Penguins AHL Club Should Be Fun Watch in 2023-24
For the first time in a while, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have an AHL affiliate to keep a close eye on.
As the later stages of the careers of stars like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin continue, the Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t put much thought into their minor league system.
For a number of years now, the Penguins have been focused on grabbing NHL-level talent to bolster the lineup an often time sacrificed younger faces.
With new president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas on board, a lot of help has been given to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
It may not have been a direct focus on Dubas’ part, but his slew of depth signings has made for a large depth chart.
Since the opening of free agency, Dubas has brought in multiple players who might not crack the NHL lineup out of training camp and will likely start the season in the AHL.
Defenseman Will Butcher and forwards Vinnie Hinostroza, Radim Zohorna, and Andreas Johnsson are all players with useful NHL experience, but just might not get the playing time this year.
They will, however, likely do wonders to add juice to a struggling WBS Penguins team.
Not only do players like that help the minor league club, but they should serve as mentors for an infusion of youth that could see a lot more time in North Eastern Pennsylvania.
Sam Poulin is back from his personal leave and is looking for more opportunities; Valtteri Puustinen is a budding NHL regular; prospects like Owen Pickering and Joel Blomqvist could see a lot more AHL ice in 2023-24.
Any good Penguins fan should keep a close eye on WBS this season; it’s a make or break year for a few of the prospects, while others should start showing flashes of their ability.
Those youngsters surrounded by players with NHL-level talent and experience should set everyone up for success.
The WBS Penguins have mostly struggled in recent memory, and haven’t brought much excitement, but 2023-24 should be different.
It’s time for the prospects to shine and added veteran options should make for an entertaining team to watch.
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