Pens Points: Let the season begin

PEOPLE! Tonight is some real regular season hockey with our favorite flightless birds. The puck drops against the New York Rangers at 7:30 p.m. ET. Before we get to the fun stuff…

Here are your Pens points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins' bottom six finishes last season were, well, a whole lot of meh. This year, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas wants to see more offense from the bottom six forwards. Can that happen? (PensBurgh)

Hooks is back again with another look at the Metropolitan Division standings. Where will Pittsburgh land when the dust settles in April 2025? (PensBurgh)

Thursday's game between the Penguins and Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena has been moved to a start time closer to 8:00 p.m. ET. This change comes as the Detroit Tigers will play at Detroit's Comerica Park in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. The Penguins moved the Red Wings in the preseason, so a reversal is fair. (Trib Live)

On Tuesday, injured striker Bryan Rust took part in the last mandatory training session before the game on Wednesday evening. While Rust remains on injured reserve, this is a promising sign for Rust's rehabilitation process from a lower body injury. (Trib Live)

Heading into the first year of a three-year contract extension, head coach Mike Sullivan had a chance to rebut some of the narratives of his critics. (Trib Live)

News and notes from across the NHL…

Rangers franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin has reportedly turned down the team's offer to become the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history. According to ESPN sources, Shesterkin was offered an eight-year contract extension worth $88 million. (ESPN)

With the Seattle Kraken's first game (a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues), the team also made history with the loss. Assistant coach Jessica Campbell was the first woman to ever coach an NHL game. (Sports Illustrated)

Would NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman be in favor of adding a hypothetical expansion team along the lines of the Utah Hockey Club in six months? “Absolutely,” he said. (Deseret News)