The Pittsburgh Penguins will be facing the Philadelphia Flyers in their season opener on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Ahead of the clash, the Penguins have announced a roster shakeup after several players landed on injured reserve.
As reported by the team, forwards Blake Lizotte, Justin Brazeau and Ben Kindel have been placed on the IR, as was defenseman Ryan Graves.
F Blake Lizotte (upper-body, day-to-day) F Justin Brazeau (lower-body, week-to-week) F Ben Kindel (lower-body, week-to-week) D Ryan Graves (lower-body, indefinitely)
Pittsburgh Penguins Place Four Players on Injured Reserve
Lizotte, 28, is currently on a day-to-day status with an upper-body injury.
During his 2025-26 campaign, he skated in 55 games and scored seven goals with 12 assists for 19 points.
This will mark his ninth year in the NHL, but only his third sporting a Pittsburgh sweater. He played for the Los Angeles Kings for six seasons.
Brazeau and Kindel are both sidelined with lower-body injuries and are considered week-to-week.
Brazeau, 28, is now approaching his fourth professional campaign, but he’s spent time playing around the block. Before landing with the Penguins, he had brief stints with the Boston Bruins and the Minnesota Wild.
Last year, he appeared in 64 games and posted 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points.
Kindel is the young gun of the squad at just 19 years old. He was selected 11th overall in the first round of the 2025 NHL draft.
In his first season, he recorded 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 77 games.
As for 31-year-old Graves, he is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
It’s worth noting that he skated in only 22 games during his 2025-26 campaign in Pittsburgh, scoring one goal.
Where Do the Penguins Stand Heading Into the Regular Season?
The Penguins won two of their preseason clashes — both against the Buffalo Sabres by scores of 4-1 and 3-1.
Pittsburgh was handed two consecutive losses to the Detroit Red Wings (7-4) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (4-0).
Once Sept. 30 rolls around, the Penguins’ 2026-27 campaign will be underway. They will face the Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
Early injuries have raised red flags around the franchise, but they are still in the company of their veteran core.
Experienced stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson are still on board, but they’re on the older side of those in the league.
As predicted by Sara Civian of Bleacher Report on Sept. 23, “Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has delicately balanced the roster to remain competitive while Crosby is still leading the team, while also preparing for his twilight years. This feels like the best chance Crosby and the Penguins have got for one more special season with The Kid.”
Pittsburgh could offer a pleasant surprise with a dominant run to the postseason, but there are several doubts floating around the team.
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