Former 1st-Round Picks Highlight ‘Underdog’ Penguins Coming to Training Camp (+)

You know Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and perhaps have concerns over Jeff Carter’s post-extension-signing slump. The big names in Pittsburgh Penguins training camp still have Stanley Cup rings in velvet boxes and have become well known to even casual fans. Yet there has been a bit of turnover this summer, and combined with the influx of prospects, the new mix of players presents a little competition in the depths of the Penguins lineup.

The prospects hit the ice in a week.

Rookies, prospects, and could-be’s, oh my.

With an established roster, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan typically has pre-determined camp roles, but he does open the door for a few position battles and for young players to stake their claim to an NHL job. Last year, coaches gave Radim Zohorna a legit chance to crack the roster while Evgeni Malkin’s scars grew to cover his surgically repaired knee. Drew O’Connor was also the beneficiary of an extended evaluation until his hot start became an ice-cold path.