Last season’s Penguins turned a lot of unlikely names into real NHL contributors, and that surprise success has put a fresh spotlight on the next wave of bounce-back bets in Pittsburgh.
Kyle Dubas shuffled the roster around the core and, for a while, the formula worked. Players such as Anthony Mantha, Connor Dewar, Egor Chinakhov, Ryan Shea and Parker Wotherspoon all found ways to matter after arriving with modest expectations.
That kind of season changes the mood around a front office. It also raises the bar for what comes next.
This year’s Penguins are again being viewed as a longer shot to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs and to win the Cup, but last season’s run also created belief that Dubas can keep finding value where others missed it. So the question now is simple: which of the new arrivals has the best chance to turn a second opportunity into a real NHL breakthrough?
Nick Robertson looks like the most obvious candidate.
Robertson is 24 and already has a track record of forcing his way into the picture. He first grabbed attention during the Maple Leafs’ COVID camp, then earned a spot for their bubble playoff run.
In four playoff games, he scored once. After that, though, he got stuck behind Toronto’s depth and spent the next three seasons bouncing between the AHL and NHL, often buried in a bottom-six role.
The skill set is there. Robertson has a quick release, strong hands and a scoring touch. He’s scored 14, 15 and 16 goals over his last three seasons, even if his overall production has bounced around, with points per game at .5 in 2023-24, .32 in 2024-25 and .41 last season.
Toronto sent him to Pittsburgh on the morning of the July 1 free-agent frenzy for just a fourth-round pick, and the move gives him a cleaner path. With better talent around him, he has a real shot to pop. Twenty goals is on the table, especially if he lines up with Ben Kindel.
Declan Carlile is a different kind of bet.
The Penguins saw a player much like Parker Wotherspoon a year ago: a left-shot defenseman stuck on a crowded depth chart, steady enough to deserve a look, but unlikely to move up where he was. Carlile played 42 games for Tampa Bay last season and also spent time in the AHL before injuries opened up NHL minutes for him.
He is not going to jump off the page offensively. Carlile finished with three points, all while showing more value in his own zone than on the scoresheet. He had 51 hits and 38 blocks in those 42 games, and at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he brings size that can matter even when the box score stays quiet.
His impact may not be flashy, but the Penguins have reason to believe it can still show up where it counts most: in team success.
Ville Koivunen is the most complicated name in this group, and maybe the most important.
He is not just getting another chance from the Penguins. He is getting a long-term vote of confidence, thanks to an eight-year, $32 million deal. That contract is a major statement, especially after a season in which Koivunen was pushed around at the NHL level and managed only two goals and seven points in 39 games.
The reason Pittsburgh committed that kind of money is tied to what Koivunen did behind the scenes and what he flashed when given a look. He told PHN last spring that he thought he had worked hard the previous summer, then realized it still wasn’t enough. Dubas later said the team was much happier with Koivunen’s summer regimen.
There is real playmaking ability here. Koivunen had seven assists in his first eight NHL games, and his game has a crafty, shifty quality that can make him difficult to handle. He can also irritate opponents with a feisty edge, even if that physical side has not yet fully carried over to the NHL.
That is where the contract matters. Pittsburgh is clearly counting on him to take the next step, and the team badly needs him to do it.
The Penguins have a crowd of forwards who look suited for bottom-six work, but Koivunen is one of the few with genuine top-six upside. And after giving him eight years, waiving him would be a brutal look.
In Other News...
Tomas Galvas Is Giving Penguins Fans A Real Reason To Wonder
Tomas Galvas made himself hard to ignore at the 2026 Prospects Tournament, where the defenseman stood out in Pittsburghs 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. He chipped in a goal and backed it up with strong all-around play, giving the Penguins another young name worth tracking as the tournament continued. Brayden Edwards scored twice, including the game-winner, and Carter Sanderson also found the net as Pittsburgh moved to 2-0.
For the Penguins, the result was one more encouraging checkpoint in a weekend built around evaluation, but Galvas may have done even more than help the scoreboard. His game showed the kind of individual effort and skill that can stick with a scouting staff, especially in a setting where every shift is being watched closely. If Pittsburgh fans were looking for a reason to keep an eye on this group, Galvas gave them one. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Prospect Pushes For Attention At Just The Right Time
A little extra buzz followed the Penguins prospects after a 4-3 win at the Balfour Training Center, and defenseman Tommy Galvas made sure his name was part of the conversation. With Pittsburghs system under close watch and plenty of attention already landing on training camp and trade chatter around the league, performances like this carry a little more weight than a routine summer skate.
The timing matters, too, with rumors circulating that the Penguins could host next years Prospects Tournament. For a young player trying to separate himself, an event like that would offer another chance to show he belongs on a bigger stage, and Galvas standout showing put him in a useful position as the organization continues sorting through camp questions and evaluating where its next wave fits. [Read more 🡒]
Rutger McGroarty Faces A Penguins Camp Squeeze He May Not Win
Rutger McGroarty is heading into Penguins training camp at an awkward time, with the club splitting players into three groups and squeezing in only a limited amount of practice before the preseason games and roster cuts arrive. The setup leaves little room for prospects to make a long impression, and McGroarty, acquired in a trade, has to navigate a camp that is likely to be as much about sorting bodies as evaluating upside.
He has shown solid play, but the scoring touch is still limited enough that his path to an opening-night job is not simple. With camp expected to be competitive and some players inevitably leaving disappointed, McGroarty looks like one of the names who could be caught in the middle of the Penguins' numbers game, with an AHL assignment very much in play if he cannot separate himself quickly. [Read more 🡒]