The historic days of the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the past. No more Mario Lemieux. No more Jaromir Jagr. No more Marc-Andre Fleury. Times have changed for Pittsburgh and the days of Stanley Cup contenders may be on the back burner. However, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has turned things around and the Penguins are heading in the right direction. He made some moves since the end of the 2024-25 season. those moves got the team back into the playoffs. Which moves were most critical?
Which forwards did Dubas acquire?
The forward position heading into last season was one that needed some tweaks. Aside from Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Rickard Rakell, the offense was light on production. That is when Dubas noticed and took advantage of the offseason. he acquired Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Danton Heinen and two draft picks in a move that could be considered a steal. Chinakhov took off when he arrived in Pittsburgh and made the most of the additional ice time. he posted 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points in 43 games and was a +4, by far the best pickup by Dubas.
Forward Justin Brazeau signed with PIttsburgh as a free agent and that signing turned out to be a blessing for both. He finished the season strong with 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 64 games. he also established that he fits nicely in teh middle-six. His growth with the Penguins allows him to further develop his game and gibe more in the offensive zone with additional responsibility. his progress could mean improved stats next season.
Forward Anthony Mantha is another player that was signed in free agency and paid off big time. Like Brazeau, he improved the middle-six scoring and established himself as one of the best players on the team last season. He was a monster in the offensive zone, producing 33 goals and 31 assists for 64 points in 81 games along with a +10 rating. he is one of the better free agent signings in the league last season and one the Penguins have had over the past several seasons. With his size and hands, he could once again be a lethal offensive threat next season. Dubas also landed another big forward, Elmer Soderblom, from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Soderblom scored five goals and five assists for 10 points in 20 games with the Penguins.
Penguins' defense and goaltending also improved
The forward group saw the biggest improvement but the defense and goaltending also saw improvements in minimal moves. Goaltending was an issue before Dubas acquired Stuart Skinner from the Edmonton Oilers and Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks. Pittsburgh now had a solid duo between the pipes. Silovs posted a record of 19-12-8 with a 3.07 goals against average and a .888 save percentage in 39 games with PIttsburgh. Skinner was 12-9-5 with a 2.99 goals against average and a .895 save percentage with the Penguins. Those stats were enough to get them into the playoffs. Dubas needs to be quick to sign them both to a contract for next season as Silovs is a restricted free agent (RFA) and Skinner is a unrestricted free agent (UFA). Both gave Pittsburgh a solid team and needs to be brought back. Defenseman Samuel Girard also joined the Penguins last season in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak. Girard was solid, adding seven assists in 20 games.
Dubas knows this team roster is not finished. Last season, Pittsburgh did what many did not think they could do and that was make the playoffs. Although they were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers, this gave hope for the future. The quest for the cup is not over in PIttsburgh and as long as Dubas is still in charge of this roster the hopes of another cup is alive and well.
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