Penguins announce 2024 training camp schedule

Camp officially opens on September 18th

Hockey is almost here again! The players are working together informally on the ice and in less than a week on Wednesday September 18th, training camp officially begins for the 2024-25 season.

From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins will take the ice for the first day of training camp on Wednesday, September 18 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex to officially open the 2024-25 season.

Training camp is presented by UPMC and all non-game day practices are free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, Teams 1 and 2 will hold their first practice from 9:00-9:45 AM, followed by a scrimmage from 10:00-10:45 AM. Team 3 will take the ice at 11:30 AM and then again at 12:40 PM.

After three days of practices, the Penguins will begin their preseason slate with a matchup against the Sabres at KeyBank Center in Buffalo at 7:00 PM on Saturday, September 21.

Pittsburgh’s training camp consists of seven pre-season games and eight days of practices prior to their home opener against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, October 9 at 7:30 PM.

Below is a look at the Penguins’ complete training camp schedule (all practices are at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex unless otherwise noted):

Wednesday, September 18

9:00-9:45 AM – Team 1 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
9:00-9:45 AM – Team 2 Practice (Covestro Rink – Rink 2)
10:00-10:45 AM – Team 1 vs. Team 2 Scrimmage (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
10:45-11:05 AM – Team 1 and 2 Conditioning (FedEx Rink 1 & Covestro Rink 2)
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM – Team 3 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
12:40-1:30 PM – Team 3 Practice and Conditioning (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Thursday, September 19

9:00-9:45 AM – Team 2 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
9:00-9:45 AM – Team 3 Practice (Covestro Rink – Rink 2)
10:00-11:00 AM – Team 2 vs. Team 3 Scrimmage (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM – Team 1 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
12:40-1:30 PM – Team 1 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Friday, September 20

9:00-9:45 AM – Team 3 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
9:00-9:45 AM – Team 1 Practice (Covestro Rink – Rink 2)
10:00-10:45 AM – Team 3 vs. Team 1 Scrimmage (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
10:45-11:05 AM – Team 3 and 1 Conditioning (FedEx Rink 1 & Covestro Rink 2)
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM – Team 2 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
12:40-1:30 PM – Team 2 Practice and Conditioning (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Saturday, September 21

11:30 AM – Morning Skate (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
7:00 PM – GAME AT BUFFALO (KeyBank Center)

Sunday, September 22

DAY OFF

Monday, September 23

10:10-11:30 AM – Team 1 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
12:40-2:00 PM – Team 2 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Tuesday, September 24

10:30 AM – Morning Skate (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
7:00 PM – GAME VS. BUFFALO (PPG Paints Arena)

Wednesday, September 25

10:10-11:30 AM – Team 1 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
12:40-2:00 PM – Team 2 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Thursday, September 26

10:10-11:30 AM – Team 1 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
12:40 AM-2:00 PM – Team 2 Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Friday, September 27

DAY OFF

Saturday, September 28

10:30 AM – Morning Skate (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
7:00 PM – GAME AT DETROIT (Little Caesars Arena)

Sunday, September 29

11:30 AM – Morning Skate
7:00 PM – GAME AT OTTAWA (Sudbury)

Monday, September 30

12:00 PM – Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Tuesday, October 1

10:30 AM – Morning Skate (PPG Paints Arena)
7:00 PM – GAME VS. DETROIT (PPG Paints Arena)

Wednesday, October 2

12:00 AM – Practice (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)

Thursday, October 3

10:30 AM – Morning Skate (FedEx Rink – Rink 1)
7:00 PM – GAME AT COLUMBUS (Nationwide Arena)

Friday, October 4

10:30 AM – Morning Skate (PPG Paints Arena)
7:00 PM – GAME VS COLUMBUS (PPG Paints Arena)

Saturday, October 5

DAY OFF

Even though the pace is always the same every year it remains jarring just how quickly the NHL’s preseason moves. The team’s first game is just a few days after camp officially begins (not that many high-end NHL roster players will be participating in the first exhibition game).

But even for practices - there’s the first three days, a break for a game, a day off and then “Team 3” ceases to exist almost as soon as it was formed, signaling the first round of cuts will take place at some time on the weekend to begin parsing away junior and AHL level players.

“Team 2” doesn’t last much longer into the second week of camp, and only a handful more practices before more players will be dismissed from the NHL group as management whittles down towards what will be their final roster.

Due to all the games, there are only eight scheduled days of practices in this training camp. Long gone are the good old days when players needed a lot of time and practice to get back into game shape!

The Pens’ regular season schedule begins at home game against the Rangers on October 9th.