Fellow rookie Harrison Brunicke was assigned to the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL after capturing a bronze medal with Team Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship, where the defenseman served as an alternate captain.
“I think the experiences he's gotten, if you look at everything this year for him – here, the development blocks and the time here outside of playing the games, time in Wilkes, and then the World Junior experience – I think they're all experiences that he'll build off of,” Muse said. “Now, it’s taking all those experiences and just applying it in everything he's doing there in the Western Hockey League.”
With McGroarty getting sidelined and Evgeni Malkin looking poised for a return after missing 15 games with an upper-body injury, the coaching staff deployed these forward lines:
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Malkin-Kindel-Chinakhov
Mantha-Novak-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Malkin had centered Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau, but those two had found chemistry with Tommy Novak in his absence. So, the coaching staff will likely keep them together for now, and wanted to get a look at Malkin with two of the younger guys.
“There’s a hope that there's going to be some chemistry and guys that can complement each other, they can play off of each other,” Muse said. “Thought it looked good in practice, but still some conversations to be had on all those fronts.”
Malkin had been asked about the possibility of moving to the wing after Tuesday’s practice. He replied with his trademark Geno humor.
“I can move to defense, goalie, if the coach wants it!” Malkin said. “I don’t care. I just want to play, you know?”
As for Egor Chinakhov, who was recently acquired in a trade with Columbus on Dec. 29, the 24-year-old is extremely excited to potentially play alongside one of his childhood idols.
“It’s a privilege to play with him. I like it,” said Chinakhov, who named Malkin’s faceoff goal in Game 1 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Final against Carolina as his favorite Geno moment. “I grew up watching him play. So, that’s good.”
Malkin and Chinakhov had crossed paths in their native Russia, playing in a couple of charity games in Moscow, but don’t know each other well off the ice. At least, not yet. On the ice, Malkin is impressed with Chinakhov’s skillset.
“He's young. He's really talented,” Malkin said. “We know what's going on in Columbus. He not (have a) great year, probably. But now I hope, (now that) he changed teams, like, change his mind. We see he scored already one goal. If coach use him, right, give him more time, probably, he (will) show (his) best, for sure.”
In three games since arriving in Pittsburgh, Chinakhov has impressed with two points (1G-1A) in three games.
“I’ve liked (his game) on both ends of the ice, and the speed really stands out,” Muse said said. “Obviously, the release, he’s showing that. You’ve seen it in practice, and you’ve seen it in games. He’s done a really good job away from the puck, and he’s had some really good tracks coming back into the zone and is responsible. I think it’s been a good start.”
The Penguins will look to extend their winning streak to five games when they take the ice tomorrow.
“I like our game lately,” Sidney Crosby said. “We’ve had different guys contributing. We’ve won different ways. But I think it’s just the way we’re playing connected. Our work ethic and that sort of thing has been there. We haven’t been beating ourselves. That’s a big thing.”
