Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026: The Full List

At long last, the 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is counted down and complete. This season was a challenge because, four summers into his time with the organization, Kyle Dubas and the rest of the Penguins' front office and development staff have done a commendable jo rebuilding a pipeline that was barren prior to their arrival.

Now, the Penguins have many players in their system who should legitimately push for NHL minutes, and at least a handful who should be full-time NHL players. This exercise is always a blast, and it should also give fans some hope about the future of the franchise. 

From No. 1 to No. 20, here is this year's complete list:

This blueliner's second-straight year atop the list was sealed with a dominant Calder Cup Playoff performance as well as sustantial growth over what was a tumultuous 2025-26 season for him. Brunicke, 20, should compete for an NHL roster spot out of training camp and will almost certainly see NHL minutes next season regardless, as he is a unicorn among defensive prospects in the Penguins' system.

Right behind (or, even, parallel to) Brunicke is Murashov at No. 2, whose pedigree and potential make him the most legitimate hope of the Penguins having a franchise player at one of the three positions. His dominance at every professional level since the age of 16 - as well as his lights-out Calder Cup Playoff run last season - are, hopefully, signs to come as he likely transitions to the NHL full-time next season.

Zonnon was one of three first-round draft picks by the Penguins in 2025, and after injuries derailed the beginning of his 2025-26 campaign, the rapid progress he showed in the second half of his QMJHL season followed by his bursting on the scene in the AHL playoffs for WBS landed him in our top-three. His all-around toolset and high floor should serve the Penguins well in the future. 

McGroarty, 22, may not have put together the season he wanted, but he was also limited by injuries early in the season. His point-per-game-plus AHL run last season post-injury as well as his performance in the playoffs should give Pittsburgh and its fans a large dose of hope that McGroarty is finally turning a corner for good and that he is a guy who should be part of their future moving forward.

The 21-year-old Ilyin is a high-IQ playmaking monster, and he has been that way for the last several years in the KHL playing against grown men. When he joined WBS late in the season last year, he made an impression right away - and his adjustment to the North American game has not been a glaring issue so far. His top-six potential is intriguing, especially if he taps into a shooting mentality more often. 

The 19-year-old Horcoff scored at nearly a goal-per-game pace into December last season for the University of Michigan, and he ended up just under a point-per-game at the end of the season despite dealing with a shouler injury. The 2025 first-round pick is the highest-upside goal-scorer in the Penguins system, but there are a few things for him to work on so he can round out his game and make his skillset more translatable to the pro game. 

Koivunen signed that massive eight-year, $32 million contract extension with the Penguins this summer, which was a sign that the organization has a whole lot of belief in his potential. Even if he's had mixed results at the NHL level so far, he's been elite in the AHL and has a chance to prove that the team's investment in him was worth it.

Pickering, 22, is a towering left blueliner who should have a crack at the NHL roster out of camp and during the season. The Penguins believed in Pickering's growth last season, and he is finding a lot more consistency and reliability in his game, which is what the organization is looking for. With so much uncertainty on the left side for the Penguins, it's Pickering's time to show he's ready for full-time NHL minutes.

Ruck was the Penguins' 22nd overall selection in this year's draft, and among some other intriguing aspects of his game, this kid can simply put pucks in the back of the net with regularity. Second only to his twin brother, Markus, in WHL scoring last season, he should continue to build out his overall game, and if he takes steps this season and into his NCAA career, he'll quickly become a riser on this list. 

Broz, 23, has dealt with some unfortunate injury luck the last couple of seasons, as the timing coincided with what would probably have been some NHL runway. Broz is one of the most legitimate two-way forward options in the system, and he's a center. So, expect to see him get NHL minutes this season when injuries eventually happen - and don't be surprised if he's a guy who sticks.

Galvas, an overager selected in the second round of this year's draft, is 20 years old and already looks pretty pro-ready. He's set to play another season in Czechia, but this guy's mobility, offensive upside, and two-way prowess are qualities that have shone through, even as a young player suiting up against pro-level competition as a teenager. He is a player to watch. 

Hayes' relentless, scrappy play coupled with his speed and skill make for a great mixture, and he probably showed more than any other young forward not named Ben Kindel at the NHL level last season. He's a dark horse to make the roster out of camp, and he's certainly the kind of feisty, versatile, skilled bottom-six player the Penguins have been lacking for a good while. 

If you want an organizational success story in development, look no further than Harding, a seventh-round pick in 2024 who has blossomed into one of the top defensive options in teh Penguins' system. He may be a step behind Brunicke in the prospect pecking order on the right side, but he's looking more and more like he'll be a steady, reliable NHL bottom-pair defenseman down the line.  

Take Hayes's feistiness, multiply it by three, and you have Howe, who is similar to Hayes in a lot of ways. However, Howe probably has a bit higher of an offensive ceiling, as he makes his living in the danger areas and has some legitimate skill to boot. He may not be as well-rounded as Hayes at this point, but he projects to be a solid two-way winger who can be deployed up and down a lineup. 

Markus Ruck may not have the goal-scoring ceiling that his brother does - and his skating may be a bit behind - but the playmaking ability is legitimate. Ruck has excellent vision and is good in transition, and if he decides to start using his shot a bit more, his ceiling will continue to climb. He wasn't the WHL scoring leader by coincidence last season.

The 24-year-old Blomqvist is at a critical juncture in his development, as Murashov has seemingly leapt ahead of him on the depth chart. He figures to split AHL duties with Taylor Gauthier this season, but a standout camp could put him in position to beat out Murashov for the other goaltending spot on the NHL opening night roster. The Penguins do believe he's still part of their future. 

After missing the list last year, Plante is sneakily creeping up the depth chart, as his two-way game keeps building and his offensive ceiling keeps increasing. It's still fair to wonder whether Plante's size and his skill can translate to the pro game, but his NCAA career up to this point keeps elevating expectations, and his competitiveness is on par with the best in the system. 

When your director of player development says "he will rip your head off" when it comes to winning a puck battle, that's a pretty high compliment. Already a solid defensive player, Miller has seen substantial offensive growth since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 Draft, and a commitment to the NCAA will give the Penguins a chance to see how his all-around toolset translates to bigger and better competition. 

Another seventh-round pick has entered the chat and entered our list, as Dach was selected in 2025 out of the BCHL. The center still has some things to work on - namely his skating - but his high-level WHL production last season was not an accident, and like Miller, he will look to prove himself against better NCAA competition next season.

Like Harding, Pietila became a steady, solid, reliable defenseman on WBS's blue line last season, and he has worked to put himself in the same NHL conversation as guys like Harding and Pickering. Again, the depth chart is working against him right now, but if he continues to grow year-by-year, the Penguins may have another reliable fifth or sixth defenseman on their hands. 

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