Penguins Camp Thoughts: Smart Changes, Who Looks Good (+)

Key Points:

• The Pittsburgh Penguins began their 2026-27 season training camp with notable roster battles and promising performances, including Nick Robertson playing alongside Sidney Crosby and young players showing enthusiasm.
• Elmer Soderblom was unexpectedly moved to the minor-league group after misreading the camp schedule, missing a significant portion of training and raising concerns about his standing amid intense competition.
• Sidney Crosby demonstrated strong form early in camp, skating hard and performing well in drills, while defenseman Owen Pickering showed improved physicality and confidence after recovering from injury.
• The Penguins face challenges in penalty kill depth among forwards, with a need to find reliable fourth and fifth penalty killers, considering the limitations of current players like Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel.
• Younger prospects such as Rutger McGroarty and others are showing frustration due to roster logjams, highlighting developmental challenges and contributing to decisions like Cruz Lucius’s refusal to sign with the team.