The Penguins’ prospect pipeline is starting to come into focus, and a few names are separating themselves from the pack early in the season.
Bill Zonnon has been one of the brightest starts in the system. After dealing with an injury that slowed him early last year, the 2025 first-round pick bounced back with strong AHL playoff production and has carried that momentum into this season. Through four games, he has three goals and two assists for five points, a strong early sign for a player Pittsburgh is clearly high on.
Will Horcoff is right there with him among the organization’s most encouraging young pieces. The 2025 first-rounder missed Penguins training camp because of an injury, but he’s back with the Wolverines and producing again. In four NCAA games, he’s posted two goals and two assists, putting him at a point per game to open the season.
Rutger McGroarty has also started fast in the AHL, and his production is hard to ignore. The 2022 first-round pick acquired in a trade has four games under his belt and already has two goals and three assists for five points. The concern isn’t the minor league output - it’s what happens when he gets another NHL look, especially with Pittsburgh carrying more forwards than it seems to have room for.
Mikhail Ilyin is another prospect trending in the right direction. A fifth-round pick in 2023, he is in his first full-time AHL season after years in Russia, and he’s already showing he can translate his game to North America. He had a strong playoff run for the Penguins’ AHL affiliate last year, and through four games this season he’s picked up one goal and two assists.
The goaltending picture is worth watching, too. Joel Blomqvist, the 2020 second-round pick, is in the kind of spot that could define his season.
With Sergei Murashov in Pittsburgh, Blomqvist has a chance to handle the AHL crease and prove he can be a reliable starter. In two games, he has a 0.917 save percentage and a 1.97 goals-against average, with a 1-0-1 record.
At 24, this feels like a pivotal stretch for him.
Not every prospect is moving at the same pace, though. Harrison Brunicke has only one assist in four AHL games, and while his long-term outlook remains solid, the Penguins are crowded on the right side of their defense.
A real NHL opportunity this season looks unlikely unless injuries open the door. The bigger goal for Brunicke is becoming the AHL team’s top defender, which would strengthen his case for next year.
Owen Pickering is in a similar spot, but with more pressure attached. The 2022 first-round pick has one point in four AHL games, and the clock is ticking on his push to become a dependable NHL defenseman. Pittsburgh’s current regime hasn’t seemed especially eager to give him that chance, so a big season in the minors is becoming essential if he wants to avoid being viewed as a draft miss.
Tristan Broz has also spent enough time in the AHL that the Penguins need clarity on what he can be. He has three points in four games this season, with one goal and two assists, but he’s been in the league for three years now and still hasn’t gotten much of a look at the NHL level. If injuries start piling up, he could be among the first call-ups.
Liam Ruck, the Penguins’ top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is off to a strong start in the WHL with five points in five games, including two goals and three assists. He and his twin brother are both making positive early impressions, though both are still a long way from pushing for NHL jobs.
The early returns around the Penguins’ prospect group are mixed, but several players are giving the organization reasons to be optimistic. Some are knocking on the door. Others are still a few steps away.
In Other News...
Penguins Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away In Chicago
Sidney Crosby did his part in Chicago, scoring twice to keep the Penguins in the game, but it still wasnt enough to prevent a 5-3 loss to the Blackhawks at the United Center. Roman Kansterov matched that with a two-goal night for Chicago, and the teams traded blows in a game that kept feeling there for the taking before slipping just out of Pittsburghs reach.
The latest missed chance adds to the familiar frustration of a winnable night getting away, especially once the third period tilted and Chicago found the separating goal. Pittsburgh was left to sort through another result that had enough encouraging individual moments to feel close, but not enough finishing or late-game execution to turn Crosbys production into points. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Open Road Trip With A Dahlin Problem Ruff Must Solve
Roster moves and injury updates kept trickling across the NHL on Tuesday, and the Penguins had a notable one of their own mixed into the league-wide shuffle. Pittsburgh placed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk on injured reserve, another reminder that early-season depth is already being tested while teams try to settle in.
Justin Brazeau also remains part of the conversation around the Penguins, though his situation still has him skating on his own and not traveling with the team. For a club that is trying to keep its blue line and lineup options intact, those kinds of absences can pile up quickly, and the coming days should give a better read on how soon that depth might start to return. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Defensive Issues Were Hard To Ignore In Another Costly Loss
Chicagos 5-3 win over the Penguins was the kind of result that offered a little bit of everything for the Blackhawks, including one of their more encouraging all-around performances this season. The atmosphere around the game shifted quickly once Connor Bedard was back in the lineup after his shoulder injury, and his presence was part of a night that also featured useful contributions from several younger players as the group continued to show signs of growth.
For Pittsburgh, though, the familiar concern was what kept showing up without enough correction. Even in a loss that had plenty of offense to go with it, the Penguins were again left sorting through defensive breakdowns that made life too easy for Chicago and turned a manageable game into another costly one. The broader issue is not hard to spot, and it is the kind of thing that can erase the good moments if it does not get cleaned up soon. [Read more 🡒]