The rebuild era in Pittsburgh is coming.
This past summer the Penguins decided to re-sign aging core veterans Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, rather than trade them as rentals for draft picks and prospects at last years trade deadline. It is hard not to compete and go all in when you have a player the likes of Sidney Crosby, but the aging core lacks the support to be a true contender after years of trading away draft picks.
The Penguins have only made three selections in the first round of the draft in the last decade, and two of those selections are Samuel Poulin and Kasperi Kapanen. The later was just released on waivers.
The Penguins prospect pool is weak, the lack of draft picks and questionable development has left them depleted of NHL talent.
The Penguins average age of the roster is 30.48 years old with only three players under 25 in P-O Joseph, Ryan Poehling and Drew O’Connor. There is no immediate impactful prospects in the pipeline that offer any help in the short term.
There are some dark days ahead in Pittsburgh.
Top 10 Pittsburgh Penguins Prospects
1. Owen Pickering, LD – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Age: 19
Ht/Wt: 6-4/185
Drafted: 2022 round one, 21st overall by Pittsburgh Penguins
Pickering was a big riser in the draft rankings shooting all the way up into the first round. The big mobile defender posted 33 points in 62 games and was impressive for Team Canada at the U18. Pickering is back for his third season in the WHL and is Captain of the Broncos. His development curve is pointing up as he is on pace for a 46-point year, with one more season of junior eligibility remaining.
A significant growth spurt combined with impressive skill development has seen his stock rise rapidly. Pickering represents a sound long-term investment as his raw skill package is very enticing. It will be interesting to see how he develops as he grows into his body, gains confidence and experience and refines his game.
2. Joel Blomqvist, G – Karpat (Liiga)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 6-2/183
Drafted: 2020 round two, 52nd overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
There was some debate regarding who the Penguins top goaltending prospect was until the team traded Calle Clang to Anaheim for Rickard Rakell. That left Blomqvist as the undisputed future starter for Pittsburgh.
Blomqvist posted a 6-3-5 record with Karpat last season with a solid 1.32 GAA and even better 1.10 GAA in the playoffs in seven games. He had his AHL debut at seasons end in a loss but had an impressive 2.05 GAA and .926 SV%. He returned to Karpat for the current season and has played well with a 6-5-8 record and should have an opportunity to finish the year in the AHL again.
The 2020 second round pick remains unsigned but should put pen to paper for the 2023-24 season and make his way to North America. Blomqvist is regarded as a calm and calculated goaltender, a product of Finnish goalie Coach Ari Hilli.
3. Filip Hallander, LW – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Age: 22
Ht/Wt: 6-1/196
Drafted: 2018 round two, 58th overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins love Hallander so much they acquired him twice! First by draft and then after trading him to Toronto, they traded Jared McCann to the Leafs to reacquire Hallander.
After three SHL seasons of consistent production at around 0.5 PPG, Hallander made the transition to North America for the 2021-22 season. He maintained his production level and made his NHL debut, playing in one game and posting an assist. His game has taken a step forward and he is on pace for a 41 point season in 52 games as an AHL sophomore.
While his offensive upside may have him capped out as a middle-six player, his competitive style, size, versatility and hockey sense keep his floor as a bottom-six NHL player.
4. Valtteri Puustinen, RW/LW – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Age: 23
Ht/Wt: 5-9/183
Drafted: 2019 round seven, 203rd overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins may have found a draft gem in the seventh round in Puustinen. The undersized skilled offensive winger posted consecutive 40 point or more seasons in the Liiga in the seasons following his draft. The Penguins signed him and the following year he made his North American debut posting 42 points as an AHL rookie and earning his NHL debut. He continues to develop and is on pace for a 58 points season as a sophomore with a significantly improved +/-.
Given the lack of depth in the Penguins system, it seems certain that Puustinen will be given an opportunity to make the Penguins roster in the near future and contribute some offensive support.
5. Samuel Poulin, LW – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Age: 22
Ht/Wt: 6-2/214
Drafted: 2019 round one, 21st overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
One of the few first round prospects in the Penguins organization but is trending in the wrong direction. Poulin had a tremendous junior career in the QMJHL with 229 points in 192 career games.
His transition to the AHL as a rookie last year was fine with 16 goals and 37 points through 72 games. His offensive numbers don’t pop out, but with his size and reliability defensively he was an overall effective player for a rookie. After starting in the AHL for his second pro season, he was recalled to the NHL for a month, but was mainly a healthy scratch playing in only three games. After being returned to the AHL for more ice time and development he has stepped away from the organization to return home for personal reasons.
It is a very concerning step back and one can only hope that whatever is troubling him is something he can overcome and use the time to take two steps forward and resume his hockey career.
6. Tristan Broz, C – University of Denver (NCAA)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-0/183
Drafted: 2021 round two, 58th overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
After a disappointing D+1 season as a freshman at the University of Minnesota, where he played in a limited role and managed only 11 points in 36 games, Broz entered the transfer portal for a fresh start on a new team. He joined the University of Denver, but had a slow start there as well posting only two points in his first 13 games. Since then he has found some chemistry playing on a line with Massimo Rizzo and Casey Dornbach and is up to 28 points in 38 games.
Broz uses his size to his advantage to win puck battles, he is strong on the cycle and his skating has seen significant improvement. His greatest weapon is his hard and accurate shot, in particular, his one-timer. Broz should return for his junior season at least and continue to see his game develop in Denver before looking to jump to the AHL. Broz is a player trending up.
7. Filip Lindberg, G – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Age: 24
Ht/Wt: 6-1/194
Drafted: 2019 round seven, 197th overall by Minnesota Wild.
After three solid seasons in the NCAA with UMass, including a NCAA Championship, the Finnish born netminder exploited a loop hole to sign as a free agent with Pittsburgh. His rookie season was cut short by an ankle injury which limited him to just seven games where he posted a 4-2-0 record.
The 24-year-old AHL sophomore is sharing the goal in the AHL with veteran Dustin Tokarski and prospect Taylor Gauthier. Tokarski is on an expiring contract which could give way for more playing time for Lindberg, assuming Blomqvist stays in Finland.
8. Isaac Belliveau, LD – Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-2/185
Drafted: 2021 round five, 154th overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
Belliveau had a breakout D-1 in Rimouski where he posted 53 points in 62 games. Having Alexis Lafreniere driving the offence on that team inflated his numbers as Belliveau was not able to sustain that production in the following season. After a trade to Gatineau, his game has picked up both offensively and defensively. His physical play adds a layer to his game and he could have a long playoff run with Gatineau to close out his junior career.
He will move to the AHL next year and will need some adjustment time to the faster pace. His NHL upside is as a bottom pairing player if he can develop his transition game some more.
9. Zam Plante, C – Fargo Force (USHL)
Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 5-10/165
Drafted: 2022 round five, 150th overall by Pittsburgh Penguins.
Drafted from the Chicago Steel in the USHL where he was a productive offensive player on a top team, he was recently traded to the Fargo Force where in four games, his production increased to a point per game. The undersized skilled forward has committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the 2023-24 season.
Plante is a long-term project as most fifth round selections are. He will need to increase his size and strength moving to the NCAA and spend plenty of time in the gym bulking up. His skill level and offensive vision are what drew the Penguins to him, it will take several years to determine if his skill can translate at the NHL level.
10. John Gruden, LW – Wilkes-Barer/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Age: 22
Ht/Wt: 6-0/172
Drafted: 2018 round four, 95th overall by Ottawa Senators.
It has been a wild development path for Gruden. After two seasons with the US National Development Team, Ottawa drafted him and he played his D+1 year in he NCAA at Miami University. It was a disappointing year for him production wise as a freshman so he left the NCAA for the OHL and found his offensive game with the London Knights where he scored 66 points in 59 games.
His rights were traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the trade for Matt Murray and signed with the Penguins. He’s now in his third season as a pro. He made his NHL debut this year playing in three games but was held pointless.
His future in the NHL if he can make it will be as a defensive forward, that plays a forechecking and energy role with some offensive upside. He has had to reinvent his game and has bounced around a bit but there is a potential NHL player here.
