Welcome back.

It’s time to kick off Daily Faceoff’s second annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Skaters over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re looking at the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It’s been a long time since the Pittsburgh Penguins have had a strong prospect pool. In reality, it’s been near the bottom since the early days of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury.

And as long as they keep trading first-round picks and just miss out on making the playoffs, they’ll continue to struggle. But with new head scout Wes Clark in charge, it’ll be interesting to see what the future ends up looking like. Clark was always willing to take chances on players nobody expected in Toronto, but his track record was iffy, at times.

So, we’ll see what changes. The Penguins are going to be in an awkward spot for a long, long time if they don’t make big moves, and soon. Erik Karlsson was a swing for the fences, but it didn’t pay off – yet. The reality is that most of the team’s farm system won’t be ready to make a significant impact while the current core is still in charge, but they do have options at every position – something many teams can’t say.

The biggest question, though, is just how many future pieces will actually become NHLers.

Biggest Strengths

Pittsburgh has some decent center depth, starting with Rutger McGroarty (who many believe would prefer to stay at center. I also expect Vasily Ponomarev and Tristan Broz to be NHLers at some point, albeit in bottom-six roles. There’s always the chance that a few of them could move to the wing, but that’s a valuable position to have legitimate options to choose from.

Biggest Weakness

Outside of McGroarty and, perhaps, Ville Koivunen, I’m not sure if the Pens have many scoring options to choose from. And that’s been a problem for a very long time through various regimes. The Penguins have struggled to get much in terms of top-six scoring help to work in tandem with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. I like McGroarty and think he’s got a legitimate shot of being a top six forward in another year or two, but that’s about it.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Kyle Dubas
Dir. of Scouting: Wes Clark
Dir. of Player Development: Tom Kostopoulos
AHL Affiliate: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
ECHL Affiliate: Wheeling Nailers

*Joel Blomqvist (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Rutger McGroarty, C/LW, 20 (University of Michigan, NCAA)

Acquired: Traded by Winnipeg Jets in 2024

Let me put this out in the air right now: let McGroarty start the season with Sidney Crosby. The winger’s ability to score, hit and outwork opponents makes him so intriguing, and I fully believe he’d be an excellent addition up front. McGroarty is a good two-way center, too, but I want to see him getting comfortable in the big leagues on a high note because I fully believe he can handle it. Scouts love him. I love him. McGroarty does so much with and without the puck that I feel gets overlooked. He’s got size and speed, and the offense has been incredible this year, with him blasting past the 50-point mark as a sophomore in college. McGroarty battles so hard that, if he isn’t scoring, he’s still doing enough to keep himself relevant on the scoresheet. The World Juniors was proof of that. And I’m excited that he’s set for full-time pro duty this year because there wasn’t much more for him to prove at Michigan.

2. Joel Blomqvist, G, 22 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 52nd overall, second round in 2020

After two years of sharing the net back home with Karpat in Finland, Blomqvist came to the AHL and made an immediate impact. Despite being a rookie, he posted a .921 save percentage in 45 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to make his mark as one of the top goaltenders in the AHL. Blomqvist is competitive, has a decent frame at 6-foot-2 and is athletic enough to make up for not being much bigger. I like how well he tracks the puck, although he does allow a few too many weak goals for my liking. But for the most part, he definitely looks like someone the Penguins will trust for a long time.

3. Ville Koivunen, LW, 21 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Acquired: Traded by Carolina Hurricanes in 2024

The most intriguing piece of the Guentzel trade, Koivunen finished sixth in Liiga scoring with 22 goals and 56 points. No other U-22 player had at least 50 points, so that shows you how impressive his season was. Koivunen then impressed with points in both of the playoff games he skated in with Wilkes-Barre and made his senior international debut with Finland, too. Nobody will question his offensive skill, something he has shown quite often throughout his career. But is he physically strong enough? Is he a good enough skater to take control on smaller ice? I think we’ll see Koivunen get a call-up to the NHL at some point because Pittsburgh could use his skill, but we’ll see if he develop like many believe he can.

4. Owen Pickering, LHD, 20 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 21st overall, first round in 2022

*Owen Pickering (Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports)*

After starting the 2023-24 season on the sidelines with an injury, Pickering managed to finish with a new personal best of 46 points in 59 WHL games. While it’s not a massive number, he took on more responsibility in his second year as Swift Current’s captain, refining his game at both ends of the ice. Pickering looked a lot more comfortable distributing the puck, although he’s still inconsistent and can be prone to bad giveaways. He’s a mobile, 6-foot-4 defender who needs to learn to make smarter decisions under pressure, but I still like his development path so far.

5. Tanner Howe, LW, 18 (Regina, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 46th overall, second round in 2024

Will Howe prove people wrong? He was a high-end scorer again this year, but many are worried that he relies on his linemates too much to get the work done. He loves to compete, but his skating and smaller frame don’t help. Despite that, Howe battles for pucks and has the energy that can make him more valuable if he isn’t cast into a scoring role. I’m just not sure he has what it takes to be an all-around player at the next level. There are some raw elements to his game, but with some refinement in the AHL, he could end up becoming a middle-six scoring threat for a team that is going to need more of it moving forward.

6. Harrison Brunicke, RHD, 18 (Kamloops, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 44th overall, second round in 2024

*Harrison Brunicke (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Brunicke was tracking to potentially go in the first round in the eyes of many scouts this year, but he came short. That’s to Pittsburgh’s benefit, though. Brunicke is quite smart with the puck, and I feel like his offensive abilities are better than his numbers suggest. With a 6-foot-3 frame, projectable traits and some budding offensive potential, there’s a lot to like here – and a decent showing at the U-18s doesn’t hurt. I expect Brunicke will put up quite a few points in his Draft+1 season and make the Penguins look smart for taking him at No. 44.

7. Vasily Ponomarev, C, 22 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Acquired: Traded by Carolina Hurricanes in 2024

Ponomarev bounced around between various NHL and AHL teams in 2023-24, which included two points in two games with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Russian forward had a solid year in the AHL, but also dealt with injuries that limited below 50 games between both leagues. Still, we saw what he can do as a two-way player and I feel like he’s much better in his own zone than he was when he first came to North America. That being said, he scored 24 goals as an AHL rookie and had just nine this year, and part of that was because he seemed to hesitate more as a shooter. Ponomarev still has some depth scoring potential, though, so we’ll see if he gets a larger look with the Pens.

8. Tristan Broz, C, 21 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 58th overall, second round in 2021

After winning the NCAA national championship with Denver, Broz is ready to tackle pro hockey. This past season, he set career highs with 16 goals, 24 assists and 40 points in 43 games. During the Frozen Four tournament, he notched two crucial overtime goals against the University of Massachusetts and Boston University, earning a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Broz’s productive junior year should help him gain confidence heading into the AHL next year, where he’ll look to give the team a nice scoring punch, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him get an NHL call-up at some point, too.

9. Samuel Poulin, RW, 23 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 21st overall, first round in 2019

*Samuel Poulin (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports)*

It’s been a long journey for Poulin, who missed significant time during the 2022-23 season after taking a break from hockey to focus on his mental health. He bounced back to score 16 goals and 31 points with WBS, the best point-per-game average of his career. It helped put him back on the map for a Penguins team that has been patient with his development and still believes in him. But at 23, it’s time to see if Poulin can make the Penguins full-time and give the club some secondary scoring with size. Poulin has the makings of someone who can still play in a bottom-six role, but he needs to find another level to his game to warrant a more permanent look.

10. Cruz Lucius, RW, 20 (Arizona State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Traded by Carolina Hurricanes in 2024

After two productive years with Wisconsin, Lucius will look to play a big role with Arizona State this year. He’s so speedy and so skilled and generates as many high-quality scoring chances as anyone. Lucius is competitive and while he’s not the biggest player, he makes up for it with his pure drive to get the puck. If he could add a bit more muscle and nastiness to his game, I think Lucius can establish himself as a legitimate middle-six scoring option in the NHL, but after another year or two in college, he should be able to make a real push at the pro level.

Other prospects: Jordan Frasca, C (23), Bennett MacArthur, LW (23), Raivis Ansons, LW (22), Mac Swanson, C (18), Cooper Foster, C (19), Mikhail Ilyin, LW (19), Emil Harventie, LW (19), Luke Devlin, C (20), Zam Plante, C (19), Kirill Tankov, C (22), Chase Yoder, C (22), Finn Harding, RHD (19), Chase Pietila, RHD (20), Joona Vaisanen, RHD (20), Kalle Kangas, LHD (19), Daniel Laatsch, LHD (22), Isaac Beaulliveau, LHD (21), Emil Pieniniemi, LHD (19), Sergei Murashov, G (20), Taylor Gauthier, G (23)

Biggest Strengths

Biggest Weakness

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Rutger McGroarty, C/LW, 20 (University of Michigan, NCAA)

2. Joel Blomqvist, G, 22 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

3. Ville Koivunen, LW, 21 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

4. Owen Pickering, LHD, 20 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

5. Tanner Howe, LW, 18 (Regina, WHL)

6. Harrison Brunicke, RHD, 18 (Kamloops, WHL)

7. Vasily Ponomarev, C, 22 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

8. Tristan Broz, C, 21 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

9. Samuel Poulin, RW, 23 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

10. Cruz Lucius, RW, 20 (Arizona State University, NCAA)

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