Pittsburgh's 23-man roster includes 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. Nineteen of the 23 players skated for the Penguins last year. The newcomers to the roster are forwards Matt Cullen and Derek Grant plus defensemen Jack Johnson and Juuso Riikola. Cullen is beginning his second stint in Pittsburgh after helping the club win back-to-back championships in 2016 and '17. Riikola is the lone member of the team who will be looking to make his NHL debut when the season begins.
For the second-straight season, captain Sidney Crosby is the Penguins' longest-tenured player as he embarks on his 14th campaign. Only Penguins' Hall of Fame owner Mario Lemieux (17 seasons) has played more seasons in franchise history. Alternate captains Evgeni Malkin (13th year) and Kris Letang (12th year) join Crosby as three-time Stanley Cup champions who have played at least 12 years in a Pittsburgh sweater. Cullen enters his 21st NHL campaign having appeared in 1,445 career games, the third-most among active players behind only Patrick Marleau (1,575) and Joe Thornton (1,493).
The Penguins open the 2018-19 regular season this Thursday, October 4 by hosting the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals at 7:00 PM at PPG Paints Arena. Fans can watch the game on AT&T SportsNet or listen on the team's official flagship, 105.9 The X.
