The Pittsburgh Penguins need their prospects to hit in 2023.

The prospect system for the Pittsburgh Penguins remains one of the worst in the NHL entering the 2023-24 season. Even if Kyle Dubas and company choose to make their first-round selection next Wednesday, the Penguins' lack of youth at the NHL level will remain a major issue heading into the season.

A few prospects in the Penguins system may need to successfully jump to the NHL this season, including Ty Smith, Alex Nylander, and Valtteri Puustinen.

Earlier this week, the Penguins re-signed Puustinen to a one-year, two-way contract that pays him $775k at the NHL level. Puustinen has been one of the Penguins' most productive prospects over the past two seasons, scoring 101 points (44G-57A) in 145 games with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL.

The Penguins were the oldest team in the NHL last season and looked every bit of it on several occasions throughout the year. Historically under head coach Mike Sullivan, the Penguins are at their best when they play a fast-paced game, and Puustinen could be the first step in moving back in the right direction.

Puustinen fits the mold of those early Sullivan-era wingers that emerged as key contributors for the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup runs. Players like Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust saw similar results at the AHL level before becoming integral members of the NHL squad.

Puustinen spent the opening week of training camp last season playing next to Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. While he didn't see any game action with the Penguins' top duo, the message rang throughout UPMC Lemieux Complex that Sullivan thought highly of the young Finnish prospect.

There's no guarantee that Puustinen will earn a roster spot out of training camp this season. However, it's hard to imagine that the Penguins will play through another season without calling on Puustinen to contribute at the NHL level.

The Penguins need their top AHL prospects to make an impact in 2023, and Valtteri Puustinen will need to lead that charge.

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