Penguins Gameday Preview: Oct. 26, Rumors & the NHL's Top 10 Swedes
Welcome to the THW Pittsburgh Penguins Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Penguins writers.
Today we look at tonight’s (Oct. 26) game against the Colorado Avalanche, rumors involving the Penguins, and the Top 10 Swedes in the NHL today.
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Now on to the good stuff…
Penguins Gameday Preview: Colorado Avalanche 10/26/23
October 26, 2023 by George Majchrzak
When the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their season with a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, it came as a shock. The team managed to regroup and finished the first week of the season 2-1-0 after convincing wins against the Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames. Not necessarily the ideal start to the season, but the talented Penguins’ roster looked like it was gelling and trending upward.
However, distress flares should have been firing in every direction after the second week of action. The Penguins first collapsed against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 18, allowing three goals in the second period before eventually falling 6-3. Then they collapsed against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 21, allowing two goals in the second period before falling 4-2. Blowing leads against both an up-and-coming team and one struggling out the gate is not a good sign for a Penguins squad looking to compete with the best in the Eastern Conference.
Tuesday’s (Oct. 24) loss to the Dallas Stars might have been the most alarming. After Bryan Rust opened the scoring in the first period, the Penguins had nary an answer for the Stars (4-0-1), who have yet to lose in regulation and saw star forward Jason Roberston score his first of the season after a slow start.
On Thursday, the Penguins will look to regain their footing against a Colorado Avalanche team that is firing on all cylinders. This will be a tough matchup.
NHL Rumors: Flames, Flyers, Penguins, NHL Pride Tape Ban
October 24, 2023 by Jim Parsons
In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Noah Hanifin personally provided an update on his status with the Calgary Flames and said he’s eager to get something done and stay long-term. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers are trying to move Morgan Frost. Are they having any luck? Are the Pittsburgh Penguins worried about their style of hockey and if they have enough depth? Finally, the NHL has responded to Travis Dermott’s refusal to acknowledge the Pride Tape ban and it’s good news for those who wish to support inclusion.
The Peguins are trying to improve their bottom six and Josh Yohe of The Athletic writes, “I don’t think the Penguins are panicking. But I think some serious concern is mounting.”
Top 10 Swedes in the NHL Today
October 21, 2023 by Ryan Gagne
During the 2021-22 National Hockey League (NHL) season, a writer at The Hockey Writers tackled a complex list of who are the best Sweden-born players in the league. Historically, the country ranks among the best in international hockey, with a couple of Olympic gold medals and a boatload of World Championships.
Currently, seven Swedish players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, with Henrik Lundqvist joining the group in November 2023. And though several active Swedish players may eventually see Hall of Fame enshrinement, some have suffered injuries or subpar seasons as of late. For instance, Niklas Bäckström (Washington Capitals) only played 39 games in 2022-23 after offseason surgery, while Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) had a down year (49 points), his lowest full-season total since 2015-16. Additionally, Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche) has yet to skate since winning the Stanley Cup in the spring of 2022. Moreover, these three are not currently ranked among the country’s best players because a new wave of talent has taken over the scoring charts.
Instead of listing Sweden’s most distinguished players, we tackled the topic based on their 2022-23 numbers. Realistically, a handful of tenured players with solid resumes should be on the list; however, they were excluded for statistical purposes. Sadly, some had down years, resulting in many new players picking up the country’s banner last year.