Sam Poulin may play an integral role for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins enter the 2023-24 season searching for their sixth Stanley Cup and the fourth of the Sidney Crosby era. Most agree that the roster is in a better spot now than before Kyle Dubas took over as President of Hockey Ops last month.

However, for the Penguins to get back to being a contender, they'll need help from some of their young prospects, namely Sam Poulin.

Poulin has had an intriguing first couple of years as a professional hockey player. He struggled to get his feet underneath him when he first arrived with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL. In need of a reset, Poulin was healthy scratched for a game in January of 2022, changing the course of the prospect's rookie season.

A first-round pick in 2019, Poulin bounced back and was even transitioned to center to allow him to play a larger role. 

Early last season, Poulin made his NHL debut with the Penguins against the Calgary Flames on October 25th. He played in three games at the NHL level before returning to Wilkes-Barre to continue his development.

In December, Poulin stepped away from the organization for three months, taking a break from the game to address his physical and mental health. He has since returned to the organization and is preparing to continue his development as he enters Penguins' training camp in September.

While it's unlikely Poulin will earn a roster spot out of camp, his progression could land him in a position to become a mid-season call-up. Poulin's positional flexibility, matched with his puck possession prowess, should endear him to the Penguins coaching staff that has valued both traits as pivotal for their bottom-six forwards.

The Penguins have lacked contributions from their prospect system over recent seasons and could certainly use the infusion of youth, with an average roster age of 30.35 years. Poulin could lead that charge as he looks to get back to the NHL this upcoming season.

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