Penguins Insight: Blomqvist Worries, Tomasino Work, Where’s Kolyachonok? (+)

DENVER — Before the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators on Nov. 25, general manager Kyle Dubas checked with coach Mike Sullivan.

Dubas didn’t need approval or input, but the move was to ensure Sullivan could give Tomasino the lengthy runway necessary to get the young winger’s career on track or for the Penguins to determine that those tracks weren’t heading in their direction.

Tomasino was Nashville’s first-round pick in 2019 (three picks after Penguins first-rounder Sam Poulin) but had fallen well out of favor in Nashville, playing in just 11 of their first 21 games. After the Penguins trade, Tomasino has played in nearly every game since then, earning 34 games played, nine goals, and 16 points.

The Penguins parted with a 2027 fourth-round pick (acquired from the New York Rangers for defenseman Chad Ruhwedel) for the winger with slick offensive skills but glaring deficiencies in other parts of the game.

Sullivan previously laid out the checklist of things Tomasino needed to improve to become a successful NHL presence and capitalize on his offensive skills. Chief among those necessities to improve were his defensive awareness and wall work, but the wishlist didn’t end there.