And just like that… Preseason is over and has left us with a few causalities:

Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau are both week-to-week with lower-body injuries. Ryan Graves is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, while Blake Lizotte is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Bryan Rust also left the preseason finale with an upper-body injury. We’ll likely hear this a lot for Rust. 🙁

Also to note that Andrei Kuzmenko is still away from the team, following the death of his father. No clue when he will return, nor what his mind state will be. I’m sure the team will be sensitive to his needs.

The point of pre-season is to test your line combos, and it looks like Nick Robertson will do well with Sid and Rakell.

(China)khov was also skating well with Malkin and Tommy Novak. Geno appears active and interested in what may be his… cough, cough… another season. He’s already got a mini Russian crew around him, so it’s only a matter of time before the locker room starts reeking of vodka.

And in net? We have Birdies favorite Artūrs Šilovs and then Sergei Murashov for our goaltending tandem. Joel Blomqvist will be shimmering in Wilkes-Barre.

Season starts tonight against Philthy. Season 20 / 21 for The Big Three and our 11th season as a blog.

Playing in FILTHY-delphia always carries an extra layer of bile… butt kicking off the 2026–27 campaign at Xfinity Mobile Arena tonight brings a heightened sense of unfinished business. Last season ended on this exact spot in Game 6 of the playoffs and left a bitter taste in our mouths. Crossing the state for a September regular-season opening-day puck drop (which by the way is an historic first for the Pens) is the ultimate setting for us to set the tone, silence their crowd, and remind the Filth who runs Pennsylvania hockey.

This game is about establishing our identity right out of the gate. With Crosby, Malkin, and Letang once again fueling the core alongside what hopefully will be a re-energized roster, we must take the ice focused on playing fast, relentless, and disciplined hockey.

Winning the philthy battles along the boards, dominating special teams, and executing clean breakaways will be essential to dictating the tempo and keeping their heavy forecheck at bay.

Stepping into an enemy arena on Opening Night isn’t just about grabbing two points in the standings; it’s a statement of intent for the long 84-game haul ahead. WE better be locked in and ready to trade blows, quiet the Filthy crowd, and fly back home with a season-opening victory in the Battle of Pennsylvania.

Phuck the Phlyers

LETS.GO.PENS.