It could be a challenging year for Pittsburgh Penguins fans. Rumors are running rampant that Sidney Crosby might eventually leave the team, and Evgeni Malkin could also be in his final year. The Penguins' 2025-26 training camp will reveal a lot about where this team is heading, if it isn't already clear enough.
The Penguins, as everyone knows them, may be heading for a rebuild, which, in the long run, is likely the better move. However, it isn't an easy pill to swallow to see the famed duo of Malkin and Crosby exit with a whimper. Most fans would love to see a superstar win three championships over the course of their career, but it's disheartening for all hockey fans to see the Crosby era nearing a close.
Kyle Dubas didn't do much to improve the team over the summer, which likely didn't make Crosby and Malkin very happy about the team's direction. He acquired Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba in separate trades, which was essentially his way of taking on the salary cap for another team and adding some draft capital to do it.
Dubas also made a switch-up with the Penguins' goaltending room, as he traded Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks and, in a corresponding move, acquired Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks. From an outsider perspective, that move might not have moved much of the needle. However, Silovs could set the Penguins up in the crease now and in the future.
With Tristan Jarry playing some subpar hockey over the last couple of seasons, the Silovs trade might not have been to supplement the Penguins' future crease. Dubas may have acquired the young Latvian goaltender with his eyes on having a new starter in 2025-26. It creates an intriguing training camp battle for the Penguins.
Arturs Silovs is the Penguins' starter in waiting
Silovs deserved to get an opportunity somewhere else, with Thatcher Demko blocking him in Vancouver. The goaltender stepped in beautifully for Demko in the 2024 playoffs, winning two of three games to end the series against the Nashville Predators, including a 28-save shutout in the deciding game. Things didn't go as well against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, but he managed to win three of those games and nearly defeated the team that eventually went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Canucks knew that Silovs wasn't completely ready to take over a role in the 2024-25 season, which is why they added Kevin Lankinen as backup to Demko. However, with Demko still battling the injury that kept him out of the playoffs the year before, Silovs stepped in once again. Things didn't go as smoothly, as he won just two of nine starts and posted a 3.65 goals-against average.
The Canucks sent Silovs back to Abbotsford in the American Hockey League to figure things out. It proved to be the best thing they could have done for his career, as he dominated en route to winning a Calder Cup. Silovs owned a 16-7 record in the postseason, with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage, winning the playoff MVP. It was a performance worthy of a full-time call-up to the NHL, but the path wasn't there in Vancouver.
The Canucks' loss is the Penguins' gain, as goaltending has been one of their most significant roadblocks to success. There are nights when Jarry can't give them a save, and it has been taking a toll on the team. With a new coach behind the bench, Silovs might steal Jarry's spot in 2025-26.
Tristan Jarry's struggles are reaching a breaking point
Jarry's contributions to the Penguins have been slowly trending downward over the past couple of seasons. His save percentage dipped below .900 for the first time last season, ending the year with a .893 mark over 36 games. It got so bad in the middle of the season that he lost his job in Pittsburgh and ended up playing 12 games in the American Hockey League, his first time back in that league since the 2018-19 season.
Jarry's track record in past postseasons has also been subpar. The goaltender seems to crumble under the weight of pressure, which is an environment Silovs has shown to thrive in. Nedeljkovic was able to steal Jarry's starting job at times last season, which means Silovs could easily do the same. Mike Sullivan had some loyalty to his long-time starter, but even he reached a breaking point during the 2024-25 season.
With new head coach Dan Muse running things in Pittsburgh and the front office having an eye towards the future, it wouldn't be too surprising to see Silovs as the starter on opening night. Will it lead to Jarry finding a home on a new team, or will he accept the backup role?
