Expectations heading into a season haven’t been this low for the Pittsburgh Penguins in over 20 years.
The outside sees a roster in the midst of a rebuild led by an aging core, aligning to create one of the worst teams in hockey that will be squarely in the mix for Gavin McKenna.
While it’s understandable to have that opinion, the Penguins want to prove that they really aren’t all that bad, and it shouldn’t be that surprising if they do.
With all of the questions around the futures of their stars, let’s focus on the 2025-26 season and what to expect in Pittsburgh with our three bold predictions.
Crosby hits 100 points for the seventh time
No matter what goes on around him, Sidney Crosby always gives the Penguins his point-per-game production.
He’s done it in all 20 seasons of his NHL career so far, and there’s no reason to think it’s going to stop anytime soon. In fact, in 2025-26, he won’t just extend the streak to 21; he’ll hit the triple-digit mark for the first time since 2018-19.
Crosby has come extremely close to hitting 100 points in each of the last three seasons, and with a new offensive-minded head coach in Dan Muse, expect him to close that gap and get there this season.
Not to mention, the Penguins are likely to be among the league leaders in goals against, so somebody will need to put up points to help them keep up, and it’s almost always the captain.
Malkin produces at a point-per-game
At 39 years old, coming off back-to-back down seasons statistically, many have counted Evgeni Malkin out.
The future Hall of Famer was a lock to produce at or over a point per game throughout his career, but in the last two years, age and injuries have caught up. A lot of that has led to speculation about his retirement at season’s end, but Malkin is going to show he has plenty left in the tank in 2025-26.
I spent an afternoon with Evgeni Malkin going into his 20th NHL season, and he was in a great mood, funnier than ever.
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) September 18, 2025
“I understand it’s maybe last year, maybe two more years. I need to just play fun,” Geno said of his mindset.
Read more: https://t.co/GxiiVpOOa8 pic.twitter.com/mwyvzQXJpb
He’s always been known to play his best when angry and motivated, and Malkin said himself that he’s been unhappy with his recent body of work, wanting to bounce back this season.
Combine that with improved talent on his wing, and Geno should get back to the 83-point (27 goals, 56 assists) in 82 games type of production we saw him muster up at 36 years old.
The Penguins stay competitive and in the Wild Card race
You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone projecting the Pittsburgh Penguins to make the playoffs this season.
Will they shock everyone and sneak in? It’s unlikely. But this is a much better team than they’re given credit for, and they’ll hang around in the mix for a Wild Card spot all year long.
There is an infusion of youth coming in Pittsburgh with the likes of Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, and potentially more emerging onto the big club.
That, along with improved depth around what remains a strong top of the lineup, will keep the Penguins competitive and much further away from the basement than expected.