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Penguins Blog: Projecting New Lines, Inside Numbers

Dan Muse has done more experimenting in the early going of the 2026-27 season than Thomas Edison on a square […]

Published: Tuesday, 27 October 2026 at 11:14 PM
Penguins Blog: Projecting New Lines, Inside Numbers
Key Things to Know
  • Penguins coach Dan Muse is testing new forward lines, including slotting Ben Kindel between Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin.
  • Dan Kingerski notes Hendrix Lapierre and Ville Koivunen have dominated possession together with an 85% expected goals-for rate.
  • Hendrix Lapierre told PHN he prefers playing center, where he has recorded all his production with Pittsburgh.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse experimented with new forward line combinations in practice following Ben Kindel's return from a recent health scare. Kindel was slotted between wingers Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin, while Muse also highlighted building around the effective pairing of Hendrix Lapierre and Ville Koivunen.

Dan Kingerski reports that Lapierre and Koivunen have posted impressive underlying numbers together, including an 85% expected goals-for rate across 71 minutes. However, advanced statistics indicate that pairings involving Andrei Kuzmenko have struggled, even as Muse noted Kuzmenko's puck skills in recent offensive-zone appearances.

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