VGK at PIT
Vegas Golden Knights at Pittsburgh Penguins. Preview from the model, the licensed feeds and last season's measures. Nothing here is a betting recommendation.
- Model now
- Expected score
- Market
- —
- Venue
- PPG Paints Arena
What the model says now
Lineups not yet published: each club's usual lineup assumed. Starting goalie not confirmed: goaltending held at league average. This estimate moves until the ledger freezes it before puck drop.
Source: CapOrCup game model (derived from club ratings, rest and starters)
What the schedule did to each side
Nights off, back-to-backs, third games in four nights, road-trip position and travel since the last game, from the statistical schedule. Shown as facts; rest is in the price, travel is not.
second of a back-to-back · game 2 of a road trip · rest disadvantage
2 nights off · rest advantage
In goal
The league names no starter before puck drop. First on each club's depth chart, from the licensed feed, is the expected starter.
Carter Hart
Arturs Silovs
Expected lines
What each club intends per the feed's depth chart, with each forward's shooter rating (Elo, against the goalies faced last season). A listing is the club's statement, not a game sheet.
Vegas Golden Knights
L1 Ivan Barbashev (above the league middle) · Jack Eichel (above the league middle) · Mark Stone (above the league middle)
L2 Brett Howden (above the league middle) · William Karlsson · Mitch Marner (top tenth of the league)
L3 Trevor Connelly · Tomas Hertl (bottom tenth of the league) · Raphael Lavoie
D1 Brayden McNabb (above the league middle) · Shea Theodore (above the league middle)
D2 Parker Wotherspoon (above the league middle) · Rasmus Andersson (top tenth of the league)
PP1 Mark Stone (above the league middle) · Tomas Hertl (bottom tenth of the league) · Trevor Connelly · Jack Eichel (above the league middle) · Victor Olofsson (below the league middle)
Pittsburgh Penguins
L1 Rickard Rakell (above the league middle) · Sidney Crosby (top tenth of the league) · Bryan Rust (above the league middle)
L2 Egor Chinakhov (top tenth of the league) · Thomas Novak (below the league middle) · Evgeni Malkin (above the league middle)
L3 Hendrix Lapierre (below the league middle) · Ben Kindel (below the league middle) · Ville Koivunen
D1 Declan Carlile · Erik Karlsson (above the league middle)
D2 Samuel Girard (above the league middle) · Kaedan Korczak (below the league middle)
PP1 Ben Kindel (below the league middle) · Evgeni Malkin (above the league middle) · Rickard Rakell (above the league middle) · Erik Karlsson (above the league middle) · Sidney Crosby (top tenth of the league)
Who the clubs list as out
Club-announced listings relayed by the licensed feed. No cause is inferred; Day To Day players are shown but not counted as out.
Vegas Golden Knights
Kai Uchacz (C): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-09-29, expected back 2026-10-24
Lukas Cormier (D): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-09-29, expected back 2026-10-22
Parker Wotherspoon (D): Out (upper body), listed since 2026-10-12, expected back 2026-10-20
Victor Olofsson (LW): Out (undisclosed), listed since 2026-10-06, expected back 2026-11-02
Pittsburgh Penguins
Samuel Girard (D): Day To Day (undisclosed), listed since 2026-10-17, expected back 2026-10-19
Egor Chinakhov (RW): Out (lower body), listed since 2026-10-16, expected back 2026-10-22
Justin Brazeau (RW): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-09-27, expected back 2026-10-22
Ryan Graves (D): Out (lower-body), listed since 2026-09-27, expected back 2026-10-24
Trevor van Riemsdyk (D): Out (lower body), listed since 2026-10-10, expected back 2026-10-19
Who has the whistle
Named by the league, usually near puck drop. Each referee's record is from last season's play-by-play penalties; ranks are distance from league norms.