Penguins’ Wild Card Factors That Will Lead to Success in 2026-27

The expectations for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins are not as low as they were last season, but they aren’t particularly high either. Pittsburgh is coming off a 98 point season and a trip to the playoffs, but can they make that happen again? Sidney Crosby and the rest of the veteran core are all a year older and have already started showing signs of slowing down.  The Penguins still have time and plenty of cap space to add to the roster and strengthen the team this offseason. There are also some wild card factors to consider that could propel them into another unexpected season. 

Penguins Looking to Build on Last Season’s Success

Pittsburgh’s rebuild is definitely ahead of schedule, but can they overachieve again next season? At this point, the team does not look much different than they did last season, but general manager Kyle Dubas has made some additions to the roster. One of those additions is defenseman Kaedan Korczak. The Penguins acquired Korczak from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon on June 30.

Korczak is 25 years old and is signed through the 2029-30 season, which makes him the longest signed player currently on the cap sheet. He is good at breaking up plays in his own zone and winning puck battles. He played in 78 games last season and scored three goals and had 13 assists. His minutes were sheltered in Vegas, but he did his job well. Wotherspoon was good last season, but he only had one more year left on his contract and will be 30 by the time he is up for a new contract. 

Dubas’s goal is to make the Penguins younger, and Korczak helps bring them closer to that goal. He may not be a top pairing defenseman, but he is a player they can build towards the future with. He will provide solid depth next season and could earn a bigger role in the future as some of the defensive core heads into the finals seasons of their contracts. 

Egor Chinakhov could be another wildcard in Pittsburgh next season. Chinakhov joined the Penguins in December 2025 and quickly became one of their most valuable players in the second half of last season.

Chinakhov scored nine goals in his first 20 games in Pittsburgh. He helped  the team survive a crucial month of March where they were without Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for long stretches. He played in 43 games with the Penguins and scored 18 goals and had 18 assists. His speed and ability to shoot the puck make him a dangerous weapon. 

Chinakhov signed a three-year contract with the Penguins that is worth $18.75 million on July 5. Now the team will get to see what it looks like to have him for a full season. Besides being a strong skater and good with the puck, he is also a playmaker. He could be a huge difference maker in 2026-27. 

Pittsburgh drafted Ben Kindel eleventh overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. At 18 years old, Dubas no doubt had him slotted as a player the team could build with in the future. No one expected him to have a breakout rookie season and score 17 goals in 77 games. There is no question that he is still developing, but he is a good passer with a strong wrist shot. He is now a year older and has a full season of NHL experience plus six games of playoff experience. Another breakout season from him could help the team get back to the postseason in 2026-27. 

Can the Penguins Overachieve Again in 2026-27?

Just like last season, the Penguins have talent on their roster. They also still have areas of concern, but there is still time this offseason to address that. They won’t be a Cup contender next season, but there is a good chance they will still be competitive.