The Penguins prospects opened their weekend in Detroit with a practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Friday morning, then headed out for the 4.5-hour-ish bus ride to Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center for the inaugural Prospect Tournament.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Kirk MacDonald said the session was exactly what the group needed before game action begins.
“Honestly, overall, today was the best day in my time here for the first day in the prospects camp,” said MacDonald, who will be leading the way this weekend with the rest of the WBS staff. “It was a great practice, the guys were dialed in, and it’s a credit to them. They were really good.”
The focus now shifts to compete and comfort as the Penguins prospects get set for three games that are designed to help them settle in before training camp with the big club next week.
“We understand that at the end of the day, the games don’t mean anything for standings or aren’t even preseason games. We’re trying to win, but at the same time, we’re trying to help the guys get better,” MacDonald said.
“We’re trying to put them in a position so that when training camp starts next week with the big boys, they’re a little bit more comfortable. Hopefully this gives them a head start in the sense that they’ve been in game action, they’re ready to go, and they’re a little bit more comfortable with the system and how they want to play.”
Saturday’s opener against Columbus is set for 3 PM, followed by a 3 PM matchup with Detroit on Sunday. Pittsburgh then gets Monday off before wrapping up against Dallas at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, September 15. All three games will be streamed on the Penguins website.
Harrison Brunicke is one of two Penguins prospects with NHL experience on the roster, along with defenseman Jake Livanavage. Brunicke played nine games during a season that also saw the 20-year-old blue liner suit up for four different teams and go through two playoff pushes.
MacDonald was especially complimentary about Brunicke’s growth, pointing to the way he’s sharpened the details in his game.
“You can tell he’s playing hockey at a high level, but his decision-making is much better; he knows when to skate and when to move the puck. He’s a guy who took charge on the ice, asserted himself, and showed everybody how things are supposed to be done. We’re all expecting a big year from him.”
The tournament also marks a change of scenery from the past few Septembers. After time in Buffalo, New York, and before that London, Ontario, the Penguins prospects are now in Detroit for the first version of the event.
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For players like Jake Livanavage, there may still be a path to making the roster if the right opportunity opens up. Others, including Tommy Galvas, are still in the earlier stages of development and may not be ready to force the issue just yet. It leaves Pittsburgh with a familiar camp storyline, where promise is real but the margin for a young player to break through appears thinner than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
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For Pittsburgh fans, the wrinkle is that Sidney Crosby has long been among the players who have spoken highly of Babcocks coaching and organizational demands. Even so, the reaction around the league has been split, because his track record continues to color how some view the decision. The Oilers are betting the upside outweighs the debate, but it is the sort of hire that will keep getting picked apart until the results settle the argument. [Read more 🡒]
Erik Karlsson Still Carries One Big Question For The Penguins Blue Line
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Karlsson remains the high-variance piece on a blue line that can look dangerous when he is at his best and unfinished when he is not. The evaluative buzz around the leagues elite defenders only sharpens the question Pittsburgh keeps facing with him: how much of the units ceiling depends on Karlsson delivering the impact that made him such a compelling addition in the first place? [Read more 🡒]