7 DAYS AGO•NHL.COM
NHL Tonight on Penguins' defense | NHL.comNHL Tonight on the Penguins defense troubles on the rush
PIT@DET: DeBrincat scores goal against Joel Blomqvist | Detroit Red WingsPIT@DET: DeBrincat scores goal against Joel Blomqvist
7 DAYS AGO•NHL.COM
Bryan Rust - Won't play ThursdayRust (lower body) will miss Thursday's game against Detroit, per Michelle Crechiolo of the Penguins' official site.
ImpactRust did skate Wednesday and Thursday, so he might not be too far off from returning. Once he is ready to play, Rust will likely serve on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby. The 32-year-old Rust had 28 goals and 56 points in 62 contests with the Penguins last season.
7 DAYS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Joel Blomqvist - Set for NHL debutBlomqvist will protect the road goal versus the Red Wings on Thursday, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports.
ImpactBlomqvist will make his NHL debut Thursday as the Penguins play the second half of a back-to-back. Tristan Jarry handled the goaltending duties in a 6-0 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. Blomqvist is in the backup role to begin 2024-25 while Alex Nedeljkovic (lower body) remains sidelined.
7 DAYS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Reilly Smith - Helper against former teamSmith notched an assist and two PIM in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Penguins.
ImpactSmith didn't have to wait long for his homecoming against the Penguins, the team he played with in 2023-24. The winger contributed an assist on the first of Chris Kreider's two goals in Wednesday's season opener. Smith had a bit of a down year with 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) over 76 contests with Pittsburgh, but he's received the first opportunity to see even-strength minutes alongside Kreider and Mika Zibanejad this season. That role, if Smith can keep it, could make him a bounce-back candidate -- he's reached the 50-point mark six times in his career.
7 DAYS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Sam Carrick - Tallies in team debutCarrick scored a goal on two shots in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Penguins.
ImpactCarrick was signed in free agency to center the fourth line, and it didn't take him long to make an impact in his Rangers debut. His goal opened the scoring at 2:24 of the first period. It was his first career game-winning goal. The 32-year-old could play a larger role with the Blueshirts than he did down the stretch with Edmonton last season. That said, Carrick has never reached the 20-point mark in a single season, and his fourth-line usage isn't something that is likely to lead to a large increase in offense.
7 DAYS AGO•ROTOWIRE
Filip Chytil - Finds twine in big winChytil scored a goal on five shots and added two PIM in Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Penguins.
ImpactChytil got on the board in the second period. While Chytil and the third line didn't have a large impact on the scoresheet, they should provide solid forward depth in 2024-25. Last season, the 25-year-old center was limited to six assists in 10 regular-season games, but he put up 45 points in 74 appearances in 2022-23. He's a virtual lock to center the third line when healthy.
7 DAYS AGO•ROTOWIRE
