How soon could we see Sam Poulin with the Pittsburgh Penguins?
The Pittsburgh Penguins haven't had much success selecting in the first round of the NHL draft since 2012. That can be attributed to the lack of actual picks, of which they've made five since 2012, and the position they usually select. However, it seems like 2019 first-rounder Sam Poulin is getting closer to making his NHL debut.
Last season, Poulin transitioned from junior hockey to professional hockey and played the entire season with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL. It was a tale of two halves for Poulin, who got off to a slow start, dropping his stock in the Penguins prospect system in favor of players like Valtteri Puustinen and Filip Hallander.
Eventually, something clicked for the 21-year-old, and he finished the season red hot, becoming an integral part of the team's turnaround and an eventual playoff berth. What led to this quick turnaround? Nick Hart, the play-by-play broadcaster for the AHL Penguins, joined "Penguins Lunch" this week and discussed how Poulin flipped the switch.
"He had to sit a game up in Hershey at Giant Center up in the press box," Hart said. "The messages (from the coaches) started sinking in a bit more, and he started applying them on the ice. It was night and day after that."
Poulin became a force on the ice, both with and without the puck. Hart cited his tremendous forechecking ability and work below the goal line as his best attributes. He also shared how coach J.D. Forrest moved Poulin to the center position to get him the puck more often.
That's where things could get interesting. Poulin finished last season with 16 goals and 37 points in 72 games. A decent first season, especially considering how it began, but if he can continue that growth and momentum into the start of the 2022-23 season, he could emerge as the future for the third-line center role with the NHL squad.
The re-signing of Evgeni Malkin guarantees that the Penguins will remain cemented in their top two center positions. But with the team nearing an average age of 30, any type of injection of young talent will be necessary to extend the window of contention.
Poulin will not make his way to Pittsburgh anytime early in the season, but don't rule out the possibility of him getting his first taste of NHL action this season. With Jeff Carter showing signs of regression as the season went on last year, the infusion of a younger center to spell Carter and allow him to move to wing could be exactly what he needs. However, Poulin isn't there yet and will need to pick up where he left off at the end of last year.
Having the ability to play multiple positions has always been highly valued by Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. The more Poulin shows the ability to take on the responsibilities of the center position, the more valuable he will be to the organization.
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