Penguins list Koivunen, Brazeau and Kindel as day-to-day

Three Pittsburgh forwards are nursing injuries as the club announced additional lineup absences following the news on Blake Lizotte.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with a run of health issues in camp. A day after the team said forward Blake Lizotte would be out week to week, three more forwards — Ville Koivunen, Justin Brazeau and Ben Kindel — were held off the ice Monday and listed as day-to-day.

Koivunen took a puck to the face during Sunday's practice and will sit out Monday's preseason contest with an upper-body issue. His absence creates an opportunity for Carter Sanderson, a 2025 sixth-round selection, to appear in an NHL preseason game for the first time. Brazeau (lower body) and Kindel (lower body) did not take part in Monday's training camp sessions.

Kindel exited Sunday's exhibition win against Buffalo in the opening period after blocking a shot with his foot and never came back. Brazeau was hurt when a trip sent him legs-first into the boards; he remained down briefly, skated off on his own, and later resumed his regular shifts to finish the game.

Pittsburgh plays again Monday and Thursday. The injuries come at a poor time for Koivunen and Brazeau, both of whom are competing for places on the opening-night roster. Defenseman Owen Pickering also went down after being tripped into the boards but continued playing and, per the report, has not missed time.