The Penguins waste no time post-roster freeze, recalling Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the second time this season after his brief NHL taste before the Olympic break. This 23-year-old undrafted gem has torched the AHL with 19 goals in 36 games, including hat tricks that turned heads in front offices. Injuries to Rakell and Lizotte opened the door last time, and now Pittsburgh keeps him up amid their playoff push, leapfrogging higher picks like Koivunen on the depth chart.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby returns from Italy with a silver medal and a nagging injury that sidelined him for Canada's gold-medal showdown against a golden Team USA. Arturs Silovs thrilled back home after stonewalling Leon Draisaitl's 10 shots in Latvia's upset over Germany, while the Penguins' Olympic contingent - including Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell - brings fresh legs and stories from the brightest stage.

Pittsburgh pulls the trigger on Rickard Rakell, shipping the Swedish sniper straight to Ottawa in a move that screams salary dump and retool. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has been fielding calls on Rakell all season, and this deal finally cashes in on his team-friendly contract amid a brutal cap crunch.

Penguins fans have four guys lighting it up in Italy, with Sidney Crosby already dishing two helpers as Team Canada's captain in their opener against Czechia. Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell suited up for Sweden in a tough loss to Finland, while Arturs Silovs saw action backing up Latvia in a 5-1 defeat to the U.S., giving up one goal in limited time.

Vancouver's contingent heads to the 2026 Winter Olympics with five players scattered across four nations, and early projections slot Filip Hronek as Czechia's top power-play quarterback alongside stars like Pastrnak and Hertl. Elias Pettersson draws a surprise third-line gig for Sweden with Rakell and Zibanejad, while Teddy Blueger anchors Latvia's second line and PK duties.

Penguins winger Rickard Rakell clears hurdles and slots in for Wednesday's tilt, boosting Pittsburgh's top-six depth at a critical juncture. After stints on the shelf, his timely return injects scoring punch to a lineup chasing playoff positioning. Penguins coaches breathe easier, as Rakell's net-front presence alters matchups league-wide.