Penguins Training Camp Day 6: A Tale of Two Teams, Roster Cut to 52

The Penguins cut down their roster to 52, showcase potential NHL lineup during Day 6

The final roster for the Pittsburgh Penguins is coming into focus.

In Day 6 of training camp practices at the UPMC Lemieux Sportsplex in Cranberry, Pa., the Penguins - once again - split their squad into two teams and made some additional roster cuts.

It now seems that the final 23-man roster is all but set.

For the second day in a row, the squads were split by NHL and AHL/prospect lineups, with the prospective NHL team practicing on Rink 1 and the other getting their reps on Rink 2.

And after sending 2024 draftees Tanner Howe and Finn Harding to their respective junior teams yesterday, the Penguins announced additional cuts to the training camp roster on Thursday, officially trimming it down to 52. All cut players were reassigned to AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:

Forward cuts:

- Raivis Ansons

- Jack Beck

- Atley Calvert

- Mathieu De St. Phalle

- Sam Houde

- Gabe Klassen

- Bennett MacArthur

- Logan Pietila

Defensive cuts:

- Isaac Belliveau

- Scooter Brickey

- Justin Lee

- Mats Lindgren

- Philip Waugh

Goaltending cuts:

- Luke Richardson

Beforehand, at practice, these were today's lines for both squads:

Team 1:

Forwards

Drew O'Connor-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell

Anthony Beauvillier-Lars Eller-Jesse Puljujarvi (Cody Glass)

Kevin Hayes-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk-Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson-Jack St. Ivany

Ryan Graves-Ryan Shea

John Ludvig-Sebastian Aho

Goaltenders

Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic

Team 2:

Forwards

Rutger McGroarty-Vasily Ponomarev-Valtteri Puustinen

Jimmy Huntington-Emil Bemstrom-Sam Poulin/Boko Imama

Jonathan Gruden/Ville Koivunen-Tristan Broz-Avery Hayes

Marc Johnstone-Joona Koppanen-Corey Andonovksi

Defensemen

Owen Pickering-Dan Renouf

Isaac Belliveau-Mac Hollowell

Nathan Clurman-Harrison Brunicke

Philip Waugh-Scooter Brickey

Goaltender

Joel Blomqvist, Sergei Murashov, Filip Larsson

Here are some notes and observations from today:

- I think it's safe to say that Team 1 will pretty much be the opening night roster on Oct. 9. 

If it is, Puljujarvi really earned his spot. I'll be the first to admit that, during the first few days of camp, I did not see an avenue for Puljujarvi to make the roster.

But, boy, did he prove me wrong in camp. And I'm happy to eat crow on that one. His shot is absolutely zipping, his skating is noticeably much better in comparison to last season after his double-hip surgery, and his forechecking and work along the walls has been commendable.

Again, if this is the roster, he earned it. What a camp from him.

- Yesterday, Ponomarev practiced with the NHL roster. Today, he was on the prospects rink. 

Head coach Mike Sullivan mentioned in his press conference following practice that there was still an opportunity for some guys to crack the roster. The team plans on bringing everyone remaining on the roster to Detroit for Saturday's game, which will, presumably, still be pretty prospect-heavy. 

He also commented that, following the Detroit game, some would be brought to Sudbury for Sunday's matchup against Ottawa, and some would be sent back to Pittsburgh. 

If there's anything to read into here - which, I believe there is, to an extent - I wouldn't be surprised if a few of the guys like Ponomarev, Puustinen, McGroarty, and Poulin play Saturday to vye for a their trip to Sudbury on Sunday. If I had to guess, I believe Sunday will feature a more NHL-heavy lineup.

I think whoever goes Sunday will feature in the last round of "tryouts" before final cuts, while the ones sent back to Pittsburgh will likely also be cut the same day. 

- Piggybacking off of that, don't rule out a last-minute surprise addition to the NHL roster.

With Erik Karlsson's health a question mark, it appears that, right now, the team may be headed in the direction of keeping eight defensemen and 13 forwards. If that's the case, it's pretty clear who is going to make the cut, with Puljujarvi as the extra forward and, likely, Ludvig and Shea as the extra defensemen. 

But if Karlsson is ready to go at the end of camp, I'm not sure it makes much sense for the Penguins to roster eight defensemen this season. Aho and Ludvig are both capable of playing both sides, giving the team flexibility to keep 14 forwards instead of the extra defenseman - which may be more beneficial.

Essentially, I wouldn't be surprised if the decision to keep the extra defenseman almost entirely relies on the health of Karlsson. Because of this, I don't think the door is entirely shut yet on someone like Ponomarev, Puustinen, or Poulin to make the roster.

- I think McGroarty is going to begin the season in the AHL.

Sullivan said that he's still working on the adjustment to the NHL's pace of play and "strength of the game." In the long run, it might bode better for McGroarty to get some playing time in professional hockey before taking the big leap, especially if playing time at the NHL level is not at all a guarantee, even if he is rostered.

I can't see the team rostering him as the extra forward just to sit in the press box. And with the emergence of Puljujarvi in camp - as well as Glass's and Beauvillier's strong performance in the back half of camp - I just can't see where he would figure into the lineup at all right now.

Give him the reps. Let him be a midseason call-up. That said, he needs to see the NHL at some point this season. Otherwise, the move to swap he and Yager doesn't make much sense.

- St. Ivany had been on a pairing with Ryan Graves throughout camp until today. Today, he was bumped up with Pettersson.

Once again, this could be an indicator that Karlsson's health is in question. He did not skate this morning after skating before practice in prior days, so that is definitely a storyline to keep an eye on.

I think it would be better for Graves and St. Ivany to remain together as a consistent pairing on the third pair, but, unfortunately, the Penguins just don't really have another top-4 right-side option with Karlsson out. We'll see how this all progresses.

- The Sudbury game is going to be really cool. Sullivan spoke yesterday about the organization's, the players', and the league's responsibility to grow the game, and this event is a perfect signifier of that. 

It will be an exciting day for youth and junior hockey, and that's why I think it will be mostly NHL players from the Penguins on Sunday. This game means something to people, and youth players will want to see the very best the game has to offer up-close.