Pittsburgh Penguins 2025-26 Bottom-Six Forwards Battling for Spots

Going into the 2025-26 season, the bottom-six forward group of the Pittsburgh Penguins hasn’t taken shape yet. However there are a slew of options to choose from for coaches and management. The top-six forward group is projected to include Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, as always. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust look to reprise their roles from last season following general manager Kyle Dubas’ reluctance to sell them in the summer. Additionally, rookies Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, both of who impressed in top six minutes to finish last season, will likely cement themselves in the top six this season as well. This leaves a lot of spots open for the rest of the forwards on the roster, and a lot of candidates to sift through.

The Veterans of the Penguins Bottom-Six Forwards

As an older, rebuilding club, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a multitude of veteran options to fill out their bottom-six forwards. Centre Kevin Hayes leads the way. The 33-year-old forward scored 13 goals and 23 points through 64 games last season. On an expiring deal, Hayes will look to lock down the third-line centre position this year. However, he is currently injured. When his upper-body injury was announced around September 19th, it mentioned he wouldn’t even be reevaluated for a month from that time. So, it is to be determined when he is able to actually contribute. This means that his spot would technically be open for a player, as it currently stands.

Thomas Novak and Anthony Mantha are candidates to fill out the third line going forward. Novak, 28, is a skilled forward who scored 13 goals in 52 games with the Nashville Predators last season. Novak has scored double-digit goals in his last three seasons, while offering value as a two-way forward. Danton Heinen, meanwhile, is a player Penguins fans have grown familiar with from past meetings. In his third season and second stint with the team, Heinen has displayed an ability to play at both ends of the ice. He scored nine goals and 29 points last season across the Penguins and Vancouver Canucks. Veterans Noel Acciari and Blake Lizotte are other returning Penguins. They will look to cement spots in the lineup as well.

The Newcomers

The Penguins have a roster that is quickly shifting and transforming. General manager Dubas has already brought in a lot of players who could look to fill out this bottom-six group. This group is headlined by Philip Tomasino. The 24-year-old forward was acquired from the Nashville Predators last November. He scored 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games with the Penguins last season, after just a single point in 11 games with Nashville, prior to the trade.

Connor Dewar is another relative newcomer to the team who will look to continue his solid start with the organization at the end of last season. The 26-year-old forward has been trying to carve out a fourth-line, penalty-killing role with the team and has the chance to do so this year. Finally, Pittsburgh signed 6-foot-5 forward Justin Brazeau in the offseason to aid in the depth of the team. Brazeau, 27, has shown an ability to contribute offensively while playing bottom-six roles in Boston and Minnesota. He scored 10 goals and 22 points in 2024-25.

The Young Upstarts

Training camp and pre-season have uncovered a few more players for the Penguins to consider for bigger roles. The aforementioned Ville Koivunen continues to shine in opportunities with the Penguins. After scoring seven points in eight games to close out last season, Koivunen may find himself in the bottom six depending on the performance of skilled wingers like Tomasino.

Past Koivunen, there are two younger players that new head coach Dan Muse may want to give extended opportunities to this fall. First is the undrafted Avery Hayes. Hayes, 22, is a winger who spent his younger years in the OHL. He worked his way up to the ECHL and then the AHL. Scoring 23 goals and 42 points with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins last season, Hayes has continued his impressive trajectory with a solid showing in preseason so far. As he currently remains on the Penguins roster, Hayes could crack the lineup for a few games and show what he can do on the big stage.

Additionally, former second-round pick Tristan Broz has made a name for himself throughout the organization. He could look to make the jump to the NHL this year. Broz, 22, made his AHL debut with the AHL Penguins last season, scoring 37 points across 59 games. He’s shown himself to be responsible at both ends of the ice while playing showing off speed and explosivity. Broz has the potential to develop into a viable third-line centre option. He’s shown this potential and ability throughout preseason thus far. Look for him to get an opportunity with the Penguins at some point this season if he doesn’t make the roster from the jump.

A Slew of Options With Limited Space

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a ton of different options for them bottom-six group in the 2025-26 season. Head coach Dan Muse will need to evaluate the type of bottom six he wants to run, and which players fit best within that. Players like Kevin Hayes, Acciari or Lizotte tend to play a different style of game compared to Tomasino, Broz, or Koivunen. As such, it’ll be up to Dan Muse to trim down to his group and an extra or two, for which Kyle Dubas has provided the organization with a litany of options to choose from.