The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't in the best situation, with a big club full of patchwork players and aging talent, and a prospects pool that isn't the most impressive in hockey. But that doesn't mean it's devoid of talent.
Last season, we saw two players rise through the ranks and play well with the Penguins when given a chance. This season, they're graduating to full-time status at some point, and they'll be cornerstones for the next wave of players once the Sidney Crosby era ends.
Who is this trio and what makes them such great assets for the Pens? Let's start with the one player everyone knows will more than make a name for himself in the Steel City.
Rutger McGroarty, C/W
The former 14th overall pick of the Winnipeg Jets may not have fit with his former organization, since they're in Cup contending mode. But this is where prospects like Rutger McGroarty become so paramount for teams who need to restock their pipeline.
McGroarty's versatility, size, and his physical, two-way approach gives me all-around trade vibes. He's not only going to play solid hockey when the Pens have puck possession, and for a team that will struggle this season, it gives McGroarty a chance to shine.
Last season, he finished with 14 goals and 39 points with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and he even got in for eight games with Pittsburgh, putting up a goal and three points in eight games.
Ville Koivunen, C/W
You won't find many players with Koivunen's relentless nature, regardless of who's prospect pool you're looking at. He's got an excellent sense for finding and pursuing the puck, regardless of the situation.
When you have a player with so much tenacity in the pipeline, you know he's bringing energy to a big club that also needs someone with game-changing potential. Koivunen checks all the boxes, and he proved it last season when he logged seven assists in eight games with the Pens.
He also made a full transition to North America look like it was nothing, putting up 56 points and 21 goals in 63 games over in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Owen Pickering, D
Of the three players I can see going full time, Owen Pickering's got the most experience with the big club, putting up three points and a goal in 25 games. But expect more production from this puck-mover in 2025-26, given his overall playmaking and offensive skill-set.
Pickering showed it off during his WHL days, and showed early flashes in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, putting up two goals and 13 points in 42 games in the American League. If there's one player I can see making a jump in production this season, it's Pickering, and it'll happen in the NHL.
Overall, the Pens are one of those teams whose overall prospects pool isn't the most exciting, nor is it the best out there. But it don't mean there aren't a few players unworthy of moving up the ladder and into full-time status this season.