Penguins set to open 2025-26 season with emotional game

Tuesday will be the beginning of some new journeys. It's going to be the beginning of the 2025-26 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins playing in one of the three games on opening night. The Penguins will start the season on the road to take on the New York Rangers, facing a familiar face in their former head coach and now-Rangers head coach, Mike Sullivan. 

The Penguins and Sullivan agreed after the end of last season's 34-36-12 squad that it was time for both sides to move on. The Penguins won the Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 in Sullivan's first two seasons. Since then, the Penguins have been trying to make the most out of their aging roster without the thought of a light rebuild. 

Pittsburgh missed the NHL playoffs for the third consecutive season last year. It was also the first time the Penguins fell below .500% since the 2005-06 season. That time, four-time first-team All-NHL and current star center Sidney Crosby was a rookie, and captain Mario Lemieux entered the season at 40 years old.

Sullivan took a stacked team with Crosby, center Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Kris Letang and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, all in their prime, and helped deliver two championships. The Penguins also had a young but energetic forward, Bryan Rust, on the roster. 

What makes the Penguins' game against the Rangers emotional

After three consecutive seasons, the Penguins knew they needed new leadership to lead this aged roster that had the potential to create a spark. They also have undervalued young players who have the potential to break out and be the future of the Penguins. The Penguins believe they have found a new leader who brings out the best in those players in Dan Muse.

Ironically, Muse was the Rangers assistant coach for a few seasons. He will have an emotional return to Madison Square Garden as he takes his first regular-season game ever as a head coach. The Penguins will look to ease the pressure off Muse, but there is going to be some emotions from the Penguins facing Sullivan for the first time since parting ways with the organization.

There were many fans who felt the decision to let Sullivan go was a season or two too late, much like the front office has been slow to rebuild the team. The Penguins are moving forward with a new leader to potentially lead the team back into the playoffs. They can start their playoff push against a Rangers team that nearly went under .500% despite a talented and stacked roster on Tuesday.