Which Penguins' Young Guns Have Best Chance Of Breaking Camp?

Believe it or not, NHL training camps start up this week, and regular season hockey is just two short weeks away from kicking off. 

And the Pittsburgh Penguins will be one of the more interesting teams to keep an eye on as far as roster battles and young talent. 

We already discussed some positional battle tiers for training camp, highlighting who the guarantees, the maybes, and the longshots were for each position. But what about the roster as a whole? 

With so much youth on the cusp of full-time NHL minutes - and a ton of competition for roster spots against more seasoned NHL players - it's going to be a difficult road for many of the Penguins' most promising young players to break camp. That said, there are some who are better-positioned than others.

Of all the prospects in camp, Murashov is the most sure bet to make the roster, even if that possibility isn't 100 percent. There is always a good chance that Joel Blomqvist will outplay Murashov in camp and earn the spot. 

However, with one goaltending spot absolutely open for the taking regardless - which is not the same case with the other positions - he is, naturally, the most safe bet to be on the NHL roster come Sept. 30. 

Just behind Murashov is a small crop of players who should have a pretty decent shot at making the roster with a good camp.

Koivunen was just inked to an eight-year extension this summer, and although the contract makes him waivers-proof, the organization clearly chose to bet on him. He had a great summer in terms of training, his camp last year was excellent, and the top-six scoring potential is not lost on the organization. Even in a crowded pool of forwards, he's probably the young forward (not named Ben Kindel) with the best shot at breaking camp.

Hayes had a respectable NHL run last season, as he was called upon in the most crucial stretch of the season during the month of March. He registered five goals in 16 games at the highest level, two of which came during his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 5. The fact that he is someone who can thrive in a bottom-six role and work his way up the lineup might give him a leg up on some of his peers. 

Brunicke's road may be a bit more murky, as the high-upside right defenseman has Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, and Kaedan Korczak ahead of him on the depth chart. But Brunicke has put together two standout camps in a row, he's put on a lot of size, and he is capable of playing the off-side if need be. If he has a repeat camp of the last several years - or, even, improves on them - the Penguins will have a hard time leaving him off the roster.

Then, there's Galvas, drafted in the second round (54th overall) this summer, who has been wildly impressive through three Prospect Tournament games. Even if it's just a tournament for prospects and Galvas should look comfortable in this format from playing against men in Czechia's Extraliga previously, he has been the standout for the Penguins, and he's showing legitimate upside as a two-way force.

Unfortunately, there are a few young players who will be challenged quite a bit for a spot, but they still have a fair chance at cracking the roster with a stellar camp.

McGroarty is in the driver's seat, as he is, pretty much, Koivunen's and Hayes's primary competition for a roster slot. After a tumultuous start to the 2025-26 season riddled with injury and inconsistency, McGroarty finished the AHL portion of his season strong with 10 goals and 34 points in 30 games. The left winger could earn himself a spot if he manages to stand out and beat a few others, but it's going to take a very strong showing from him.

Pickering, 22, developed long-sought consistency in the second half of his AHL campaign last season, and he will join a legitimate battle for a spot on the left side. The 6-foot-5, 206-pound defenseman has faced some adversity at the NHL level but appears primed for an NHL breakout this season, and he can get a head start on that if he beats out Galvas, Brunicke, Ilya Solovyov, and Ryan Graves.

Broz, 23, probably should have broken camp last season, as he was arguably the most impressive young forward in camp along with Kindel. His ability to play each forward position helps him, and like Hayes, he is a guy with a two-way toolset who can play well in the bottom-six. However, his hill might be a little tougher to climb, especially since the center position is very crowded at the NHL level. If he stands out enough to separate himself, though, he will make decisions tough for the Penguins. 

For Blomqvist, it all comes down to whether or not he can outperform Murashov and demonstrably show that he should be the guy occupying the second NHL roster spot next to Arturs Silovs. Murashov is primed to be the other guy, but Blomqvist will absolutely have a fair chance at shooting down those plans with a better camp. 

As for these guys, there is a sliver of hope for an NHL spot out of camp. But their chances are just that: A shot in the dark.

Livanavage, signed to a two-year entry-level contract nearing the end of the 2025-26 season out of the University of North Dakota, has shown some flashes of his offensive capabilities and ability to run a power play. He burned the first year of his ELC with one NHL appearance last season, and while there is some intrigue with Livanavage, a simple numbers game on the left side renders his chances of cracking the roster out of camp minimal.

The same goes for Harding, who would have to knock off Brunicke, Galvas, Pickering, Solovyov, and Graves to earn a spot. The right-side defender is as steady as they come and is smart in all three zones, which is something that could play well on a bottom pairing. But the current NHL club simply has too many guys in the mix, so Harding would need to have an undeniable kind of performance in camp to be considered ahead of the others.

Finally, 2025 first-round pick (22nd overall) Bill Zonnon made his professional debut during the Calder Cup Playoffs last season, and he has done nothing but impress ever since. Like everyone else, there are simply a whole lot of formidable young players fighting for precious few forward spots, and Zonnon just isn't high enough on the depth chart right now. However, never say never: Kindel would be the first to tell you that. 

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