Penguins' Kindel Proves Importance To Lineup In Whirlwind Rookie Season

Pittsburgh Penguins rookie center Ben Kindel probably didn't even expect to play what is approaching 50 games for the big club this season.

Yet, here he is. He appears to be in Pittsburgh to stay, and his presence on the NHL roster could mean much more than merely just helping the team win hockey games in the now. 

Kindel, 18, has thoroughly impressed Penguins' brass this season, as the rookie center has 10 goals and 22 points in 48 games. But if you ask anyone about the impact that Kindel has made, it hasn't necessarily been about the production.

Instead, it's been about the maturity in his all-around game. The veteran-like play from the "kid" has impressed teammates - inlcuding his linemates - and they know how advanced his two-way game is for an 18-year-old. 

"Sometimes, the lights can be pretty bright if you're up here at 18, but he's handled it so well, and he does such good things on the ice as far as playing two-way hockey," said Justin Brazeau, who has been Kindel's linemate in recent games. "He's probably way ahead of the curve as far as defensive play for young guys. And then just his ability to kind of just hang onto pucks, move pucks through the neutral zone, makes it easy for guys like me and 'Mo' [Anthony Mantha]... I think he's fit in really nicely."

Of course, everyone knows by now how the young center impressed so much in training camp that he earned a spot - along with 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke - on the opening night roster. Brunicke's play faded a bit down the stretch, and he didn't quite hit the 10-game mark with the NHL club this season before eventually being sent back to juniors, meaning his entry-level contract will not activate until next season.

But the Penguins elected to give Kindel that 10th game. And then, they elected to keep him beyond his 40th game as part of the active roster, meaning he gets to unrestricted free agency a year sooner.

But that didn't seem to faze GM/POHO Kyle Dubas and the Penguins. He's not only become a mainstay in the Penguins' lineup, he's also proven himself a very important player for them - too important to jettison from the roster and send back to junior hockey with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.

In fact, Kindel's sooner-than-anticipated emergence could, potentially, have a pretty big impact on their approach to roster-building in the next calendar year. He has already seen some minutes as a second-line center this season, and his role is likely only going to grow heading into 2026-27. Plus, if Evgeni Malkin does end up returning next season, it appears more and more likely that he will play on the wing, which speaks to how confident the Penguins feel about Kindel and Tommy Novak, who has one year remaining on his current deal.

So, the fact that the Penguins already have a legitimate top-six center for the future on their NHL roster - and the fact that Sidney Crosby does not seem to be slowing down at 38 - may pave the way for them taking some bigger swings in terms of acquiring talent.

With Pittsburgh holding firmly onto the Metropolitan Division's second spot - and playoffs becoming more and more of a reality - they probably won't rely on the draft lottery to bring in an elite talent, and they may not even draft in the top-20. Without Kindel in the picture, the Penguins probably wouldn't feel as good about that. 

But he is in the picture, and he's already excelling. And there are two other centers selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft in Bill Zonnon (22nd overall) and Will Horcoff (24th overall) who are also both excelling this season and could crack the NHL roster sooner rather than later. 

Kindel's emergence this season is no small deal. But the crazy thing is that there is still so much room for him to grow. He's already seen ample time on both special teams units this season, he's counted on in some defensive zone starts and key situations, and he's consistently helping drive offense for his third line.

In other words - like Brazeau said - Kindel already has so many of the details nailed down that often take younger players years to master. So, once the production catches up? The Penguins will probably have a pretty special player on their hands. 

"To be that young and doing the things he does in this league is pretty special," Brazeau said. "And it speaks to him, not only with his skillset, but just kind of how he carries himself."

And, fear not, the production will come. In a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, Kindel tallied two goals - his first in 19 games - in front of 192 family members and friends, and he, Brazeau, and Mantha were a force most of the evening.

Hopefully, that two-goal spark lights the fire for Kindel, who is already the first rookie Penguins' player since Jake Guentzel in 2016-17 to record double-digits in goals. 

"Obviously, you want to try to help the team as much as you can, and scoring is one of those areas," Kindel said after Sunday's win. "I don't know if it's as much about confidence, but [I'll] just keep playing my game, and goals will come and go."

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