Dan Muse Impressed with Penguins' Young Goalie

The Pittsburgh Penguins have hit their first real wall of the season, and it’s been a hard one. After opening the year as one of the hottest teams in the NHL, they’ve managed just three wins in ten games during a rough November slide.

The stars are still producing, with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin playing at an elite level even if they’re no longer leading the league in scoring. Still, the losses keep stacking up, and the Penguins have slipped out of a playoff spot back to the middle of the division and conference standings.

Head coach Dan Muse hasn’t hidden his frustration. The Penguins’ structure has slipped, their details have faded, and the mistakes that weren’t there in October suddenly show up nightly. But even in a month full of problems, one unexpected bright spot has stood out: rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov.

A Rookie Goalie in Pittsburgh Making Noise Early

Drafted in the fourth round (118th overall) in 2022, Murashov has quickly become one of the most intriguing young players in the organization. His poise, technique, and calmness suggest far more than his draft position, and point toward a goalie that's giving Penguins fans hope again .

Murashov's NHL debut came in a tight 3–2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, where he stopped 24 of 27 shots and looked composed throughout. Fittingly, it came on the final night Anze Kopitar would ever play at PPG Paints Arena — and the future Hall of Famer became the first NHL player to score a regular-season goal on the young Russian goalie.

Sergei Murashov (24 Saves on 27 shots) speaks about his NHL debut ↴ pic.twitter.com/dUtQK9OkQH
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 9, 2025

Since then, he's has gone 1–1, including a shutout against the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of the 2025 NHL Global Series in Sweden. That shutout made him the fastest goalie in Penguins franchise history to record their first NHL shutout. Even more impressive was his maturity after the game — measured, detailed, and focused on improving. Not many 21-year-old goalies have such mature and thoughtful postgame comments like a seasoned veteran, but Murashov certainly does.

Muse Praises Murashov’s Professionalism

During a media scrum after the Penguins practice on Nov. 25, Muse was asked what he has seen from Murashov and what the plan will be with Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs both healthy, he offered plenty of praise without revealing too much:

“I’m not going to go into the full plan right now… But as for what I’ve seen from him — he’s extremely prepared and an incredible competitor. I love his day-to-day approach. Even going back to training camp, being around him, you could see how hard he competes every day in practice and how detailed his preparation is.”

First NHL win ✅
First NHL shutout ✅

Huge stick taps to Sergei Murashov on this incredible accomplishment! #NHLGlobalSeries pic.twitter.com/wNVZH4I92B
— NHL (@NHL) November 16, 2025

And Muse didn’t stop complimenting Murashov there, adding:

“For a younger player, it’s really impressive. He’s been very consistent in showing those traits — his off-ice preparation, his on-ice competitiveness, and of course the technical skill he brings. He’s been very steady in displaying all of those qualities.”

Earlier this week, Muse summed up the Penguins’ struggles in one word, capturing his disappointment perfectly. For a coach who has been visibly frustrated with his team this month, that kind of praise for a rookie goalie stands out even more.

The Bigger Picture for the Penguins

Murashov’s rise matters because the Penguins’ championship window isn’t closed — not yet. Crosby is still elite, Malkin is leading the team in scoring, Kris Letang remains the workhorse every coach dreams of, and Erik Karlsson, even in his mid-30s, drives play in a way few defensemen can.

If the Penguins want to give this group one more long playoff run — one more shot at writing the ending they deserve — they’ll need stability in net. And if Murashov continues to grow at this pace, he won’t just be a great story during a rough month. He’ll be a reason the Penguins still believe one more cup is possible.

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