We are officially 10 days in Pittsburgh penguins“Training camp, and if one thing is certain, there has been a ton of competition.
On Saturday, the Penguins reduced 15 players from their list, reducing their training camp number to 58. There is a healthy mixture of list locks as well as veterans and prospects trying to assert themselves in the conversation for a list place.
By examining how the prospects – in this case, players who have 25 games in the NHL or less to their credit – have played so far, there have been stars, surprises and disappointment.
Who is most likely to break the last NHL list out of the camp, and who still has to show a little more to stay in the conversation?
Here are some levels of prospects in the middle of the camp.
F city koivunen
Koivunen stood out from the very first training, and there is no reason to believe that it will not be on the list of October 7. He is clearly ready for the NHL, his skating is better than last season, and he did not miss a beat with the best Pittsburgh players through the camp.
D Harrison Brunicke
When I first made this list, I did not expect Brunicke to be in this place. But he won at least one trial of nine games by being one of the three best defenders of this camp, a period. And the situation in which he finds himself – either playing all season in a junior team that he is clearly exceeded or spending him to develop on a lower NHL – ready to cut him. A veteran like Connor Clifton may have to play off-turn, but penguins should make it work. I am convinced that the NHL is what is best for its development at the moment.
D Owen Pickering
If we are honest, pickering should be A lock for the list too. It seemed just as deserving as Brunicke, and they were a twinning for most of the camp. The only reason for which he is not in the “Lock” level is that there are many defenders in competition for spots, and the situation of Brunicke is a little more disastrous than that of Pickering. Pickering would be more than probably the first defender called since Wilkes -Barre / Scranton (WBS) if he does not make the NHL list – especially since the left side is abyssal.
F Tristan Broz
Broz has undoubtedly been the best prospect before not named Koivunen in the camp so far. He showed his versatility and – perhaps, more importantly – his ability to put the washer on the back of the net. His play responsible in the three zones and his offensive advantage should win a position when the final lists are announced.
F Avery Hayes
Right next to Broz is Hayes, who continues to improve. He played alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust during the victory of the 4-1 pre-season of Saturday against the Blue Jackets of Columbus, and he did not seem in his place. His capacity as a cure before and his gaming conduct – as well as his tendency to hang around around the net of the net – stood out among others during the camp.
G Artur Silovs
Silovs let in a doubtful goal this pre-season in the defeat of the Penguins against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, but that apart, it was really solid. With Joel Blomqvist injured – and development being the priority for another young goalkeeper – he probably has the interior track to be the second half of the tandem with Tristan Jarry.
F Ben Kindel
Kindel, 18, was the biggest surprise in the training camp this season. The 11th choice in total in 2025 has shown more NHL preparation than expected, and it – like Hayes – does not seem the least skating with some of the best Penguins players. In fact, it improved because the competition has improved. A test of nine games is unlikely because of the logjam before, but if GM and Poho Kyle Dubas meant it when he said that “young people came”, Kindel won this thanks to his performance.
G Sergei Murashov
Speaking, Murashov was by far the best goalkeeper of this camp, and I do not think it is particularly close. He is fast, athletic and ready, and he did not start when he was faced with a fairly decent program of Columbus on Saturday. There is a maturity in his game and his behavior which is advanced for a 21 -year -old, and he was dominant. I thought he would start the season in the AHL for some, but given his camp performance, I am not quite sure that he is not ready for the NHL now.
F Filip Hallander
Hallander, 25, has in no case had a bad camp. He came from the SHL on a new two -year contract with the Penguins after an out -of -competition campaign, he is a center and the Penguins are at the bottom of a center of Kevin Hayes. That said, I think there are just other players – namely Broz – who have shown more than him to this point. If he wants to make the list, he must separate more in the past few days from the camp.
F Sam Poulin
A large part of the same thing applies to Poulin, who actually had a fairly decent camp to this point (apart from his performance during a 2-1 defeat to Montreal Canadians in the first tilt of pre-season of the Penguins). He has shown lightning in practices that have not completely translated the action of play, therefore – like Hallander – must show a little more in the coming days.
F Rutger McGroarty
McGroarty was roughly a lock before camp-that is to say before becoming aware of his injury situation, which has not changed. It is indefinitely with an upper body injury, and it is really unfortunate for a guy who should probably be on the NHL list. The reality is, however, that he will probably have to gain his way towards a place once it will come back – especially since others have shown more preparation for the NHL than expected.
F Atley Calvert
In many ways, Calvert, 22, is a bit like Avery Hayes. He does not quite play the same style, but his trajectory that a non -drained signatory which impressed in the ECHL and the AHL last season – in particular in the score department – makes him an interesting case. The cards are not in his favor, but do not count it entirely. And certainly keep an eye on him wherever he plays this season.
F JOONA KOPPANEN
Koppanen is currently injured, but he skates, and the Penguins generally liked what they saw of him last season. There is another center, which the Penguins appreciate, but his injury situation will probably limit his opportunity to make the NHL list.
F Aidan McDonough
McDonough – Signed by WBS this off -season – has actually stood out in this camp. He is almost the exact type of Mark Donk’s winger who plays a complementary style of Crosby, and he looked quite solid alongside Crosby in short samples. Its path to the list is unlikely, but it is not entirely closed – and it is one of the most difficult workers in a coherent manner.
G Joel Blomqvist
Frankly, the injury of Blomqvist – which will maintain it at least a month – came to the worst time possible for the young goalkeeper. He was the default competition for a place on the NHL list against Silovs, and with his injury, he will have to turn into the mixture. And – with Murashov on the photo too – he will probably have to do it at the AHL level too.
D Jake Livingstone
Livingstone has not really shown that he was more than a defender of AHL level to this point, and his age of 26 will not make him favors in terms of asserting himself on young players.
F Nolan Renwick
Renwick – which was signed by WBS of the University of Maine – will be a player to watch in Lah this season, but he has not shown enough in this camp to win a place on the NHL list.
D Chase Pietila
Pietila looks a step back in this camp, and – although defensively sound – could certainly use more development before seeing the conversation in the NHL again.
D Finn Harding
In fact, I think Harding looks better than expected in this camp, and I think it could be in the mixture for a place next season with a strong camp. But the circumstances with Pickering and Brunicke and the other competition do not leave him a lot of room this time.
F Mathieu de St. Phalle
From St. Phalle, 25, was good, but he did not play his competition in the camp, and the fact that he was a little undersized and is helped a lot does not help his case.
F Aaron Huglen
Huglen could potentially be a marginal option for Penguins in the future. But after four seasons with the University of Minnesota, he could first use a certain development in professional hockey to inform himself.
D Philip Kemp
There are many defenders in the mixture of this camp. A lot. And Kemp, although usable, has not shown enough to supplant someone else to this point.
G Filip Larsson
Put Larsson here was difficult because I think it was perfectly healthy during the pre-season. But given how Murashov and Silovs have played, I don’t think he is very lucky at the moment. This could change in an instant if he sets up numbers at the AHL level, or wherever he finds himself. He certainly has potential as a reliable NHL backup.
Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab To follow the latest Penguins, list movements, players’ features and more!
