What Happened
Pittsburgh announced Sunday that four players have been placed on injured reserve ahead of the regular season. Forwards Blake Lizotte, Justin Brazeau and Ben Kindel, along with defenceman Ryan Graves, are sidelined. Lizotte has an upper-body injury and is day-to-day, while Brazeau and Kindel are week-to-week with lower-body injuries. Graves is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. The moves leave the Penguins short several players as they prepare for their opener.
Key Details
- Lizotte: upper-body injury, listed as day-to-day.
- Brazeau: lower-body injury, listed as week-to-week.
- Kindel: lower-body injury, listed as week-to-week.
- Graves: lower-body injury, out indefinitely.
- Kindel was Pittsburgh's first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
- Penguins open the season Wednesday at Philadelphia.
What It Means
Pittsburgh loses depth at forward and on defence just as the season begins, with Graves' indefinite absence the least predictable of the four. Lizotte's day-to-day status offers the quickest potential return, while Brazeau and Kindel will miss at least the early part of the schedule. Kindel's setback delays his bid to earn a lineup spot after arriving from the 2025 draft.
What's Next
The Penguins open the regular season Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers and will need to manage their roster while the four players recover. Lizotte could return soon given his day-to-day status, while timelines for Brazeau, Kindel and Graves remain less defined.