The Penguins are set to wrap up their 3-game California road swing with a finale at the Shark Tank against the San Jose Sharks. But rookie head coach Dan Muse is changing his lineup just a little bit before the puck is set to drop in a little over two hours.
Muse has been tinkering with the lineup ever since opening night about two weeks ago. He has been doing some shuffling trying to figure out what is working best and what is not. That being said, Muse said that rookie 3rd-line center Ben Kindel will draw back in after sitting against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.
Kindel will draw back into the lineup for Muse while forward/winger Philip Tomasino will draw out. Tomasino has had a rough go of it ever since the tail-end of the 2024-25 regular season. He has not been doing a whole lot, and it seems like when he is out there, he is just skating and not doing much else.
Dan Muse says Kindel is in, Tomasino out.
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) October 18, 2025
Kindel was sitting out Thursday because he is only 18-years old and was just drafted by the Penguins in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Kindel is so young and is on a developmental plan like fellow rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke.
With Tomasino coming out of the lineup, it makes way for Kindel to have himself a night. The Sharks are not very good defensively and this is Kindel's time to get on the scoresheet again and really show out. It really helps that he has a grinder and gives everything he has kind of player in Filip Hallander on his line next to him.
And the other lineup change that Muse announced ahead of Saturday night's matchup, is the Penguins are making an occasional switch in goal. Tristan Jarry will make the start for the Penguins at the Shark Tank instead of Arturs Silovs.
Silovs did really well against the Kings on Thursday allowing two early and shaky first period goals but really settled down the rest of the game and got the win. Most fans likely would have said to start Silovs in this one again, but fans are not the coach and the coach knows best.
The Penguins are set to take on the Sharks soon as it is a 10 p.m. EST start time. Grab your coffee and naps ahead of time Penguins fans, as this will be a late one.