Justin Brazeau, Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha form another big 3 for the Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had big lines before.

Perhaps their most famous trio with robust dimensions was formed during the 1991-92 season.

While Kevin Stevens (6-foot-3, 231 pounds) and Mario Lemieux (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) were the biggest bodies on that line, it’s almost absurd to point out that Rick Tocchet, one of the most intimidating and penalized players in NHL history, was the shrimp at 6-feet and 210 pounds.

Their size and skill led the Penguins to a championship when the line was formed in 1992. In the 1992-93 season, all three reached the 100-point barrier.

The trio that currently makes up the Penguins’ second line doesn’t quite have those types of accolades. But it does have a surplus of size, and it’s off to a fast start.

Justin Brazeau (6-6, 232), Evgeni Malkin (6-5, 213) and Anthony Mantha (6-5, 240) have had prominent roles in the Penguins’ two wins this season, particularly Brazeau, who scored the winning goals in each triumph.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Brazeau said following a 4-3 home win against the New York Islanders on Thursday. “Obviously, anytime you get to play with players like Malkin and those guys, you try to take the best opportunity and make the most of it. So, I think I’ve just been trying to make sure I’m feeding off them and helping them out as much as I can.”

Brazeau’s first goal came in the season opener, a 3-0 road win against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7. After Malkin “lost” a faceoff — perhaps intentionally — in New York’s right circle, he surged past Rangers forward Vince Trocheck then fed a quick pass to Brazeau above the crease. With most of the Rangers’ defenders slow to react, Brazeau buried a backhander for the team’s first goal this season.

Pittsburgh goal!

Scored by Justin Brazeau with 00:32 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Evgeni Malkin.

New York: 0
Pittsburgh: 1#PITvsNYR #NYR #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/LO7jq7sCSq

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 8, 2025

Later in the contest, Malkin and Mantha recorded assists on an empty-net score by Brazeau.

Empty net goal for Pittsburgh!

Scored by Justin Brazeau with 02:12 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha.

New York: 0
Pittsburgh: 2#PITvsNYR #NYR #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/wQ8jsF87cO

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 8, 2025

Two nights later, Brazeau scored the winning goal on a breakaway off a bank pass from the left wing wall by Malkin. Mantha had the secondary assist.

Justin Brazeau scores his (3) goal as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.#LetsGoPens   
pic.twitter.com/zgH9LFimTV

— Rockford Maverick (@RockfordMav) October 10, 2025

“(Malkin has) got so much skill down there,” Brazeau said. “When he has the puck on his stick, he demands so much attention. Me and (Mantha) are able to feed off that and find little soft spots in the ice. We both have the ability to make plays when he gets the puck there. We’ve just got to kind of keep doing that, imposing our size and our will down there.”

How much does size really have to do with the line’s success so far?

Mantha suggests the trio uses their dimensions in different ways.

“(Brazeau), he likes to get in around the net,” Mantha said. “I tend to maybe try to do a couple more plays. Obviously, (Malkin) loves to carry the puck. So, it’s three opposites that are playing together. It’s coming together. As soon as we have one-on-one battles, most of them, we’re going to win. We’re going to use our size, our strength. It just creates more (offensive zone time) for us in general. We saw it through the first two games.”

Malkin’s current height and weight weren’t what anyone saw on NHL documents or web pages throughout the first 18 years of his career.

When he was drafted in 2004, Malkin, then 18, registered at 6-3 and 192 pounds … and never grew. At least as the NHL’s official listings were concerned.

League and team officials never updated his height and weight for nearly two decades on public documents or web pages. After Kyle Dubas took over as Penguins president of hockey operations in 2023, he instructed team staffers to update all heights and weights for players. As such, Malkin enjoyed a rare (listed) growth spurt in his late 30s, though he might need to stand on one or two pieces of construction paper to be a true 6-5.

Regardless of what the tape measure says, Malkin’s play with the puck is usually what stands out.

“(Malkin) is more the guy that’s going to control the play,” Mantha said. “He wants the puck on his stick. It’s on me and (Brazeau) to kind of go towards that net and be that screen or that backdoor presence. As soon as you’re positioned, (Malkin) is going to find you.”

Having three players that big on a team, let alone a line, is unique in today’s mostly compact NHL.

Only 50 of the 653 players who have skated in one NHL game this season (though Sunday) are 6-5 or taller. And as far as weight goes, Brazeau and Mantha are among the 22 biggest players in the league.

“It’s not something you see all the time, three big bodies like that,” Brazeau said. “But it’s obviously nice to feed off that.”

Malkin seems to like how the line is sizing up as well.

“These two kids, they’re amazing,” Malkin said. “They’re big, they use speed, they use size. I think it’s a great line. We can do everything. We can play (in the) offensive zone, take faceoffs, play (in the) defensive zone. I hope we play very well.

“I hope we stay focused, (have) the same energy and just keep going.”