The Pittsburgh Penguins are in an awkward spot with their NHL prospect pool, but there's still a lot to break down about their players in the pipeline.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in an awkward spot with their NHL prospect pool, but there's still a lot to break down about their players in the pipeline.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are today's focus in the NHL prospect pool overview series.
Tony Ferrari examines the Penguins' strengths and weaknesses, gives a quick overview of their latest draft class, shows their positional depth chart and examines who could be next in line for an NHL chance.
A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for these exercises, except in very specific cases.
First Thoughts
When GM Kyle Dubas joined the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The team was not a legitimate contender and didn’t have the juice to compete behind Sidney Crosby and Co., and their future outlook wasn’t great considering their prospect pool was as poor as anyone’s in the NHL.
A trade for Erik Karlsson that cost them their first-round pick and a few other moves later left them in just as bad a spot without a first-round pick in the 2024 draft.
They did a good job of recouping some assets and filling out their prospect pool when they moved on from Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline, but overall, the Penguins are in a bit of an awkward spot. Their future is bleak, and the present is centered around Crosby and keeping the team competitive while he finishes his career in Pittsburgh as one of hockey’s all-time greats.
Speaking of that Guentzel trade, the Penguins acquired the 44th- and 157th-overall picks in the 2024 NHL draft, prospects Ville Koivunen and Vasily Ponomarev and the rights to NCAA project prospect Cruz Lucius. The second-round pick would have been a first-rounder had the Carolina Hurricanes made the Stanley Cup final, but that didn't happen. They also got Michael Bunting as immediate help.
While they didn’t get one of Carolina’s premier prospects, Koivunen is the most interesting of the youngsters they acquired in the trade. His intelligence and skill are an intriguing combination. He was nearly a point-per-game player at the Liiga level last year, and he joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for a couple of playoff games, collecting a point in each contest.
With a full AHL season ahead of him, Koivunen could assert himself as one of the Penguins' best prospects. He always looks to create offensively, drive play up ice and put his team in advantageous positions with his passing. It’s not out of the question to see him get a few NHL games this season.
Koivunen may be the highest-upside prospect of the trio they got at the deadline, but Ponomarev may be the one we see at the NHL level first. He plays hard on every shift and does whatever he can to get involved in the play. He can fly up ice to support the puck carrier and get himself into good positions to finish. His effort on back checks could earn him NHL reps fairly early in the season as well if the Penguins need someone to inject some energy.
The Penguins' top prospect at the moment is arguably their first-round pick from last year, Brayden Yager. Over the last couple of seasons, Yager has developed his playmaking in an encouraging way, but he has also pulled back on how often he is using his shot, which is a lethal weapon in his arsenal.
Yager must learn to balance his shooting and playmaking more consistently, which would make him an even better player. He has one more year of junior hockey ahead of him with Moose Jaw, and he should be an effective piece for the Canadian world junior squad as well.
The Penguins were hoping to unearth a gem in Emil Jarventie when they drafted him in the seventh round last year. The high-pace, high-skill Finnish forward had a solid season in Finland’s second level. Jarventie is fun to watch in spurts but can disappear at times. The swing on talent was worth it, though, because if the Penguins are patient and allow him to take his time to develop, Jarventie could be a nice depth-scoring piece.
Samuel Poulin has been in the Penguins system for a while now. Although he’s on the cusp of no longer being considered a true prospect, he is coming off his best season in the AHL and looked half-decent in the NHL games he had at the end of last season. He took time away from the game to work on his mental health during the 2022-23 season, and he looked better than ever upon returning. He may not be an impact offensive player, but he has the tools to be a solid bottom-six option who flashes some offensive skill from time to time.
The Penguins were ecstatic to see Tristan Broz bounce back from a couple of mediocre seasons in the NCAA with the University of Denver. He signed his entry-level deal at the end of the season, and they hope he can continue the upward trajectory in the AHL. Broz wades through traffic and pounces on loose pucks, looking to attack up ice whenever possible. His game showed some overall growth and refinement, but he still has a ways to go now that he’s in the AHL.
When the Penguins drafted Owen Pickering, the blueliner had recently grown a few inches, and he needed to find some level of co-ordination. His skill and playmaking were impressive, and there was a lot to like about his mindset, looking to push the pace. He was an incredibly raw player, but the upside was enticing.
After a couple of solid WHL seasons, Pickering will play his first full professional season this year. He’s made progress over the last couple of years, but the pro game is a whole different animal.
In net, Joel Blomqvist had an outstanding first AHL season. The Finnish netminder is cool, calm and collected, which helped make his transition to the North American game seamless.
Blomqvist has the potential to be the team’s long-term answer in goal. At 22 years old, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see him get the crease in the NHL for a few games, but it may be a year away from him taking on the NHL backup role.
U-23 Players Likely To Be on the NHL Roster
None
2024 NHL Draft Class
Round 2, 44th overall - Harrison Brunicke, RD, Kamloops (WHL)
Round 2, 46th overall - Tanner Howe, LW, Regina (WHL)
Round 4, 111th overall - Chase Pietila, RD, Michigan Tech (NCAA)
Round 6, 175th overall - Joona Vaisanen, RD, Dubuque (USHL)
Round 7, 207th overall - Mac Swanson, C/W, Fargo (USHL)
Round 7, 223rd overall, Finn Harding, RD, Mississauga (OHL)
With no first-rounder, the Pens were focused on Day 2 of the draft, when they had two picks at 44th and 46th overall. They went to the WHL for both selections, nabbing defenseman Harrison Brunicke and left winger Tanner Howe. Both players are arguably their top prospects at their respective positions.
Brunicke is a fun story because he was actually born in South Africa and talked about how proud he was of that fact at the draft. He mentioned wanting to work with the country to help build their hockey program as well.
Brunicke built his entire game around his fluid skating. He can be a bit of an adventure sometimes because his decision-making can be a bit questionable, but the flashes of offensive ability and solid defensive footwork made him a player many people around hockey really liked. The Penguins took a swing on the skating and upside with Brunicke.
Pittsburgh got an excellent support player and a complementary winger with Tanner Howe. He is at his best when playing off a teammate who can drive play and allow Howe to work hard, make the right play, and accent the driver's game. He was excellent a couple of seasons ago while playing alongside Connor Bedard. He also has an absolutely blistering shot that he gets off from all over. The Penguins have successfully developed players in Howe’s mold over the years.
In the fourth round, the Penguins grabbed Michigan Tech defenseman Chase Pielita. The overage blueliner did almost everything he could have been asked to do at Michigan Tech. He is a jack of all trades and a master of none type of player. None of his traits stand out, and some of his tools are even a bit below average, but he always finds a way to make the most of what he has. This isn’t a high-upside pick, and ultimately, Pielita may just be AHL depth for the organization.
In the sixth round, the Penguins again went with an overage defender, this time looking at Joona Vaisanen. The Finn came over to the USHL last season, and he had a pretty solid season all around. His passing was routinely on display, and he wasn’t making many bonehead plays. He lacks a real physical edge, and his skating can be an issue at times, especially when dealing with a speed attacker. But overall, Vaisanen was a solid USHL defenseman at both ends of the ice. He will need to find a bit more skill and become more confident as a puck carrier to play the game he wants to play.
Although he stands just 5-foot-8, Mac Swanson can be an incredibly fun player to watch. His vision and passing ability are otherworldly at times, as he finds passing lanes and sets up teammates easily. He is often a perimeter attacker, though, which can limit his ability to play against tighter and more mature defensive players. Swanson is a swing on skill late in the draft, and if he turns out, it could be a home run for the Pens.
The Penguins finished off the draft by taking meat-and-potatoes defender Finn Harding. There isn’t much in the way of puck skill or offensive touch in his game, but the 19-year-old has good defensive habits. He manages his gaps well, jockeys attackers to the outside and closes when he sees the puck carrier bobble the puck. Harding will likely play low in the lineup at the NHL level if he ever gets there, and if he does, he will be the responsible member of his pairing.
Strengths
Most teams have an obvious strength, but the Penguins don’t really have that. They have some decent prospects, but they lack a standout player who is supported by a number of solid bets behind him.
The best position group Pittsburgh has in the pipeline may ultimately be its center depth, with the understanding that at least a couple of them will likely end up on the wing.
Yager is the top player down the middle, and his growth over the last couple of years is really encouraging. Broz found his groove again last season with Denver and signed his entry-level deal. Ponomarev could see NHL games this upcoming season. Zam Plante tore up the USHL last season and will head to the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season. It’s not an overly impressive group, to be honest, but the Penguins lack depth all over, and the center position at least has a few notable players.
Weaknesses
The Penguins' defensive pipeline is limited, to say the least.
The two best players in the prospect pool on the blueline, Pickering and Brunicke, are both works in progress who have one or two standout traits with plenty of room to grow elsewhere.
Players such as Kalle Kangas and Isaac Belliveau are projects. Pietila and Vaisanen are older players who have limited upside. The players beyond that have a lot of growing to do if they want to become legitimate NHL prospects. The Penguins added to the blueline at the draft this year, but they will need to continue doing so in the coming years.
Next Man Up: Vasily Ponomarev, C/W
The Penguins aren’t likely to rely on young players this season, instead leaning on veterans who can help the aging core continue to challenge for a playoff spot.
If they do need to call someone up, Ponomarev plays a high-pace game, forechecking hard and looking to disrupt the opposing team when they have the puck before turning up ice. Ponomarev has some fun skills that could make him a valuable depth-scoring option as well.
The Pens will need players who can plug into the lineup and play a simple game to supplement their top-end talent, and Ponomarev can do that.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Tanner Howe, Ville Koivunen, Emil Jarventie, Mac Swanson
C: Brayden Yager, Tristan Broz, Vasily Ponomarev, Zam Plante, Mikhail Ilyin
RW: Samuel Poulin, Raivis Ansons, Cruz Lucius
LD: Owen Pickering, Kalle Kangas, Isaac Belliveau
RD: Harrison Brunicke, Chase Pietila, Joona Vaisanen
G: Joel Blomqvist, Sergei Murashov, Taylor Gauthier
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