Expect Top Prospect To Get Extended Look With Penguins
Sam Poulin is within reach of a regular role in the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup.
Everyone is well aware that the Pittsburgh Penguins don’t have the deepest pool of prospects to build a future with.
Fairly often, the Penguins pipeline is ranked near the bottom when ranked with the rest of the league.
While there are a couple of key names that have a chance to make a difference some day there is once face that could make a big jump this year.
2019 first round pick Sam Poulin is an “elder statesman” within the Penguins system at the age of 22, but is looking to shed the prospect title very soon.
Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas raved about how impressed he was with the prospects during their time at training camp and zeroed in on Poulin.
It’s well documented that Poulin missed significant time last season to focus on his mental health; coming into 2023 training camp, it was hard to tell he was ever away.
Dubas stated that he was proud of the camp Poulin put together, all starting from the very first day of practices at the Prospect Challenge.
Poulin remained on the Penguins camp roster up until one of the last rounds of cuts and looked right at home with NHL regulars.
Is it rational to say Poulin could see an extended look in NHL this season?
“Can I see him spending significant time in the NHL this year? Absolutely,” Dubas said. “Based on everything we’ve seen from him so far.”
Until that call comes, Poulin will start the season with the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
The main focus with Poulin for Dubas is that he continues to grow in a bigger role at the AHL level rather than be pushed to the back of the line in the NHL.
“He’s going to be better suited playing huge minutes for Wilkes-Barre and being a hugely reliable player,” Dubas said. “Than he would be as the 12th or 13th forward here.”
While Poulin is still a highly touted prospect, he has played in the NHL with the Penguins, so he knows the routine and what it takes to reach his goal.
All of the focus on Poulin will be him gaining ground after missing that time last year.
It won’t be immediate, but the Penguins are looking forward to welcoming Poulin back to the NHL.
“If Sam just keeps on stacking up the days and weeks as he has early here in September through October,” Dubas said. “Then he’s going to push himself to earn his way back on.”
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