The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to impress early in the 2025-26 season and are 7-2-1 after a convincing 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. While they added another surprising win to their early record, this shouldn’t suddenly give the impression that the Penguins are changing course and preparing their team for the 2026 playoffs.
The Penguins are undoubtedly loving this early success. Sidneyrosby reaches milestones and Evgeni Malkin shows he still has it. General manager Kyle Dubas has to be happy that this roster isn’t a lottery team as many had assumed going into the season. At the same time, Dubas remains committed to acquiring younger assets.
Elliotte Friedman noted FAN hockey show that two weeks into the season, the front office’s mentality won’t change. While their veteran core continues to dominate games, it is still a “veteran core.” They may have a squad at the moment, but it is not sustainable in the long term, perhaps not even for the rest of this season.
Pittsburgh is in 20th place in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes and 27th in 5-on-5 expected goals against, highlighting defensive lapses that could resurface as the season progresses. The goaltending of the team, consisting of Tristan Jarry and Artus Silovs, was strong, but its sustainability remains uncertain. Perhaps most alarmingly, Crosby has a conversion rate of almost 39%, far above normal rates. That cannot and will not continue.
The positive for the Penguins is that young talent is starting to make an impact. Players like Ben Kindel, Harrison Brunicke, Ville Koivunen and Owen Pickering are getting meaningful minutes, and that bodes well for the Penguins’ future. If the team remains competitive, these prospects will gain experience critical to their development.
The Penguins probably have to look too far further.
The Penguins’ hot start is real, but it’s unlikely to last long. Management knows it and won’t be fooled by the team’s ability to pick up points early. They will continue to prioritize youth and development, while the experienced stars keep the team competitive.
Early success is encouraging, but it should not create a scenario where the team abandons their original plans.
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