Giving Thanks
Will the Pittsburgh Penguins Make the Playoffs?
The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a hot start with a 6-2-1 record that no one saw coming.
Well, almost no one.
Because of the Penguins' early success, there’s been a lot of talk about the importance of American Thanksgiving. The powers that be say that teams in the playoff run at the end of November have an 80% chance of being in the running at the end of the season.
Living up to my nebshit, yinzer roots, I want to know what’s going on now, so I decided to hit the fast-forward button on the Penguins' season to see if they’d be well-positioned at the end of November, and what I found might surprise you.
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Note: If you’re not familiar with astrology, the core of it is telling a story. The symbols that astrologers work to interpret have more than one meaning, and understanding how those meanings interact is key to an astrologer’s development. It’s impossible to tell the future, but what follows is my educated guess.
I started these notes on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, with every intention of completing an article with my delineations. At this point, however, I think that trying to craft an actual narrative would take away from the work I’ve done here.
I tried to provide context, as these dynamics have already begun to develop, as evidenced by injuries to Caleb Jones and Rickard Rakell.
Transiting Mars
3rd House Sagittarius
Represents challenges to the organization and team
Chilling behind the scenes
Hidden from public view
Things that aren’t being seen here are the severity of injuries and the level of exhaustion players are experiencing. There is anxiety and restlessness. A disciplined and regimented recovery is needed to address stress, aging, joint issues, or broken bones. Patience is needed.
Mars in Sagittarius applies to a square with Saturn stationing direct in Pisces. Mars has the upper hand. Mars imposes itself on Saturn. Mars hits, pokes, slashes, breaks, and cuts Saturn. This could be surgery for a broken bone. Expect discussion of “Lower body injuries” and no time scheduled for a player's (or players’) return. Sag rules the hips and thighs. Saturn rules bones and ligaments. Strains, sprains, etc, are possible here and will likely not be quickly resolved. This could also be typical wear and tear for aging hockey players, as Saturn rules time and endurance.
Mars squaring the nodes in Pisces (North) and Virgo (South) suggests a need to embrace medical care via medication and recovery therapies, while separating from enemies, loss, or mental load.
Requires thinking outside the box and relying on children, creativity, and innovation. The challenges create uncertainty, but both Mars and Saturn answer to Jupiter retrograde in 10H Cancer — visible success is delayed, but it’s coming on or around/after March 11, 2026.
Summary:
Injuries are plaguing the team, per usual, but these are long-term and chronic injuries that have either surfaced or are in the process of surfacing. There may be a need for creative thinking when it comes to roster selection and line shuffling. Core player recovery/development is slower than expected, and the on-ice presence is needed. The front office needs to be proactive.
Transiting Venus
2nd House Scorpio
Represents the current state of the organization and team
Visibly struggling but still maintaining
Hidden from public view
There is stubbornness around how to treat injuries and a rejection of the need for rest. Production could be slowed, halted, or disrupted by disagreement over how to handle recovery. An injury has created a demand for solitude and will heal over time, but the drive to win overshadows reason and care.
Recent abundance, sportsmanship, or success supports healing and regeneration and will encourage restrictions leading to endurance and survival. Arguments conflict with resilience and delay rest, so therapies and medication support the production of resilience. Issues around trust and fellowship introduce secrecy, but favor regeneration.
Summary:
This is not necessarily a verbal disagreement — it could develop into injury-prone players battling through injuries that require surgical care, but are being delayed with the intent to finish the season and then have the surgery needed for repair. Meanwhile, trainers and team doctors keep the player(s) patched up enough to perform, but the performance isn’t as effective as it used to be.
Roster depth is likely needed, and injured players may try to return too soon, or the team may keep someone sidelined for longer than usual due to depth performance. The organization will likely announce player scratches due to rest or health reasons. Public image relies on legacy during this time.
Profection Year
58th year = 11th House ruled by Sun in Gemini
Performance is enhanced and successful under pressure. Learning how to solve problems through discussion and literature is beneficial, but it should be done behind the scenes to open the door to new success within groups.
Heart overshadowing athleticism, and ignoring rest is possible. Local options have been exhausted. Control issues involving the observation of youth conflicts directly with expanded and enhanced performance. Adherence to circumstances and the viable inheritance of other people’s assets benefit the organization, but are delayed. The benefit is not initially seen as it is overshadowed by local conversation and performance.
Summary:
Injuries and player workload management are challenging the team early. It’s early enough that the Front Office needs to start calling around for trade inquiries to fill holes or call up player after player in Wilkes-Barre. The media conversation likely centers around players like Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke and their development.
The team may rely on them more than initially anticipated, or their continued workload management may become a point of contention among fans, and the media stokes the flames.
Moon Narrative
Saturn rules Moon at 28 Aquarius
Transiting Saturn is stationing direct in 6H of Pisces. It is forming a conjunction with Neptune Rx. This conjunction perfects in late February 2026 in Aries, suggesting that a handoff of some kind will be completed then, for the routine and partnerships are being revealed and worked out. At the time of this chart, Thanksgiving, the deliberate intention of a new structure is forming, but it must first go through a “uncertainty” or “confusion” before solidifying into competitive will and dominance. There is a sense that something must be earned or experienced first.
Saturn applies to Uranus Rx, suggesting that this transaction is a mandatory shakeup but will first pressure routines and players and derive from day-to-day needs, thanks to illness or injury. A current roster spot must be filled, and this transaction and negotiation with someone regularly communicated with fulfills that need.
Jupiter Rx trines Saturn, suggesting that deliberate work supports later success. The restrictions around injuries, illness, and routine activities support reputation and public face, but again, it’s delayed until March.
Venus trines Saturn. Some invisible benefits and possessions haven’t yet made themselves known; they are restricted and unable to participate in work, but when they emerge, they will be highly beneficial. This is a steady, trustworthy asset that hasn’t been recognized or noticed.
Note: Kyle Dubas has his Venus in Scorpio, which means once he sets his eye on something, he gets it. He is relentless in his pursuit. This particular transit could indicate that Dubas has chosen a trade candidate, and he isn’t resting until he gets the trade he wants — it’s reminiscent of the Erik Karlsson trade. What Dubas wants, he will get. Period.
At this stage in the game, however, he may be working against himself as this behind-the-scenes work isn’t coming together as he wants, and it’s frustrating to him. It’s not a no, it’s just not now. These transits could also manifest as AHL call-ups; likely, Ville Koivunen has joined the team, along with other youth movements, due to depth needs.
Saturn’s oversight of this shakeup, delayed success, and hidden benefits affect Moon’s narrative in 5H Aquarius. It’s in its 1st Quarter Phase, so information is being gathered and observed to support the organization’s day-to-day operations and goals, and Moon is initiating the transactions needed.
Summary:
There could be concern over putting too many kids on the NHL roster too soon, but it may also be necessary to cover the injuries or illnesses that have impacted the Penguins.
Zodiacal Releasing
The Zodiacal Releasing indicates a period of youth preparation and a need for creativity in working with transactions for the future, executed through loss that enables the assets of others.
Levels 1, 2, and 4 are all preparation periods, but level 3 is the peak, so whatever negotiations are on the table for 2 and 4 will directly affect Virgo placements.
Jupiter is still in the 10th House of the Franchise chart. It’s retrograde, suggesting public image is attached to “old money” or “glory days”. It’s applying to the Franchise chart’s MC, which makes it more front and center for the fans and the organizational image.
It’s separating from a trine with Venus in the 2nd House of Scorpio. Venus is debilitated here, suggesting a lack of effective assets has passed, but that won’t be public knowledge because Venus is under the beams.
In the Event Chart, Jupiter is in the 6th House, suggesting that the timing coincides with enhanced routines and old health issues or injuries related to the chest, diaphragm, or ribs.
Regardless of the body part, the team will be forced to reassess workloads due to injuries to core players. Long-term injuries could be problematic and require rest and rehab. Recovery periods could be extended.
Dan Muse has several Cancer placements in his natal chart so this development could strain his day-to-day responsibilities and decision-making skills, and he may have to shift his focus from raw performance metrics to a more “dad” approach, emphasizing team chemistry and morale.
Rest for all players will be crucial around this time, whether it’s from injury or increased workloads. Endurance and stamina could become an issue, and any negative self-talk will grow into bigger problems if not dealt with right away.
Gentle training, stretching correctly, staying hydrated, and taking care to prevent common injuries will be vital.
Other points to consider:
Expect roster rotation, rehab news, or emphasis on training staff and conditioning programs.
Players who’ve been overused get rest.
Hidden injuries come to light.
The payoff comes when Jupiter stations direct (on March 11); then the recalibration results show stronger cohesion and resilience.
Saturn-Neptune Conjunction in Aries
This conjunction is notorious for “revealing what’s hidden” or “unveiling corruption,” but it’s important to remember that “corruption” doesn’t necessarily mean a bad thing here–it’s a revelation of anything that has long been denied. It may be due to health limitations, but it could also pull back the curtain on an ability that hasn’t been tapped yet.
Outside of hockey, this could look like a kid showing a surprising penchant for chess or someone at work demonstrating a natural skill that their bosses weren’t aware of, enabling them to help their team in a new and valuable way.
In the Franchise chart, this conjunction is forming in the 6th House and will go exact in the 7th in late February (during the Olympics).
Things that are likely to be revealed at this time include underlying health issues that must be addressed or a limitation that can’t be pushed any further. The nature of Pisces being ruled by Jupiter and so being connected to Sagittarius (where the Sun’s placement currently is for the even chart) leads me to think this could have something to do with Letang’s existing heart condition. There may be medications he’s been taking (Pisces/Neptune) that are no longer working, and so he’s got to choose to take better care of himself.
I’m also inclined to think this will involve Rust and/or Rakell. Rust seems injury-prone and has already missed time this season, and I’ve described Rakell as looking “out of sync” this season. Something could be nagging and slowing down either of their play or recovery. One or both of them may have extended stays on the IR list.
6th House, Pisces touches on uncertainty in reality, and Saturn is boundaries. Neptune automatically dismantles anything Saturn would touch here, so the boundaries getting pushed may be ones that may not or should not be surpassed.
It’s also entirely possible that the reverse is accurate and that this is a showing of surpassing expectations, but it likely won’t be understood or made public until Jupiter goes direct in March.
I would expect mysterious ailments that go unexplained and under-reported.
Benefics
The most positive planets in the Franchise chart, and what sparks them into activation.
Jupiter
At Noon on Thanksgiving, Jupiter rules the Sun, Mars, and the MC in Sagittarius in the 11th House. Jupiter is still in its exaltation, but it is retrograde in the 6th House of Cancer. In the Franchise chart, this translates to the 3rd House in Sag and the 10th House in Cancer.
So, the group, friends, or alliance study is being communicated or evaluated that day. It’s what would translate into a “film or video day,” but it could also swing into trade negotiations or asset upheaval.
I would conclude that this includes players coming back from rehab stints or rest. It may not be these particular players, but I get the sense that Rust or Rakell will have to take a break due to injury or another reason, creating space for younger players to step up.
Summary:
Good things are happening behind the scenes, but fans aren’t seeing the material benefits, and they are pissed, egged on by media coverage of workloads. There’s likely conversation around “let the kids play,” and the public outrage that the team could be slumping when the teenagers aren’t in the lineup.
There’s a sense of “this is for the best,” but fans don’t want to hear it. All they know is that a veteran player is unavailable, and that opens the door for younger options, so explore the younger options.
Venus
Youth is a significant part of the American Thanksgiving story. The condition of Venus suggests the organization's youth may be underutilized or underappreciated, but youth is also on the rise as judgments are made about solidifying relationships around competition and athletics.
Summary:
Essentially, this reads that the team becomes highly aware that the future is now and starts making moves behind the scenes to secure contracts for new players. I expect this to impact both Kindel and Brunicke directly, but there’s a possibility of trades being made as well.
There’s a sense of commitment, as in “We have our decision and this is the way we want to go,” in a very literal way.
Malefics
The most negative planets in the Franchise chart, and what triggers them into activation.
Mars
Fans joke that being a Pens fan includes having to factor in dealing with “the injury bug” because players get hurt a lot. From Mario Lemieux and his back issues to Sid and his concussions, there are always chronic injuries that need to be accounted for every season.
That’s actually baked into the chart with Mars being in the 1st House. Mars is the most negative planet in the chart, and it sits in the organization’s “body and character.” If a player isn’t playing hurt, he’s not an actual Pittsburgh Penguin. It’s just the story of the team.
So we have to look at what’s pressuring Mars in the 1st House this season to understand the injuries the Penguins are dealing with and their biggest obstacles.
An opposition from the forming Saturn-Neptune conjunction in the 7th House, early Aries.
Revelation of competitive, physical relationships
A square from Jupiter in 10H Cancer.
Feeling pressure to perform for legacy and nostalgic purposes
A trine from Pluto in early Aquarius
Progressive action comes via aggression and injury
A trine from Uranus in early Gemini, 9th House (retrograde into Taurus 8th House)
Philosophical changes reflect material worth
A trine from natal Sun in Gemini and all its transits via 11th House profection year
Any transits to the Franchise’s Sun in Gemini support action taken by Mars in Libra
The above reasons lead to fracture, physical and emotional. Something breaks (Gemini rules the hands, and Rakell broke his hand just last night against CBJ), but there’s also the idea or understanding that this is the last ride, and there’s a need to make the most of it. Something is changing.
I think the Penguins Hall of Fame ceremony last night, with the juxtaposition of Sid, Geno, and Letang, is highly emblematic of that. For those paying attention, the message was clear, and I’m sure all the inductees communicated to each current player to enjoy it together while they can. There is a bittersweet symphony playing in the background all year.
It’s important to note that transiting Mars is under the beams at the time of the Thanksgiving even chart. That indicates that any action being taken — most likely player evaluations and the communication of scouting reports — is happening behind the scenes. There is business being done, but it’s not public information. This could be trades, contract negotiations, player or personnel reviews. It involves defining the value of other people’s assets (Franchise Moon, exalted in the 8th House, ensures that the talent responsible for scouting is always of the highest quality, literally the best in the field).
Saturn
On the other side of the wheel, the Franchise is about to experience its 2nd Saturn Return with Neptune floating around to complicate things a little.
Some astrologers have discussed this conjunction as a revelation of corruption, but I have a hotter take.
Instead of assuming that what sits under the surface is somehow subjugating what appears above it, I’ve been thinking of this Saturn-Neptune conjunction as The Wizard of Oz behind the curtain. Up until Toto showed up, the Wizard was a spectacular projection of power and wisdom. Then, a perceived “weakness” is observed when it’s revealed that Wizard is just a man, like any other.
Is being mortal a weakness?
Some say yes. I’ve often said, “Don’t meet your heroes. You’ll always end up disappointed,” because you realize that people are just people, no matter how famous they are. You’ll discover that they have thoughts and feelings and don’t just exist as characters in the story of your life. They have lives and families, and they aren’t here to please you specifically. They have to show up to work every day, just like you do, whether they want to or not. They have to play through sore hips and colds, just like you do. They worry about their kids, just like you do.
They’re a person, just like you are.
Saturn-Neptune is revealing the passage of time; it’s an actual generational change happening now. This next generation will be the first to be completely saturated in “the future.” The world is connected like never before, and with that, it will remove barriers between languages and cultures. What’s being revealed by this conjunction is the bullshit that’s enabled hidden structures for so long.
Things like racism, sexism, xenophobia, etc, are being exposed like never before because it’s time to start living values instead of just discussing them. Truth, authenticity, and integrity will emerge as sincere values, but first they have to fight through what’s been concealing and repressing them for so long. Accountability will become a universal necessity.
How does this relate to the Penguins?
This organization is at the frontline of this change; the Franchise serves as a microcosm of bigger changes and upheavals.
Fenway Sports Group is the current owner, and since August, there have been conversations about the old guard, Mario and Burkle, returning to the fold. They’re being challenged by a family of total outsiders. No one really knows what the story is with ownership and finances right now. The Penguins notoriously manage their image carefully. I’m not suggesting that the legacy and memories are all a setup for some grander scheme, but I am suggesting that” an up cycle” is coming that will leave this moment securely in the past.
How things have always been done will be questioned, and innovation will result. How the organization responds to this innovation will be reflected in the microcosm of the bigger moment.
We’ve already gotten glimpses of how this Saturn Return will develop for the Penguins as Saturn transited Ariess between May 24, 2025, and September 1, 2025. Here’s what the Penguins were up to between those dates:
Coaching staff changes
Head Coach: Dan Muse was hired as the new head coach.
Assistant Coaches: The team added Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, Rich Clune, and Mike Stothers as assistant coaches.
Goaltending Coach: Andy Chiodo was retained from the previous staff.
Assistant Video Coach: Troy Paquette joined as the new assistant video coach.
Significant player transactions
Arturs Silovs (G): Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round draft pick (July 13).
Matt Dumba (D): Acquired from the Dallas Stars for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok and a 2028 second-round draft pick (July 10).
Alex Nedeljkovic (G): Traded to the San Jose Sharks for a 2028 third-round draft pick (July 1).
Connor Clifton (D): Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres along with a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for defenseman Conor Timmins and prospect Isaac Belliveau (June 28).
Free agent signings
Anthony Mantha (F): Signed as a free agent (July 2).
Justin Brazeau (F): Signed as a free agent (July 1).
Caleb Jones (D): Signed as a free agent (July 1).
Connor Dewar (F): Signed as a free agent (July 1).
Philip Tomasino (F): Signed as a free agent (July 1).
Rafael Harvey-Pinard (F): Signed as a free agent (July 2).
Alexander Alexeyev (D): Signed as a free agent (July 2).
Philip Kemp (D): Signed as a free agent (July 2).
Ben Kindel (F): Signed to an entry-level contract (July 8).
Joona Koppanen (F): Signed to a one-year, two-way contract (June 17).
Mikhail Ilyin (F): Signed to a three-year, entry-level contract (May 31).
When Saturn returns to Aries on February 13, 2026, all of these individuals will take a more significant role or somehow become more prominent for one reason or another.
Additionally, any transits to the 9th House, Gemini Sun, until June 2026 will impact this dynamic “by holding a door open” for this transformation to occur.
Example: Moon opposed Gemini Sun on 10/25/25 when Rakell broke his hand/wrist and underwent surgery, which triggered a recall of Ville Koivunen from the WBS affiliate team.
There has been discussion suggesting that teenage rookie Ben Kindel could be bumped to the top line, which would be the ultimate development of this dynamic.
For reference: The last time Saturn was in Aries was from 1996 to 1999. Saturn re-entered Aries in May 2025, marking the end of a cycle that started in 1996.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were in a transitional phase between 1996 and 1999, which saw the retirement and departure of franchise icon Mario Lemieux and the rise of Jaromir Jagr as the team’s new superstar. The team consistently made the playoffs during this time but never advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. The organization also experienced financial distress and filed for bankruptcy in November 1998.
1996–1997 season
Record: 38–36–8 (84 points).
Playoffs: Lost in the Conference Quarterfinals to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.
Key events:
This was Mario Lemieux’s last season before his initial retirement from the NHL. He led the league in scoring, with 50 goals and 122 points.
Rookie goaltender Patrick Lalime set a record for consecutive games unbeaten to start a career, going 14-0-2 before the team cooled off.
Eddie Johnston was replaced as head coach by interim general manager Craig Patrick midway through the season.
1997–1998 season
Record: 40–24–18 (98 points).
Playoffs: Lost in the Conference Quarterfinals to the Montreal Canadiens in six games.
Key events:
The Penguins won the Northeast Division, their first season without Mario Lemieux.
Jaromir Jagr led the team in scoring with 102 points and was named team captain.
Kevin Constantine became the new head coach.
The team saw improved defensive play, allowing only 188 goals against, the fourth-best in the league.
1998–1999 season
Record: 38–30–14 (90 points).
Playoffs: Advanced to the Conference Semifinals, beating the New Jersey Devils in seven games before losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games.
Key events:
Jaromir Jagr won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP and captured his third consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer, finishing with 127 points.
The Franchise filed for bankruptcy during the season but ultimately found a solution that kept the team in Pittsburgh.
This season featured a memorable underdog run in the playoffs, as the eighth-seeded Penguins upset the first-seeded Devils in the first round.
Synthesis: How Are the Penguins Doing at American Thanksgiving?
The Penguins entered the season with specific plans to manage loads and see how each member of the team responded to pressure. There was likely also a plan in place to cover injuries as they occurred.
Fans like to cling to tradition and hold onto the good memories like safety blankets, and the nostalgia that Pittsburgh, the NHL, and pro sports in general depend on may have worked against the Penguins in this case.
Any injury that happens by Thanksgiving is necessary to move the team along to its next iteration. There may have been plans and strategies the team wanted to adhere to, but the organization has to flex them faster than anticipated. In the long run, these moments will prove to be a turning point for the Penguins, one that is for the better.
I may be very bold in saying this, but I think Dubas regrets his hesitation in making moves early in his first season with the Penguins, and it’s reasonable to conclude that he’ll be more proactive as a result.
What his initiative looks like, at this point, is anyone’s guess.