Penguins Set Training Camp Roster; Plenty of New Faces

It’s happening. In just six days, the Pittsburgh Penguins will begin their 54th training camp amid the unprecedented COVID pandemic and restrictions. The season will also be unlike any in NHL history as the teams harken back to the days of the Original 6 and will play only interdivisional games. And Sidney Crosby will have plenty of new faces in the locker room.

Of course, the Penguins will have plenty of old friends, too. The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers will keep them company in their temporary Atlantic division.

On Monday afternoon, the Penguins released their training camp roster. The breakdown consists of 23 forwards, 13 defensemen, and four goalies.

The forwards will include nine faces who were not with the Penguins in the 2019 training camp. Big-time offseason acquisition Kasperi Kapanen joins Colton Sceviour, college free agent Drew O’Connor, and NHL free agents Mark Jankowski, Evan Rodrigues. Technically, Jason Zucker is also a somewhat fresh face as the team acquired him in January.

Minor league free agents Jordan Nolan and Josh Currie will also be in camp. Nolan has played a few hundred NHL games and has a chance to make the Penguins opening rosters.

Top prospects Sam Poulin and Nathan Legare will also be on board.

The defensemen also have a few new faces, including both presumed third pair defensemen and a couple of college free agents. The Penguins acquired Mike Matheson for Patric Hornqvist in the offseason. He’ll likely skate beside free agent signee Cody Ceci. Josh Maniscalco and Cam Lee are the college free agents.

Top defenseman prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph will also be in camp.

The Penguins have three goalies with NHL experience. Of course, Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith are in camp. They will be No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Maxime Legace is the third goalie. The Penguins will carry him on the taxi squad. The team chose to leave Emil Larmi and his frustrating but funny airport struggles in Finland to continue developing there.

Pittsburgh Penguins Forwards

Pittsburgh Penguins Defensemen

Goalies

D’Orio is presumed to start in Wheeling, per GM Jim Rutherford. The organization also signed goalie Shane Starret via free agency.

The Pittsburgh Penguins padded their prospect pool with several college free agents. Maniscalco starred at Arizona State. Lee spent four years at Michigan Tech, and Drew O’Connor is the budding power forward from Dartmouth.

Radim Zohorna is a 24-year-old undrafted free agent. The Penguins signed the Czech to a one-year entry-level deal.

Training camp will begin at PPG Paints Arena. However, fans are not permitted to attend.