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Analyst Reveals the Two Standouts of Penguins Development Camp
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Hockey Now
Penguins analyst Kelsey Surmacz is revealing the status of a pair of highly-regarded recent draft picks that were participants in the club's Development Camp, Cruz Lucius and Will Horcoff.
The Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up Development Camp, where a multitude of young prospects got the chance to wear their future club's colors for the 1st time on the ice.
But a pair of standouts caught the eye of Penguins analyst Kelsey Surmacz, who was there to document the progress of the young players.
For Surmacz, Cruz Lucius and Will Horcoff garnered the most attention.
The standouts at #LetsGoPens development camp for me today were Cruz Lucius and Will Horcoff.
I'll have a piece on Lucius later. But Horcoff has gotten better and better as camp has gone on. He's locked in.
I'll have a piece on Lucius later. But Horcoff has gotten better and better as camp has gone on. He's locked in.
Lucius was taken with the 124th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, but his rights were traded to the Penguins.
His scouting report via Elite Prospects reads as follows:
With his combination of deception and passing skills, Lucius managed to send a staggering amount of pucks to open teammates in the slot. When he gets the space to prepare his plays, he can manipulate defenders and connect highly difficult plays.
Meanwhile, Horcoff, who is the son of former NHL forward Shawn Horcoff, was taken by the Penguins with the 24th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. His scouting report from Elite Prospects reads as follows:
Horcoff's defensive dimension stands out as a separator. His game is fueled by physical skill and proactive reads, and his range, strength, and subsequent lane clogging further enhance his disruption qualities. Off the backcheck, he's a goliath, pressuring puck carriers to the outside, swinging into inside positioning, and leveraging positioning and processing to create stops.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 6 | 92 ANSWERS Analyst Reveals the Two Standouts of Penguins Development Camp Which Penguins prospect will eventually have a bigger impact on the club? | ||
| Will Horcoff | 77 | 83.7 % |
| Cruz Lucius | 15 | 16.3 % |
| List of polls | ||