Penguins Prospects on the Way: Projecting the Pens’ 2025-26 Lineup

The Pittsburgh Penguins are unlikely to undergo a large-scale youth movement in 2024-25, but like the sun peeking through the storm clouds, optimism is rising.

The fruit isn’t yet ripe. The progress isn’t there yet. But there are enough prospects currently in the Penguins Development Camp to think one or three could be ready by this time next summer. And the youth movement will officially begin.

The Penguins have several prospects who will play their first professional season, including 2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering.

Pickering, 20, has not lept forward in his development, at least on paper. Over the last couple of seasons with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, his point totals were largely stagnant, but the string bean defenseman is no longer. Pickering has gained an impressive 15 pounds in the last year and now registers a healthy 6-foot-3, 200 pounds.

Read More: Penguins Former Top Pick Pickering Admits Struggle, Gains 20 Pounds.

In fact, he may have grown another inch or two, as well. As a 16-year-old, he was 5-foot-8. It’s not surprising injuries have plagued him over the past few years as his body rapidly transformed from a small defenseman to a towering player who hopes to add more offense to his already defensively responsible game.

The extra weight and muscle means we may finally see what scouts saw when he was a consensus first-round pick. Hockey IQ will never be an issue, but the physicality of his position was, at least during his brief stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the end of the 2022-23 season, a problem.

Tristan Broz, 21, was the Penguins second-round pick in 2021. He made his professional debut shortly after winning the NCAA national championship with the University of Denver. After lackluster showings in previous Penguins visits, he was impressive during his two-game stint in the AHL playoffs.

He showed a fearless and speedy forecheck aided by markedly better skating. He, too, has gained over 20 pounds since his draft day. There is a chance Pittsburgh fans will see him at some point in the 2024-25 season, but he very well could be ready as a bottom-six forward with a touch of offense for the 2025-26 season.

Villie Koivunen, 21, has fans inside the Penguins organization. He wasn’t very good in the WBS playoff games, but his eye-popping numbers in the Finish Liiga show a player with hockey sense and offensive ability. A season of road dinners at Outback Steakhouse and fighting through the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Hershey Bears should add plenty of seasoning.

Last season with Karpat, he scored 22 goals with 56 points in 59 games–pretty good for a player who was only 20 years old for the entire season.

The Penguins acquired Koivunen in the Jake Guentzel trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. They also acquired Vasily Ponomarev, who should make his Pittsburgh Penguins debut this season, if not on opening night, as the first player called up.

Sam Poulin, the Penguins 2019 first-round choice, is lurking, too. He hasn’t distinguished himself in six NHL games but now is his time. The 2024-25 season is probably make or break for him.

Dubas has avoided labels. He firmly stated he isn’t interested in the team squeaking into the playoffs this season by a point but wants to rebuild the foundations so the team is a contender. Such an undertaking takes time, and through the first week of free agency, beginning with the 2024 NHL Draft, Dubas is obviously keeping his focus on improving the team’s fortunes through a youthful infusion over the next few years, not a quick grab of veteran talent on multi-year contracts.

Of course, not every prospect pans out, especially with only one draft pick–Brayden Yager (14th overall, 2023)–the Penguins will need to make it a volume game. Dubas began that process by acquiring a second-round pick in exchange for taking on Kevin Hayes and his $3.52 million salary.

Also next summer, one of the Penguins 2024 second-rounders will be able to turn pro, and that should provide a tantalizing element for fans and the team. Tanner Howe, a greasy winger who revels in driving opponents mad, will have the opportunity to turn pro based on his November birthday. Fellow second-rounder Harrison Burnicke was born in May, so he has two more years of junior hockey unless he sticks in the NHL.

For the purposes of projections, we’re also assuming Sidney Crosby will re-sign with the Penguins. We’re also going to defer the likelihood of several veteran trades. Yes, numerous Penguins trades are likely, but who goes and who stays will depend as much on market value as it will on the Penguins’ desire.

Lars Eller will be a free agent in 2025, and based on prospects being ready, Noel Acciari is the one trade assumed between now and then. Kevin Hayes would be the other likely trade.

We’re also going to punt on the goalie question with Joel Blomqvist and Tristan Jarry, which has and will fill plenty of future columns.

Way Too Early 2025-26 Penguins Lineup Projections

Best Case Scenario

Drew O’Connor-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell

Vasily Ponomarev-Brayden Yager-Valtteri Puustinen

Tanner Howe-Blake Lizotte-Tristan Broz

Defense

TBD-Kris Letang

Ryan Graves-Erik Karlsson

Owen Pickering-Jack St. Ivany

Analysis: Malkin would seem to be a question mark. The 2025-26 season will most likely be his last, and his decline has begun. Could Yager or Ponomarev take the second-line spot? Could the Penguins make that ice-cold decision to either force Malkin to the wing or … worse?

In a somewhat surprising possibility, the Penguins could have too many prospects ready. Unfortunately, there is a glut of left-handed natural centers, including Broz and Ponomarev, but no righties. That logjam could keep Koivunen in the AHL for another year to refine his game as he learns how to find space to score in the North American game (not as easy as it sounds).

Likliest Scenario

Drew O’Connor-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell

TBD-Kevin Hayes-Valtteri Puustinen

Vasily Ponomarev-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Defense

TBD-Kris Letang

Ryan Graves-Erik Karlsson

TBD-Jack St. Ivany

Analysis: We’re not bullish on Sam Poulin’s NHL future, but the Penguins will give him ample opportunity to stick in Pittsburgh. It’s also quite likely that Yager and Tanner Howe will need some time to marinate in the AHL.

Of course, there could be some surprises, such as Yager or Broz making the NHL club this fall. Pickering will get a chance, but he’ll need to leapfrog several defensemen, including Sebastian Aho and Ryan Shea. Heck, maybe Howe is such an irrepressible pest that Dubas can’t help but keep him.

That’s the unique thing about prospects–growth isn’t linear. Players take large steps forward seemingly overnight, while others creep toward breaking through but never take the final step.