It's still not clear if/when the Pittsburgh Penguins will give a chance to some of their key youngsters.

PITTSBURGH – With under 14 games remaining in the 2023-24 season and sitting nine points out of a playoff spot, the year seems like a lost cause for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nothing has gone according to plan, and the first year of Kyle Dubas as Penguins president and general manager will likely be considered an overall failure.

With only a slim hope of pulling off a miracle and reaching the postseason, many have wondered why some of the Penguins’ young faces aren’t getting their shot at the NHL. Valtteri Puustinen has earned his way up, but he appears to be the only success story, with multiple others still brewing in the American Hockey League.

Despite a couple of injuries, Sam Poulin is having a fabulous bounce-back season. Vasily Ponomarev, acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade, automatically became the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ top-scoring forward.

While the Penguins themselves won’t admit defeat, the fans certainly have. They want to get a taste of the future and see the progress Poulin has made and what Ponomarev can bring to the table. So, where are these guys?

Head coach Mike Sullivan says there are daily discussions about the progress made by the AHL roster's key players. His focus remains squarely on the NHL club while the front office crew determines the right moves.

“We’re obviously focused on the Pittsburgh Penguins, and that’s where our main focus is,” Sullivan said. “Certainly, there are a lot of people inside our hockey operations that are watching these guys consistently. And we have those discussions amongst our group.”

Sullivan mentioned Poulin’s great season but also talked about how other recalls have been beneficial for the NHL squad.

“Sam Poulin, for example, has had a really strong year,” Sullivan said. “I think everybody is really encouraged by Sam and the progress he’s made. You can see the jump that Puusty’s made and the impact he’s having right now. A guy like Jon Gruden that has been up and down, but I think is more impactful now that he comes up and plays in Pittsburgh.”

One of Dubas’ goals for the very near future is to make the team younger while staying ultra-competitive. An obvious solution to getting younger will be focusing heavily on the system's prospects and seeing them reach the NHL for some playing time.

Puustinen has been a revelation this year, but there is still room to grow with him. Gruden has been solid but doesn’t have the same sort of offensive ceiling.

The Penguins will need an overhaul again this summer, but they also need to know that their young players can make it in the NHL. If key prospects like Poulin and Ponomarev make the jump and prove to be worth roles with the big club, then Dubas’ job this offseason will be much easier.

First things first, though, everyone needs to know what they have in Poulin and Ponomarev. Will they be recalled before the end of the year?

“We’ll see where it goes.”

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