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The Penguins kick off their home opener against a familiar rival. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here on Last Word on Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for all the NHL’s games. In tonight’s matchup, the Pittsburgh Penguins host the New York Islanders in their home opener for the 2025-26 season.
New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Head-to-Head: Islanders 0-0 Penguins
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: Sportsnet+, TVAS
2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders kick off their season in Pittsburgh, facing off against the Penguins’ own youth movement. With a surge of youth mixed with veteran talent for both teams, this game should have some jump to it from the get-go.
Projected by many sources to finish bottom five in the league, the Penguins got off to a fantastic start in Madison Square Garden. They beat the New York Rangers 3-0 off a pair of goals from Justin Brazeau and one more from Blake Lizotte. This game showcased a very different Penguins team. New head coach Dan Muse has practiced accountability, speed, and puck support. All of these factors were evident in the game against the Rangers, where one of the worst defensive teams in the league last season successfully prevented the Rangers from getting sustained pressure at any point in the game.
A story that will continue into this game is the arrival of young talent like Ben Kindel, Harrison Brunicke, and Ville Koivunen. Kindel, the 11th overall pick from this year’s draft, looked good in his Penguins debut. He made multiple plays that created chances for the Penguins, while having an unexpectedly good game defensively. Harrison Brunicke also looked good, playing steady defence and preventing some offence in his own zone. Ville Koivunen, looking to build off the end of last season, nearly scored a few times in the game against the Rangers, hitting the post in one instance. The young guns in Pittsburgh in addition to a new coaching style, may have rejuvenated an aging roster. Playing against another lottery-level team, the Penguins could establish some momentum to start the season.
What a difference one season can make. The Islanders started last season in one of the worst situations in the entire league. An old, aimless organization without much of a present or a future. With the firing of Lou Lamoriello and the subsequent hiring of general manager Mathieu Darche came rapid changes in short order. Within the last season, the Islanders have brought in potential impact prospects into the organization, such as Calum Ritchie, Viktor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson, and the 2025 first-overall pick, Matthew Schaefer. Scheafer specifically looks to make his NHL debut against the Penguins in this game.
Even with a team trending downwards, the Islanders have significant talent capable of pitching in now. This group is led by Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. Barzal dealt with injuries last season, scoring 20 points in 30 games. Horvat, meanwhile, led the team in scoring with 57 points in 81 games. Once a formidable playoff roster, this version of the Islanders is far weaker, with just a handful of impact pieces left. Players like Barzal, Horvat, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock may all be up for trade soon enough. As such, this season looks to be one where the Islanders hope for Gavin McKenna over making the playoffs.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Justin Brazeau and Evgeni Malkin, got off to a hot start in Madison Square Garden. Expect this momentum to continue against an Islanders team that will be more focused on the development of their youth than the success of the club this year.
Pittsburgh had chances, but struggled to finish against the Rangers. Expect a few more to go in for them, while the Islanders will be ready to produce some offence themselves. Popular sportsbooks prop bet of over-five goals at -260 is a good shout for this game.
Main Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Rohit is a Business Communications graduate from Brock University. He’s been watching and following the NHL since 2012. Although he is from Toronto, his favourite team has always been the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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