What prospects will make an impact for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season?

With training camp drawing near for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team's opening night lineup is practically set in stone. Bolstered by an infusion of new talent, the Penguins are much improved but still are one of the oldest teams in the league.

Despite having a bottom of the pack farm system, the Pens need to find some production from their prospects if they want to return to the playoffs in 2023-24. Here are a few young players who are chomping at the bit to contribute to the NHL team. 

1. Sam Poulin

It's a crucial season for the 2019 first-round pick of the Penguins. Sam Poulin progressed smoothly through the junior ranks and put up 16 goals in his first professional season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but then hit a bump in the road.

After appearing in three games with the Penguins in 2022, Poulin took some time away from the sport to focus on his personal and mental health. He was limited to just 15 games in the AHL this past season.

With more recovery and training time under his belt, Poulin expects bigger things of himself this year, specifically an NHL roster spot. He has the offensive toolkit to be a difference maker with the bottom six, but the competition is stiff for those spots. He most likely will have to wait for an injury to be called up, but he could force his way into an every day player if given the chance. Either way, expect Poulin to get at least 5-10 games with the big club in 2023-24. 

2. Valtteri Puustinen

The 24-year-old former seventh round pick has led the WBS Penguins in scoring for two straight seasons and deserves a legitimate shot to make the NHL roster. He is undersized, but his IQ, skating, and awareness more than make up for it. In his lone NHL appearance in 2021-22, he looked like an NHL veteran and collected a point to cap off a solid performance. 

Puustinen is a better fit for a top six role, but would also add a true offensive element to the third line if given the chance. If the Pens don't get the production they expected out of the likes of Drew O'Connor, Matt Nieto, or Noel Acciari, look for Puustinen to be called up for reinforcements.

3. Owen Pickering 

Hear me out: what if the 19-year-old 2022 first-round pick surprises everyone at training camp? He's got size, an excellent skating ability, and has an NHL level defensive reach that could stifle opponents already. The Pens are not sold on their bottom defensive pairing, so why not give Pickering a chance to take it in camp? If he doesn't claim it, he can go back to juniors for a final season of development before finishing the season at the AHL level. 

The Penguins don't want to rush one of their most prized young players, but Pickering may be ready for more than juniors. Pittsburgh should give him as many opportunities to grow and learn under their NHL coaching staff and personnel, and his play may force them to do so. 

The Pens are hopeful their new look roster will be ready to take this team back to the postseason. However, the team may need more than that to get there. Playoff teams are consistently reliant on inexpensive, young talent to push them over the edge. These three players could provide that spark for the Penguins this season, and they may be called upon sooner than expected. 

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