Here are the biggest storylines for the Pittsburgh Penguins and their schedule for the upcoming week of Dec. 28 to Jan. 3.
Sidney Crosby Breaks Lemieux’s Record
Captain Sidney Crosby continues to make history in his 21st season. He recently surpassed Mario Lemieux to become the Penguins’ all-time leader in points. Despite the team’s struggles, Crosby remains elite, posting 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) in 36 games this season.
Playoff Push & Standings Struggles
The Penguins are in a precarious position as 2026 begins. Sitting 7th in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 15-12-9 (39 points), they are fighting to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They had a difficult December (3-5-4) and currently sit just a few points out of a wild card spot, but also perilously close to the bottom of the conference.
Injury Ward: Malkin & Lizotte
Veteran center Evgeni Malkin has been out since early December with an upper-body injury. He has recently started skating on his own, but remains “week-to-week” and is not expected to play immediately this week.
After missing significant time, Blake Lizotte is returning to the lineup Dec. 28 versus the Chicago Blackhawks, providing a much-needed boost to the bottom-six forward group and penalty kill.
Penguins Schedule Dec 28 – Jan 3
| Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | Venue | Notes |
| Sun, Dec 28 | 7:00 PM | @ Chicago Blackhawks | United Center | First game back from the holiday break. |
| Tue, Dec 30 | 7:00 PM | vs Carolina Hurricanes | PPG Paints Arena | Crucial divisional matchup. |
| Thu, Jan 1 | 7:00 PM | vs Detroit Red Wings | PPG Paints Arena | New Year’s Day game. |
| Sat, Jan 3 | 12:00 PM | @ Detroit Red Wings | Little Caesars Arena | Matinee game to close the week. |
AI tools were used to support the creation or distribution of this content, however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of The Hockey Writers editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.