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Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top 25 Penguins Prospects, #25-21; Hidden Gems & Honorable Mentions
In the nearly decade-long existence of Pittsburgh Hockey Now and its predecessors, which were poorly built, self-published webpages, there has not been a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect list that needed to go beyond the top 10. There may have been more than 10 prospects, but never were they threats to make it to the NHL. As PHN began compiling its annual list, we quickly realized there were well more than 10 prospects this year. In fact, there were more than 15, and–wow–more than 20. Having 13 picks from the 2025 NHL Draft buttressed the numbers, as have a few trades over the past 18 months that have added to the bounty, including getting three prospects (Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, and Cruz Lucius) in the Jake Guentzel trade. Towards the back of the Penguins' prospect list, there are goalies with special abilities and defensemen who flew well under the radar but were noticeable at the most recent Development Camp. Read More: The players not on the list are fading prospects who are hoping to achieve a turnaround. So, no, you won't see Sam Poulin or Valtteri Puustinen on the Top 25 list. Six years after being drafted, they still have a chance to play in the NHL, but their prospect status has been traded for young veterans or hopeful veterans. Nor did Vasily Ponomarev make the list. Ponomarev bolted for the KHL after some lackluster performances in the NHL. The gut feeling is that both the team and the player were a little disappointed by the other. The prospect list criteria are rather simple. The player must be under 25 (so no Jack St. Ivany either), and we're grading on a subjective mixture of readiness and projected impact. For example, Ben Kindel was drafted 11th overall and should be expected to provide the largest impact of the prospects, but defenseman Owen Pickering will also have some impact and be ready much sooner. So, Pickering could rate ahead of Kindel on this list. The top rankings will be out in a few days. For the bottom of the list players below, we'll not project when they could hit the NHL. These players will need a couple of years to establish their path, or maybe more. Honorable Mentions There are a handful of players who could be in the top 25. Their hopes of making it all the way to the Pittsburgh Penguins are no less real than the prospects at the back of the prospect list. However, we're projecting their ceilings to be lower, and they get the Honorable Mention. Mac Swanson: Mighty Mac. After putting up big numbers with the Fargo Force of the USHL, he played last season at the Palace on the Prairie, the University of North Dakota. His biggest impediment is being listed at 5-foot-8 and looking much shorter than that. He had 18 points (2-16-18) in 38 games as a freshman. Swanson was the Penguins' 2024 seventh-round pick. He didn't stand out at camp, but he made a few plays during the scrimmage that showed his playmaking skills. Finn Harding: Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas mentioned him by name at his season-ending press conference as one of the few defenseman prospects in the system. However, Dubas also noted he has a long way to go. Harding was the Penguins' 2023 seventh-rounder. Harding also made his pro debut with Wheeling, playing three games without a point. Carter Sanderson: Another late-rounder, Sanderson was the Penguins' sixth-round pick in the 2025 Draft. He showed well in the Development Camp this month. He just completed his first year in the USHL, registering only 11 points, but he had a little spark in camp, and he could grow into something worth keeping an eye on. Daniel Laatsch: The big 6-foot-6 defenseman was a seventh-round pick from the University of Wisconsin. He'll turn pro this year after signing a two-year entry-level contract in March. He's not an offensive threat, and he's not a great skater, though he's not bad, either. Laatsch is stay-home posiitonal defender. Top 25 Penguins Prospects, 25-21 Miller looked like a polished product at the Development Camp. The Portland Winterhawks center had an on-ice poise and maturity that nicely complemented good skating, high intensity, and hockey IQ. He made an impact for his team during the camp scrimmage. Whether it was intentional or luck, the Penguins selected a handful of players who play a gritty game, and Miller was one. He was the first of three Penguins fifth-round picks in the 2025 Draft. The second of the Penguins' 2025 fifth-rounders, Beauchense, also had a productive camp and was noticeable in drills and the scrimmage. The right-shot defenseman has solid size, at 6-foot, 190 pounds, and skates well. He's only played two seasons of junior hockey–denoting how young he is–but he upped his offensive output to 24 points (6-18-24) in 49 games last season. He's ahead of others with better resumes at No. 24 primarily because of how visible he was at camp. The Penguins' 2024 fourth-round pick left Michigan Tech after two seasons and played 12 professional games last season. He played three with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and nine for the Wheeling Nailers, where he had three assists. Pietila is a right-shot defenseman with size. He's 6-foot-3, 195 pounds and a smart defenseman. Though he wasn't a standout at the recent camp, he didn't need to be. The Penguins saw enough to sign him to his ELC despite some college eligibility remaining. Lucius comes from a hockey family, though his older brother just retired from pro hockey due to a genetic condition. The Arizona State product has flashed much greater potential than he's consistently shown. 'He's got a high-end skill set. I think his shot, his puck skills, are elite,' said Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos after the Development Camp. 'I think he knows this is a huge year for him. He has to prove what kind of player he can become. And he's been working hard throughout the summer, and I know he's going to push himself. So this will be a big season for him.' After transferring from Wisconsin to Arizona State, Lucius had an underwhelming 10 points (2-8-10) in 19 games. Fernstrom was another piece of the return from the Vancouver Canucks when the Penguins traded Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor to Vancouver. Of course, the big prize for the Penguins in that trade was the New York Rangers' first-round pick. Fernstrom was the Canucks' third-round pick in 2024, but he hasn't yet had his breakout moment. He's a slow skater with good offensive instincts, but he'll have to improve his skating to be able to use those gifts in professional hockey. The Penguins are sending him back to the Swedish Elite League for another season–last season, he had 17 points (8-9-17) for Orebro HK. Perhaps the Penguins' player development and performance staff can retool to help him add speed to augment his game. The post Top 25 Penguins Prospects, #25-21; Hidden Gems & Honorable Mentions appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Pittsburgh Penguins eye roster refresh: Young stars like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen lead NHL action
Pittsburgh Penguins (via Getty Images) The Pittsburgh Penguins are preparing for a pivotal 2025–26 NHL season, one that could take them in a fresh era led by rising stars like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. With a handful of veteran contracts locked in and several pending free agents uncertain to return, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas appears ready to open the door for youth. Top candidates for Pittsburgh Penguins At the front of the pack is top prospect Rutger McGroarty, who made an impressive contribution last season with three points in five NHL games before a foot injury ended his progression. Having played on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, his combination of pace and pugnacity makes him a good bet to make the roster out of camp. Ville Koivunen, who collected seven helpers in eight games of NHL action in the 2024–25 season, is versatile and cool, playing with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, and this gives him a good shot at cementing a full-time spot. On the blue side, Owen Pickering and Jack St. Ivany are serious challengers. St. Ivany recovered from slow starts and injuries early in the season to stay strong in the AHL late, while Pickering played top-four minutes in the NHL last season alongside Kris Letang. Forward Avery Hayes is making waves following an impressive 60-point AHL season. Recently signed to an entry-level deal, he's recognized for his tireless pace and scoring potential. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software Esseps Learn More Undo Filip Hallander, who won Swedish Hockey League Forward of the Year, might finally bring his European success over to the NHL if he impresses in camp. And as for the longer shots, Sam Poulin, Mikhail Ilyin, and Atley Calvert are still worth mentioning. Though they might not make the opening night roster, their excellent play in the AHL or overseas could bring mid-season call-ups. And let us not forget goaltender Joel Blomqvist, whose NHL readiness would be thwarted only by the presence of Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic. Also read: 'Thank you, Pittsburgh': Mike Sullivan leaves Pittsburgh Penguins with emotional billboard message With the Pittsburgh Penguins seeking to close the gap between a veteran-rich core and the future stars, training camp looms as pivotal. With roster room and a clear desire for new energy, the likes of Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen are presented with the golden chance to take the franchise in a certain direction right away. What is certain is that the Penguins are set to provide youth with an opportunity—now it is a matter of waiting for the prospects to seize it.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Two Penguins Top Prospects Have Monster Night
Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins seem to be losing hope for the 2024-25 season, there is a lot of hope for the very near future of Penguins hockey. And that manifested itself in an historic night for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins. On Wednesday, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate routed the Hershey Bears, 9-0, and they were led by two key forward prospects brought over in the Jake Guentzel deal at the 2024 NHL trade deadline. Ville Koivunen scored four goals for WBS, while Vasily Ponomarev registered a hat trick. Each player had already registered a hat trick earlier in the season. Wednesday's @WeisMarkets Three Stars⭐️ Ville Koivunen (4G)⭐️⭐️ Vasily Ponomarev (3G)⭐️⭐️⭐️ Filip Kral (1G, 4A) — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 30, 2025 Koivunen, 21, was perhaps the biggest component of the Guentzel trade, and he is not disappointing this season for WBS. He has 14 goals and 35 points in 37 games as an AHL rookie, and he leads all AHL rookies in both points and assists. And none of his four goals on the night were "cheapies," either. He had two nasty breakaway goals, as well as two rockets for tallies: Here is a thread of his four goals tonight. None of them are cheap. They're all beauties, and the second one is just is the third: — Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) January 30, 2025 Ponomarev, 22, is arguably Pittsburgh's most NHL-ready prospect. He spent a brief three-game stint with the NHL club earlier this season and recorded no points, but he's been a very reliable, productive player for WBS. He has 10 goals and 24 points in 28 AHL games this season, including three power play goals and two shorthanded goals. And now Ponomarev has a hat trick. Unreal. #LetsGoPens Here is a thread of his goals tonight, starting with the third: — Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) January 30, 2025 With the Pittsburgh Penguins mired in a 3-7-3 stretch during the month of January - and currently sitting eight points out of a wild card spot - the team figures to sell off most of its pending unrestricted free agent contracts. This may pave the way for players like Koivuen and Ponomarev to see NHL ice before the end of the season.
New York Times
30-01-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Penguins Today: Vintage Sidney Crosby and a family reunion
Anyone who stayed awake to watch the Penguins' stretch of late games deserves a treat. And for most of their game in Utah last night, you probably figured on settling for a Pop-Tart or anything else hiding in the cupboards. But your favorite team is captained by Sidney Crosby, and well … good gravy! BACKHAND KING 👑 — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 30, 2025 Josh Yohe captured the moment from Salt Lake City. There isn't much more I can add, other than a reminder that Crosby's backhand is as wicked a weapon as the NHL has known. The Penguins really needed that victory over Utah Hockey Club. Not because the two points dramatically improve their playoff chances. Not because it's a signal that a second run of winning is about to start. Advertisement They just needed something good to happen at the end of a seven-game road trip. That return flight to Pittsburgh today won't feel as long. The Hershey Bears are the standard-bearing AHL franchise, and the Penguins' AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, put it to them last night. Where to begin? Ville Koivunen has his FOURTH goal of the game. 7-0 #WBSPens. A nifty move & Koivunen pokes it through the five-hole. WOW!@InsideAHLHockey — Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) January 30, 2025 • Ville Koivunen and Vasily Ponomarev, two of the prospects acquired in the Penguins' Jake Guentzel trade last season, each turned hat tricks. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had never had two players score hat tricks in the same game. • Emil Bemström recorded four assists, as did Filip Král, who also added a goal. • The 9-0 victory was the largest margin for a win in franchise history. Two of Kyle Dubas' objectives when he was hired to run the Penguins' hockey side two years ago were to improve the prospect system and make Wilkes-Barre/Scranton competitive. This is hardly a mission-accomplished moment, but things are going well. Koivunen and Ponomarev are two prospects fans want to see in Pittsburgh soon. The AHL Penguins are 23-10-4-0 with several games in hand because of an arena issue, so it's fair to consider them a contender for the Calder Cup. Things might look bleak for the Penguins at the NHL level, but that's not the case throughout the entire organization — and that's not nothing. There is no shortage of Pittsburgh ties to Utah Hockey Club. One could become the best NHL player Pittsburgh has produced: Logan Cooley. He's skilled. He's smart. He's growing into his frame. He goes to the net. Offensively, Cooley checks all the boxes. He's the type of talent a franchise builds a top line around and expects it to work for a decade. Advertisement Former Penguins defenseman Ian Cole, one of four notable former Penguins on Utah's roster, compared Cooley to 'a young Nathan MacKinnon.' Enough said, right? The Penguins donned Pittsburgh's colors — black and gold — for the first time on this date in 1980. Original general manager Jack Riley picked the original colors (Columbia blue, navy blue, black). I asked the late Riley years ago why he didn't pick black and gold, and he said he wanted the Penguins to stand out from the Pirates and Steelers and the Pittsburgh Hornets, a popular minor-league team that predated the Penguins. Also, he said, 'I'm from Toronto, and the team there wore blue — blue is a hockey color.' I miss Riley. He attended games at Civic Arena and PPG Paints Arena until late in a life well-lived. He was a gentleman. More Penguins fans should know about him. I'm a fan of the Penguins' blue uniforms, especially the mid-to-late 1970s ones that have never been reimagined as a third kit. Here's hoping that changes. Anyway, as the story goes, the Penguins had to win approval from the NHL to change to black and gold. The Boston Bruins fought them on the issue. Precedent from Pittsbugh's original NHL franchise, the Pirates, carried the day for the Penguins' quest. And they broke out the black and gold on Super Bowl Sunday a few hours before the Steelers won their fourth title in six seasons against the Los Angeles Rams. • Yesterday, Utah Hockey Club announced three potential team names and will put them to a fan vote. Yeti, sadly, won't be one. Nor will Blizzard, which was my personal choice. Anything other than Utah Hockey Club will do. • The Devils have struggled since the NHL's holiday break. They'll probably be fine, especially given the relatively weak state of the Eastern Conference. Might the NHL's first woman GM be honing her craft in New Jersey? Peter Baugh documents Meghan Duggan's 'huge, lofty goal' in this story. Advertisement • The Athletic has launched an Alex Ovechkin tracker as he closes in on Wayne Gretzky's goal record. It forecasts a 10 percent chance he will do the deed in Pittsburgh at the end of the season. The hockey gods should let him break it at home, but if not, in Pittsburgh against the Penguins would be fitting given the eternal link between Ovechkin and Crosby. Enjoy the weekend, everyone. The Penguins will finally play a home game! (Photo of Sidney Crosby: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
