Penguins sign Kuzmenko in hopes of replacing Mantha's production

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2026-27 regular season, which starts Sept. 29. Today, the Pittsburgh Penguins:

2025-26 season: 41-25-16, second in Metropolitan Division; lost in Eastern Conference First Round

Key arrivals

Andrei Kuzmenko, F: The 30-year-old signed a one-year contract on July 1 after having 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 52 games for the Los Angeles Kings last season. Coming off surgery in February to repair a torn meniscus, Kuzmenko could be a direct replacement for Anthony Mantha, who led Pittsburgh with 33 goals. ... Nicholas Robertson, F: The 24-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 and signed a two-year contract on July 14. Robertson, possibly entering the top two lines at some point, will look to build on his NHL career-high 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 78 games last season. ... Trevor van Riemsdyk, D: The 34-year-old signed a two-year contract on July 1 to stay in the Metropolitan Division after playing for the Washington Capitals the past six seasons and the Carolina Hurricanes the previous three. A Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, van Riemsdyk could land on the top pair next to Erik Karlsson after having 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in 68 games last season. ... Kaedan Korczak, D: The 25-year-old was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30. Korczak, whose 78 games played last season were 38 more than his previous high in the NHL, is likely a depth defenseman.

Key departures

Anthony Mantha, F: Returning from ACL surgery that ended his 2024-25 season after 13 games, Mantha rebounded with an NHL career-high 64 points and 33 goals in his lone season with the Penguins. He signed a two-year contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 15. ... Parker Wotherspoon, D: Karlsson's defense partner throughout last season, Wotherspoon was traded to Vegas in the trade for Korczak. He will come off a League career-high 30 points (three goals, 27 assists) in 80 games. ... Stuart Skinner, G: After being acquired in a trade that sent goalie Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12, Skinner was 12-9-5 with a 2.99 goals-against average and .885 save percentage in 27 starts as part of a tandem with Arturs Silovs. He signed a two-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets on July 1. ... Noel Acciari, F: Arguably Pittsburgh's best penalty-killer last season, Acciari signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 1.

On the cusp

Sergei Murashov, G: Pegged as Pittsburgh's potential No. 1 goalie of the future, the 22-year-old was 1-1-2 with a 2.56 GAA, .897 save percentage and one shutout in his first five NHL games (four starts) last season. He was 24-9-4 with a 2.20 GAA, .919 save percentage and four shutouts in 38 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League and 8-7-0 with a 2.11 GAA, .931 save percentage and one shutout during the Calder Cup Playoffs. ... Harrison Brunicke, D: The 20-year-old started last season with the Penguins, scoring one goal in nine games before returning to Kamloops of the Western Hockey League. Selected in the second round (No. 44) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Brunicke could begin this season in the AHL before earning a way back to Pittsburgh. ... Rutger McGroarty, F: The 22-year-old has nine points (four goals, five assists) in 32 games across two seasons with Pittsburgh since being acquired in a trade with Winnipeg on Aug. 22, 2024. This season could be pivotal for the development of McGroarty, a former first-round pick (No. 14) in 2022.

What they still need

More top-end talent to supplement the core. Forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are still the focus. Malkin, who will turn 40 years old on July 31, made that possible by signing a one-year contract on May 26 to stay for a 21st season. But if Crosby and Malkin, along with defenseman Kris Letang, are aiming for at least one more true run at winning the Stanley Cup for a fourth time, adding a notable forward to the top six wouldn’t hurt.

They said it

"Rather than just doing something for the sake of doing it, I’d rather come here and say, ‘Yeah, we aspire to do it and the options weren’t there.’ So we’ve had to check down and continue to build it up the way that we have.” -- General manager Kyle Dubas on a conservative offseason approach

EDGE stat to watch

The Penguins led the NHL in high-danger shots on goal (740) last season and have now finished no lower than sixth in that category during the puck and player tracking era (since 2021-22). Despite being limited to 60 games, forward Rickard Rakell led Pittsburgh and ranked highly at his position in high-danger shots on goal (90; 97th percentile). Another EDGE standout for the Penguins in terms of shot location was Karlsson, who ranked in the 94th percentile or higher among defensemen in high-danger shots on goal (14), midrange shots on goal (44), long-range shots on goal (81), midrange goals (six) and long-range goals (six; tied for fourth in the League). -- Troy Perlowitz

Fantasy spin

Forward Egor Chinakhov had NHL career highs in points (42 in 72 games), goals (21), assists (21) and shots on goal (140) between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh last season, but he reached a higher ceiling when he was traded to the Penguins; 18 goals, 36 points, six power-play points, four game-winning goals and 104 shots on goal in 43 games. Chinakhov played in a top-six role with Pittsburgh and averaged 15:37 of ice time with them (compared to 10:18 with the Blue Jackets). Chinakhov, who ranked fifth among forwards in hardest shot (99.03 mph) last season per NHL EDGE stats, is a sleeper candidate given Pittsburgh’s strong offense (3.54 goals per game last season; third in NHL). -- Chris Meaney

Projected lineup

Rickard Rakell -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov -- Tommy Novak -- Evgeni Malkin

Andrei Kuzmenko -- Ben Kindel -- Nicholas Robertson

Justin Brazeau -- Blake Lizotte -- Connor Dewar

Trevor van Riemsdyk -- Erik Karlsson

Samuel Girard -- Kris Letang

Ryan Graves -- Kaedan Korczak

Arturs Silovs

Sergei Murashov