The Pittsburgh Penguins are gradually trimming down their roster, similar to their approach last season. On Sunday, they took their first step this year by reassigning goaltender Matvei Nikonovich to the Barrie Colts, his Ontario Hockey League team. Nikonovich, an 18-year-old, was the Penguins’ fifth-round pick (160th overall) in this year’s draft, which the team acquired via a trade to select him.
Nikonovich, a Belarusian goalkeeper standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 215 pounds, had an impressive season in Russia’s junior league, the MHL, during 2025-26, with a 1.96 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage across 38 games. He was drafted by the Colts in the 2026 CHL Import Draft on June 30 after his MHL team, Ladia Togliatti, disbanded.
With Nikonovich reassigned, the Penguins’ roster now stands at 68 players in training camp. The team is preparing for four pre-season games over five days, beginning Monday against the Buffalo Sabres at home. They’ll face the Red Wings in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and then rest on Wednesday. While nothing official has been announced, larger roster cuts are anticipated Wednesday, ahead of the final pre-season matchups on the road against Columbus and Buffalo.
The roster for Monday’s game was released earlier today, and an image shows the team’s lineup for the upcoming scrimmage against the Sabres.
Fan Take: These early roster decisions are crucial as they set the tone for the regular season and provide fans with insight into the team’s direction. Watching the roster cutdowns unfold gives hockey enthusiasts a glimpse of which young talents might make the final team, potentially shaping the team’s future success.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
