The Penguins’ early roster trim did not bring a single blockbuster surprise, but it did leave a few names hanging in the air after camp.
A few injuries had already thinned out the club’s NHL group, creating openings that looked ripe for young players to grab. Instead, Pittsburgh sent down some prospects who had made real noise in camp, even if none of them were locked into a roster spot from the start. That’s what makes these cuts stand out: not that they were impossible, but that they came after some encouraging showings.
Avery Hayes may have been the most eyebrow-raising move of the bunch. He was one of the first players cut from the main roster, and that came as a bit of a stunner given his NHL experience and his ability to handle more than one role.
The bigger concern, from the outside, is that the Penguins still don’t seem eager to give some of their better young talent a real runway at the NHL level. Hayes should be back in the mix at some point this season, and the expectation is that he’ll log big-league minutes before long.
In the end, it was a numbers battle, and Hayes came up short against Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen to open the year. Pittsburgh clearly has more invested in that duo, and they got the nod over Hayes. Still, Hayes brings a hard-nosed style that could make him useful as the season unfolds.
Owen Pickering was another cut that drew attention. With the Penguins’ left side on defense looking uneven, there’s an obvious opening for a young blueliner to seize a spot and help stabilize things. Pickering flashed plenty of positive signs in camp and looked ready for NHL action.
The organization, though, didn’t see it that way. Pickering, despite being a former first-round pick, doesn’t appear to sit especially high in the Penguins’ prospect pecking order.
That said, the door is not shut. He had a strong camp, and if he performs well in the AHL, there’s a path back toward the NHL roster.
Then there’s Joel Blomqvist, whose situation is a little different but still worth watching. The Penguins’ goaltending setup with Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs was not a major surprise, though it isn’t quite as set in stone as it once looked. Silovs had some rough moments in camp and in exhibition games, and while his roster spot seems relatively safe for now, that cushion may not be as firm as it should be.
Blomqvist wasn’t expected to force his way into the conversation this soon, but that’s exactly where he is now. He won’t be on the NHL roster when the season opens, yet a strong start in the AHL could change the picture quickly.
If he gets rolling, Blomqvist could push himself right back into the discussion and even replace Silovs. The Penguins see a bright future there, and that future may arrive sooner than expected.
In Other News...
Penguins Face Tough Opening Night Roster Calls As Deadline Nears
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Pittsburgh now has 32 players left in camp and still needs to get down by nine before the opening day roster deadline. Some of those moves are expected to involve injured reserve or AHL assignments, with the front office also weighing roster designations to stay within the 23-player limit and keep the salary cap in line. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Prospects Made An Early Statement Against Hershey
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Just as encouraging for the Penguins was the way they controlled the other end of the ice, limiting Hershey to 14 shots and getting 11 saves from Taylor Gauthier. Preseason results never tell the whole story, but for a prospect group looking to make an impression, this was the sort of complete effort that gets attention in the building. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Preseason Win Came With A New Concern For Pittsburgh
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For a roster that has already had to juggle forward availability, the timing is hardly ideal. The broader preseason also brought its share of injury notes around the league, with Ottawas Jake Sanderson leaving a game only for coach Travis Green to call it precautionary, while Buffalo lost Jack Rathbone to a week-to-week lower-body injury, but Pittsburghs focus remains on Rust and whether hell be ready when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]