Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: Goaltenders

With August just around the corner, the onset of NHL training camps is drawing nearer and nearer, which means time is beginning to dwindle for any kind of roster reshuffling prior to the 2026-27 season.And, if general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins elect not to change anything up in the meantime, things will be quite interesting once the season gets underway.The Penguins have been a relatively active team since the end of the 2025-26 season, as they have added a few players via trade and free agency. However, one area that they have decided to, pretty much, stand pat on is goaltending.After Stuart Skinner departed in free agency, the Penguins extended goaltender Artūrs Šilovs to a one-year deal worth $2.8 million, but because Šilovs was already part of the tandem last season, that means that a spot is wide-open for a prospect to take.As a reminder, for these purposes, we can't assume that any trades will be made. The Penguins have no shortage of prospect goaltending depth as is, since Sergei Murashov, Joel Blomqvist, Taylor Gauthier, and even youngster Gabrel D'Aigle are in the pipeline.So, who will secure an NHL roster spot on opening night? And what should fans expect to see from the Penguins' goaltending situation this season?Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: Defensemen Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: Defensemen If Pittsburgh's roster remains status quo heading into the 2026-27 seasons, their defensive corps will have a lot of question marks. Projected goaltending tandem:1A Starter: Artūrs Šilovs1B Starter: Sergei MurashovŠilovs saysConsistency wasn't exactly a hallmark for Šilovs during the 2025-26 regular season, as he would look like a legitimate NHL starting goaltender for stretches and completely lose his bearings during others. His most dominant stretch of the regular season came in a nine-game stretch after the turn of the new year, when he went 5-2-2 with a .934 save percentage.So, it wasn't clear if he would be coming back or not. That is, until the playoffs happened.After Skinner started the first three games of the Penguins' first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, the team needed a spark when buried 3-0 in the series. They switched things up and turned to Šilovs, who was, technically, still a rookie. And his three performances, especially in the decisive Game 6 in a 1-0 overtime win that sent the Flyers to the second round, are what earned him his stay in Pittsburgh, as he put up a .939 save percentage and sacrificed just five goals on 82 shots.Even if neither Šilovs or Murashov are experienced NHL goaltenders, Šilovs's NHL experience last season and his proven ability to come up big on the biggest stages probably give him a slight nod over Murashov, at least to start the season. It might also help to ease Murashov's transition and give Šilovs an earned opportunity to get a legitimate starter's look.However, it's important to note that head coach Dan Muse went with a 50-50 split the entire season when it came to his goaltenders in 2025-26, and they only really deviated from the alternating starts when the playoffs began. So, it would not be surprising in the least to see the same thing next season.Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: Forwards Pittsburgh Penguins' 2026-27 Lineup Projections: Forwards If Pittsburgh's roster remains status quo heading into the 2026-27 seasons, they will have some interesting decisions to make on the forward front. Murashov's momentThen, there's the other half of the tandem, who happens to be the most highly touted goaltender in the Penguins' organization.Of course, it should be said that it is no guarantee Murashov will make the NHL roster out of training camp. Anything could happen, and he has legitimate competition right on his heels in Blomqvist and Gauthier. If either of them show well, and Murashov shows poorly, they'll earn a spot.However, the writing is on the wall for Murashov, and the organization thinks very highly of him. This was evidenced by Murashov's run of games in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, when he backstopped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins for all 15 games and put up a .931 save percentage with one shutout. He was magnificent in the postseason, and the organization certainly gave him the runway to keep it going.So, it would be a surprise if Murashov isn't the other guy next to Šilovs. He did have a pedestrian five-game sample at the NHL level last season, when his video game AHL numbers in the first half of WBS's season earned him two brief late-fall call-ups and he finished with an .897 save percentage in those games.But, he's shown dominance at every level of professional hockey, and it's time for him to make the jump full-time, even if that means being a 1B to Šilovs in the beginning. The Penguins believe he could be a franchise goaltender, and even if there are some growing pains next season, they are lined up to give him the opportunity to prove himself.Even If Robertson's Door Might Not Be Shut Entirely, Penguins Must Shift Gears Even If Robertson's Door Might Not Be Shut Entirely, Penguins Must Shift Gears With Dallas Stars superstar winger Jason Robertson inking a one-year deal with Dallas Tuesday to avoid arbitration, the Penguins - rumored to be in on Robertson - must look elsewhere if Dubas is to follow through on his summer plans. Don't count them outIt's important not to rule out Blomqvist and Gauthier, either. D'Aigle will be entering his first full season of professional hockey, and his complicated situation with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL - who have the rights to him despite the Penguins breaking their affiliation with Wheeling and despite his signing of an NHL entry-level contract - makes it unlikely he'll see NHL ice next season.As for Blomqvist, 24, it's pretty much go-time. Just as Murashov got his opportunity in 2025-26, Blomqvist got his the season prior, and two very different NHL stints with some injuries sprinkled in hindered his chances at playing in the NHL and, even, starting at the AHL level. With Murashov likely headed to the NHL, it should be a great battle between Blomqvist and Gauthier for playing time in the AHL, but Blomqvist needs to show this season that he is worthy of being part of the Penguins' plan moving forward.Gauthier, 25, has also battled injuries for the past two training camps, which is - quite frankly - a bit of a shame. He has been dominant at the ECHL level for three straight seasons, never posting a save percentage below .923 and putting up a brilliant performance in this season's Kelly Cup Playoffs for Wheeling with a .922 save percentage and 9-6-2 record.He earned himself an NHL entry-level contract to close out the 2025-26 season, and he signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract extension for $850,000 this season. Gauthier has had a limited AHL sample size, but he will put up a good fight and put himself in the conversation for first call-up, regardless of whether it's Murashov or Blomqvist in the NHL.Opinion: If Penguins Are To Let Youth Shine, They Need To Make Some Room Opinion: If Penguins Are To Let Youth Shine, They Need To Make Some Room If the Penguins walk into the season with their roster as currenty constructed, it leaves no room for some of their NHL-ready youth to have a chance at establishing themselves in the NHL. 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