WBS's Season May Be Over — But There Is Much More To Come

At times, it felt like a trip to the 2026 Calder Cup Final was inevitable for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins. 

Their 46-17-7-2 regular season record was the fourth-best in franchise history, and their 101 points were good enough for third in the AHL despite being the youngest team in the league. They feature a legitimate crop of young talent with bright futures. They found a way to get it done throughout the playoffs, which included an 8-1 route of the Springfield Thunderbirds when facing elimination in a deciding Game 5 during the Atlantic Division Final.

But they dug themselves a bit too much of a hole in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Toronto Marlies.

On Sunday, WBS lost a heartbreaker, 2-1, in overtime during Game 6, and they were officially eliminated by the Marlies, who are going to their first Calder Cup Final in 14 years. Obviously, it's tough not to be disappointed in the aftermath, especially when it felt like this team had the potential to go the distance. 

However, despite falling short, there is a whole lot to look forward to with this WBS team and the players on it. 

"Obviously, it really sucks, and it doesn't really feel real right now," forward Tristan Broz told Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey following Sunday's loss. "But, hopefully, a lot of us can play together for a really long time, and I said to [Rutger McGroarty] last night: 'If this group plays together for a long time, we're going to win championships. That's the way we're all built, that's the way that all of us are wired." 

That couldn't be more true. There are several players that really stepped up and stood out in these Calder Cup Playoffs, and several of them should be part of a bright future for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

And it all starts with the netminder. 

AHL rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov led the charge for WBS throughout the season, posting a 24-9-3 record with a .919 save percentage, a 2.20 goals-against average, and four shutouts in 38 games during the regular season. He followed that up with an even more remarkable playoff run, ending it with a .931 save percentage across 15 games to go along with WBS's 8-7 record. 

Fair or not, many are counting on Murashov to be the next Penguins' starting goaltender, and expectations are even loftier than that. His poise, confidence, and maturity for a 22-year-old should get him far, and there's a good chance he is a permanent part of the NHL roster next season.

Another player who proved he belongs and then some? 20-year-old blueliner Harrison Brunicke, who joined WBS late in the regular season after his junior team, the Kamloops Blazers, lost in the WHL playoffs. Brunicke made the NHL roster out of training camp last season but spent just nine games at the NHL level, with some AHL time and World Junior time sprinkled in the first half of 2025-26.

Given the injury situation on WBS's blue line - five different regulars went down with injuries - Brunicke, who was already tasked with top-pairing minutes, was asked to carry a heavy load, and he delivered. He notched a pair of goals and seven helpers in the 15 playoff games, playing first-unit minutes on both the power play and penalty kill and logging heavy minutes in every game.

He also got tangibly better at the things the Penguins wanted him to work on when he was sent back to junior hockey this season - including net-front defense and breakouts - and he was a legitimate difference-maker in transition and with the puck on his stick. Brunicke's fate next season will be entirely up to him, as the talent is clearly there for him to be a top-four defenseman at the NHL level. 

Then, there are the forwards.

Rutger McGroarty, 22, had himself a really solid playoff run, scoring four goals and recording nine points during WBS's run and contributing in all aspects of the game. Many fans seem low on McGroarty, but his playoff performance proved that he has the ability to come through when it matters most, and he plays his best hockey when it matters most, too. Plus, if not for injuries, McGroarty likely would have gotten a much more extended NHL look in 2025-26.

Ville Koivunen put together a nice postseason, too - with an identical stat line to McGroarty's - and he continues to build on the things that will differentiate him as an NHL player rather than a career All-Star AHL player. 

"I try to play to my own strengths," Koivunen said. "Get pucks more to the net, not always be outside, and try to get myself to the net more."

Then, there's guys like Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes - both of whom got a taste of the NHL last season - who continued to take steps during both the regular season and playoffs, even if Hayes experienced a rare scoring drought during the back half of the playoffs. There's also newer and younger faces like Tanner Howe and Bill Zonnon, who both impressed this season and will look to take even further strides in their first full AHL season in 2026-27. 

All in all, the ultimate result of the 2025-26 season for WBS may have been disappointing, but it's certainly not the end. There is much more to come from this crop of young players in the future — whether that's at the AHL or NHL level. 

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