Sam Poulin will be crucial for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2024-25.

PITTSBURGH – Sam Poulin has been one of the top prospects in the Pittsburgh Penguins system since being taken in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Now 23 years old, Poulin is ready to graduate from the term “prospect” and become a regular at the NHL level.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, Poulin has a great shot at earning his way on the Penguins roster, but he still has plenty of room for improvement.

The Penguins are looking for skilled youth who can make an impact at the NHL level, and Poulin has that chance. The only issue is that he is really yet to show what he’s made of. Poulin has played in six career NHL games in the past two seasons and only scored a single point.

Sure, it’s hard for young players to arrive and make an impact right away, but the expectations are high for Poulin. A former first-round draft pick, Poulin has shown flashes of brilliance on the offensive side of the puck.

Twice during his junior days, he recorded well over 70 points with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. In his first season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he notched 37 points.

Injuries and personal leave have stunted his development a bit, but the Penguins are still confident there is more to be unlocked. Like Valtteri Puustinen, the organization knows there is so much more to give.

Poulin may start the season as an NHL regular, but he’ll need to bring the office and provide a boost of scoring to the bottom six. His defensive game has already been worked on, but now it’s time for Poulin to find his scoring touch again.

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