From Sweden With Love: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Global Series Trip, Veteran Loyalty, and Early-Season Standout Play
- karinnaleonard
- 17 hours ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 11 hours ago
Amid an already crowded Olympic-year schedule, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators jetted off to Stockholm last week for a special event: the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden. The Penguins departed from Pittsburgh on November 10th, around 9 pm, traveling overnight and wasting no time once they landed. In the days that followed, the team squeezed in two practices, two games, a slate of media and community events, team-bonding activities, and even a Japanese spa day. They then boarded a flight home right after their November 16th matchup, jumping right back into the rhythm of the regular season. The Penguins walked away from the series with three of four points, unforgettable memories, and a sense of momentum that stretched far beyond the scoreboard.
The series opened on November 14th at Avicii Arena with a tightly contested matchup. After a fortunate second-period bounce that Evgeni Malkin banked in from behind the net, the Penguins held a 1-0 lead right up until the final minute of regulation. With time winding down, Filip Forsberg controlled the puck off an offensive-zone faceoff and lifted a backhander over Artūrs Šilovs to beat him top shelf. Just 44 seconds into overtime, Nashville struck again when Steven Stamkos beat both Malkin and Erik Karlsson up the ice and ripped a shot off the crossbar for the game-winning goal.
Despite carrying the lead for most of the night, Pittsburgh generated only 17 shots on goal compared to Nashville's 30. After entering the night ranked sixth in the NHL in high-danger shots on goal, the lack of controlled chances was especially frustrating. The team walked away disappointed in both the result and their overall play. "We just didn’t execute well," Sidney Crosby said afterward. "We weren’t in our spots… we were disorganized. It’s just not what we’ve done all year."
The next day, the Penguins held an open practice that drew hundreds of fans in to cheer them on after a frustrating loss. Crosby appreciated the boost: "You have a tough game last night, you lose in overtime, and then you come out and you have a bunch of people that are really happy to see you, and I think that brought some energy to practice. I think it's probably something we needed after a tough one last night."
Pittsburgh carried that newfound energy straight into Game 2 as they dominated the Predators for a 4-0 win. 21-year-old rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov was the first star of the night, earning both his first career NHL win and his first career shutout. On the other end of the ice, the goals came quickly, with Parker Wotherspoon, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby setting the tone in the first period, and Blake Lizotte adding the final nail in the coffin in the third.
The trip held special meaning for several Penguins. Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang joined Sidney Crosby in a full-circle moment as the franchise's longtime core returned to a Global Series for the first time since their 2008 visit to Sweden.
It was also a homecoming for Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell, who both grew up in Sweden. After sustaining a broken hand and undergoing surgery in late October, Rakell was unable to play, but he relished the opportunity to act as an unofficial tour guide for his teammates. "He's had this little smile on his face ever since we got here. It's cool," Bryan Rust explained. “I think it's super exciting to see guys that don't usually get to play at home, be able to come home and kind of show us around their cities and show us everything that they know, and everything that we should know.” The Penguins arrived back home with plenty of good memories—and the kind of momentum that has quietly made them one of the Metro Division's surprise contenders.
After a summer filled with rumors that Pittsburgh would be the only true sellers, the Penguins opened the season with a bang, going 8-2-2 in October. That hot start has cooled slightly in November, but they still find themselves in a strong position, holding onto third place in the Metro Division. Much of that success stems from a balance between their legendary core and emerging talent.
The heart of Pittsburgh remains with the legendary trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. The forward duo has especially excelled this season, with Malkin ranking 22nd in points (24) and Crosby 26th (23). Malkin is tied for 8th in assists (18) and ranks 5th in power play assists (8), while Crosby sits 5th in the league lead for goals (13) and 5th in power play goals (6). Crosby added another milestone during Pittsburgh's recent game against the Kraken, recording one goal and one assist to mark his 500th career multi-point game. He became just the sixth player in NHL history to hit this mark, and his record stands as the most in Penguins history. Their continued production at both even strength and on the man advantage has kept the Penguins competitive on a nightly basis and provided a steady foundation for the team to build around. Together, they have carried Pittsburgh to a league-leading power-play percentage of 32%.
While Crosby, Malkin, and Letang anchor the team, Pittsburgh's future is being shaped by a wave of promising young talent. At this year's NHL Draft, Pittsburgh selected Ben Kindel 11th overall. The 18-year-old natural centre from Coquitlam, B.C., spent the last two years in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen. Last season, he set a franchise record with a 23-game point streak—the second-longest streak behind only Gavin McKenna. With the Penguins, he has primarily slotted in as their third-line centre, with occasional deployments on Crosby's wing. However, he has performed best at centre, where his control of the game and depth contributions shine—and he appears to be returning to that role.
Kindel isn't the only young player inspiring confidence. Prospects such as Harrison Brunicke, Owen Pickering, Tristan Broz, and Ville Koivunen continue to trend upward, promising a strong long-term outlook for the Penguins. Pittsburgh also received more good news last week when Rutger McGroarty was activated off injured reserve. He was assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to regain game rhythm, and in his first AHL game back, he logged time on both the top power play and penalty kill units, drove offensive play, and looked fast and comfortable absorbing heavy contact.
Over in the NCAA, Penguins draft picks Will Horcroff and Zam Plante have impressed with their play and standout offensive production. They're joined by Cruz Lucius, whose NHL rights are now owned by Pittsburgh, as all three sit near the top of the NCAA scoring leaderboards. Sophomore Zam Plante is showcasing his playmaking ability at Minnesota Duluth with 7 goals and 17 assists for 24 points. At Michigan, sophomore Will Horcroff has been a standout finisher, recording 14 goals and 7 assists for 21 points. Meanwhile, at Arizona State, senior Cruz Lucius continues to rise with 9 goals and 7 assists for 16 points.
With so many young prospects rising, Pittsburgh is building a promising foundation behind its veteran core—and the same sense of stability is now taking hold in the crease. Over the summer, the Penguins acquired former Canuck Artūrs Šilovs, who was coming off a season where he backstopped the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup championship and was named the MVP. With Vancouver's crease overflowing, Šilovs was moved to give him a clearer path to NHL playing time—and so far, the decision has absolutely paid off. He currently holds a .907 save percentage. Combined with Tristan Jarry's .911 save percentage and rookie Sergey Murashov's .913, Pittsburgh ranks fourth in the league in team save percentage at .909. They also sit second in goals against per game at 2.62 and are second for most shutouts with three.
While all of these strengths paint an encouraging picture, Pittsburgh's depth has been tested by a growing list of injuries. Currently, nine players are sidelined, with timelines ranging from day-to-day concerns to longer stints on the injured reserve list, some of which stretch from week to week and even month to month. Despite these challenges, the Penguins have continued to hunt for success, with younger players stepping up into expanded roles. This ability to adapt in the face of adversity has reinforced that the franchise's path forward is not just promising but truly sustainable for the future.
Perhaps most reassuring for fans is the unwavering commitment from Pittsburgh's core. After a few difficult seasons that saw the Penguins missing the playoffs, speculation around Sidney Crosby's future grew louder. Rumors swirled about potential moves to Montreal or Colorado, with many wondering if the captain might seek one last Cup run elsewhere. Yet time and again, Crosby has made it clear where his heart truly lies. During the team's annual season ticket holder event—where players hand-deliver special gifts—Sid spoke to the media and addressed the rumors: "There’s a lot of narratives out there and I don’t think a lot of those have come from me," Crosby said. "This is where I want to be. I love it here. I can’t keep having to answer the same question over again because of these narratives. If people want to write about that or say that, that’s fine, but I can’t really control that...I think anyone who knows me knows what the city means to me and how special it is and that I don’t take some of those rumours or some of those things lightly." His words echoed the love he has shown for both the city and the organization.
In the final year of his current deal, Evgeni Malkin has shown that same unwavering loyalty to Pittsburgh. In the wake of last season's blockbuster trade that sent Brad Marchand to Florida, speculation moved to Malkin, with many wondering if he might pursue a similar move. Instead, the longtime Penguin has made his stance clear. In a moment of honest reflection, he admitted, “The last few years were tough. We missed the playoffs and didn’t play our best hockey. Before this season, I told myself: if this is the last one, I just need to enjoy it. Not pay attention to negativity or the stories about trades. I come to practice and try to enjoy every day. If it ends up being my last season, it’s OK. If I play well and we agree on one or two more years, that would be great...I’ve played my whole life in Pittsburgh. I love the fans, I love the city. I want to finish here." In a league driven by constant movement, Malkin reinforced what has long defined the Penguins' identity: loyalty and pride. The enduring bond between Pittsburgh and its franchise core reminds fans that the organization is more than just a team, a family.
Nothing captures this connection more than the bond between Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. In a recent interview with Sports On Prime, Crosby was brought to tears when asked to read an excerpt from a past The Athletic article in which Malkin reflected on their now twenty seasons together. The piece detailed how, across his homes in Moscow, Florida’s Fisher Island, and Pittsburgh, Malkin proudly displays memorabilia of Crosby.
As Crosby read aloud, he became visibly emotional recounting Malkin's words about his son: "Malkin jokes that Nikita, his son, will probably pick Crosby as his favorite player because of all that stuff...'Of course, I will be is real favorite. But Sid is the best player, the best teammate. A great friend. I hope Nikita thinks of him as family. I do.'"
Regardless of which team you follow, it's impossible to read that and not feel something.
For Penguins fans, it perfectly encapsulates what this era has meant—not just wins and championships, but unwavering loyalty and a genuine sense of family. As Pittsburgh pushes to make it back to the playoffs this year, it's this bond that continues to fuel them through every shift and every challenge. Paired with a rising wave of young talent and a renewed competitive edge, the future of this Penguins family isn't fading—it's evolving.
Edited by: Kelly Cassette
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