Penguins forward Blake Lizotte is healthy and hanging on to his job

The start of Blake Lizotte’s second season with the Pittsburgh Penguins is going much better than how he began his first.

That’s because he hasn’t been concussed.

Not even once.

After joining the club during the 2024 offseason by signing a two-year contract, Lizotte didn’t even make it to the start of the 2024-25 regular season because of a concussion he suffered during a preseason game when a puck hit him while seated on the bench Sept. 29.

Missing the first 11 games of the regular season, Lizotte suffered another concussion Nov. 15 — again thanks to an errant puck — and missed another five games.

“It’s been a wildly different year,” Lizotte said last week in Cranberry. “Last year was, call it crazy unlucky. So it feels good to feel healthy. Feel more that my game is in a good spot. A way better place than last year.”

Through the Penguins’ first four games, Lizotte’s current season looks a lot like the healthy portions of his 2024-25 campaign. Centering the fourth line, he has one goal and largely has been deployed in defensive situations, including the penalty kill, where he has logged a robust 3 minutes, 3 seconds of short-handed ice time per contest.

Injuries and missing the playoffs notwithstanding, Lizotte was mostly satisfied with his 2024-25 campaign in which he tied a career high with 11 goals in only 59 games while being one of the team’s leaders in defensive-zone starts (187 according to Natural Stat Trick).

“He always has an impact,” Penguins forward Rickard Rakell said. “He’s such a good skater. The way he transitions the puck from defense to offense or the work that he’s doing on the backcheck, he’s doing it all. Really good (on faceoffs), good on the (penalty kill), disrupting plays. I can go on.”

For the second consecutive season, Lizotte is getting used to a new coach. After leaving the Los Angeles Kings to join the Penguins, he toiled dutifully under former coach Mike Sullivan. Now, he’s getting used to Dan Muse.

“Systems-wise, it’s not far off from last year in terms of (defensive) zone and (offensive) zone,” Lizotte said. “But in terms of mentality and the way (Muse) approaches communication with guys, he’s an awesome dude and communicates well. He’s been a joy to work with so far.”

Like Sullivan, Muse has relied on Lizotte in defensive situations, including defending late leads. During a 3-0 season-opening road win against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7, Lizotte scored the final goal of the contest on an empty net as the hosts made a late offensive push.

Empty net goal for Pittsburgh!

Scored by Blake Lizotte with 01:52 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Ryan Shea and Connor Dewar.

New York: 0
Pittsburgh: 3#PITvsNYR #NYR #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/lRrtwy7e9S

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 8, 2025

Last season, Lizotte had two empty-net goals. Only first-liners Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust (three each) had more such goals on the team.

“Anytime you have the coach’s trust to be out there in the final minutes of a game is huge, and it actually gives me confidence as well,” Lizotte said. “I’m really happy that I got that opportunity and hopefully can keep building on it.”

Lizotte has maintained his place on the roster entering this season despite several prospects offering viable cases to make the NHL club. Unlike other veterans such as defenseman Ryan Graves and forward Danton Heinen — each of whom went to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after clearing waivers — Lizotte kept his job.

Once upon a time — April 2019 to be precise — Lizotte was an undrafted rookie out of St. Cloud State battling to take a veteran’s job with the Kings.

“It’s pro sports,” said Lizotte, 27. “It’s a competitive world. Anytime there’s (training) camp and there’s good young players like we have in our organization right now, there’s always that little bit of pressure. At the end of the day, you earn what you can bring and know your role. I know what I need to do and what I bring to the table. If I can be at my best in those areas, I don’t need to be somebody I’m not.

“Once you’re here, you can’t take a day for granted because it can be gone in a flash. Every day in the league is just a blessing.”

How many more days he’ll spend with the Penguins is a matter of speculation. With the Penguins not expected to be a serious threat to contend for the postseason, veterans on expiring contracts, such as Lizotte, could potentially be dealt away for future assets.

Lizotte is not one of those speculating on his future, however.

“Not really,” Lizotte said. “I’m a one-day-at-a-time kind of guy. I believe that God has a plan in it all. I trust him and where he ends up moving us or staying here or whatever it might be. I don’t think too much ahead. I just take one day at a time.”