Despite Setback, Penguins Prospect Broz Experiencing Growth In First Professional Season

Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Tristan Broz endured quite the setback midway through the 2024-25 season.

After a 3-2 overtime loss to the Hershey Bears on Dec. 28, Broz didn't quite feel right in the days following. Turns out, he had contracted mononucleosis, which would end up keeping him out of action for nearly a month and a half. 

And it wasn't an easy recovery process, even after he did make his return on Feb. 7.

"I think I'm 100 percent now," Broz said. "I pushed myself to get back pretty fast just to play for the guys, but I was probably, like, 70 percent when I came back... 65, maybe.  It's just tough with mono recovering after games. And, I think when I came back, we had three 'three-in-threes', in, like, a month.

"So, it was tough. But, I just wanted to play for the guys and do what I can to help them win."

Even though he hasn't been quite as productive as he was pre-mono - he registered 12 goals and 19 points in those first 27 games and has just five goals and 13 points in 26 games since - he is doing a lot to help Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) win games and continue their Calder Cup quest. And a lot of that has come from developing within his role as a center.

Broz has spent some time in his career at both center and on the wing. But in the AHL, he has gotten the bulk of his playing time down the middle - something he points to as an area of growth in his game from the beginning of the season until now.

"I've just learned a lot more about center just playing at this level," Broz said. "You can only learn some things through experiencing it. There's maybe been some learning moments of, like... one that sticks out, it was against Cleveland, maybe, where I tried to box out a guy too early, and he jumps around me for a goal... It's learning some of those nuances of timing, especially defensively. So, that's probably where I've grown the most."

And that growth has been pretty substantial for the 22-year-old forward, who made the jump from collegiate hockey at the University of Denver - where he won a National Championship in 2024 - to the professional level this season. There have been a few other adjustments from college hockey to the pro game as well - including the schedule.

Teammate Rutger McGroarty - recently called up to the NHL team - expressed following his call-up that the professional schedule took some getting used to. But - for the most part - the adjustment was vastly positive. He mentioned that the more condensed schedule helped the mental aspect of his game, especially since there is less time to dwell on mistakes between games. 

Broz has had the same experience, even comparing it to the junior level.

"You just play a little bit more, which I like," Broz said. "I hated college. It's like, if you have a bad game on Saturday, you have to wait until next Friday to play again. It's kinda nice that, if you have a bad game, you can just play again pretty quick and flush it, so it's nice to just play a lot more."

Between getting up-to-speed at the center position and settling into the schedule, Broz has learned a lot. And he - like everyone else - knows there is a lot to play for in the final stretch run of games. 

But, at the end of the day, he's having a whole lot of fun playing the game he loves and continuing to develop in a positive direction - along with the rest of the group in WBS.

"It's the best job in the world, I think," Broz said. "So, it's a lot of fun.

"We've got a really good team, which helps, too."

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!