Penguins Trim Roster, Face Forward Logjam as Preseason Heats Up
The Pittsburgh Penguins continued shaping their 2026-27 roster on Friday, assigning forwards Atley Calvert, Avery Hayes, Tanner Howe, and Mikhail Ilyin to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. Additionally, forward Oliver Okuliar has been designated as injured non-roster and will remain in WBS to continue his rehabilitation. These moves come as part of a broader round of cuts, with the Penguins trimming eight players total, including Hayes, who was one of the first notable names on the edge of making the team to be reassigned. With final rosters due within days, the competition for spots is intensifying.nnIn training camp, the Penguins have been experimenting with line combinations and defensive pairings. Up front, Nick Robertson skated alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, while Evgeni Malkin centered Egor Chinakhov and Tommy Novak. The third line featured Ville Koivunen, Hendrix Lapierre, and Bryan Rust, with a fourth line of Filip Hallander, Connor Dewar, and Elmer Soderblom. On defense, Erik Karlsson paired with Declan Carlile, Kris Letang skated with van Riemsdyk, and Sam Girard partnered with Kaedan Korczak. Ilya Solovyov and Harrison Brunicke formed another pairing, while Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov handled goaltending duties. These combinations offer a glimpse into how the coaching staff envisions the team’s structure.nnOff the ice, the Penguins are dealing with a personal matter as winger Andrei Kuzmenko takes a leave of absence following the death of his father, per King Jemison of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team also faces uncertainty surrounding superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson, whose future with the Penguins has been a topic of speculation, as noted by Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports. Meanwhile, the forward group is experiencing a major logjam, with plenty of depth heading into the season, creating tough decisions for management.nnAs preseason play approaches, key storylines include the battle for roster spots, the integration of
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