time forwards Bryan Rust, 34, and Rickard Rakell, 33, a consistent goal scorer who has never been part of a winner in parts of five seasons with Pittsburgh, also surface in roster discussions as the franchise weighs whether to shake up the lineup or preserve the core trio of Crosby, Letang, and Malkin, whose sentimental value remains tied to the 2009, 2016, and 2017 Stanley Cup championships.