Penguins Start Goalie Joel Blomqvist, Lightning Use Backup Jonas Johansson in Preseason Openers

Jonas Johansson will start as the backup goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their 2025-26 preseason opener against the Carolina Hurricanes. Johansson, 30, finished last season with a 9-6-3 record, a .895 save percentage, and a 3.13 goals-against average, and recently signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract with Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins plan to start Joel Blomqvist in their preseason opener against the Montreal Canadiens, where he will split goaltending duties with prospect Sergei Murashov. Blomqvist, 23, posted a 4-9-1 record, a 3.81 GAA, and an .885 save percentage last season and is currently behind Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs on the Penguins depth chart. Murashov, 22, had a strong AHL season with a 12-3-0 record, a 2.64 GAA, and a .913 save percentage, suggesting he is a promising prospect. These preseason starts highlight the teams' strategies for evaluating goaltenders ahead of the regular season.