Four Penguins Prospects Emerge as Top Possibilities to Make NHL Debuts Next Season

The Penguins had not done much in terms of high draft picks in the past, opting instead to typically favor playoff excellence over rebuilding. That left fewer traditional rookie tales, but those days are past us now.

Pittsburgh added a new crop of rookie starters to the NHL during the 2024-25 season. Top pick Owen Pickering and Rutger McGroarty saw their ice time before being returned to the AHL to be further polished.

McGroarty returned for a second go later in the season and played even better. The team is looking for Pickering to do the same, though, after a full off-season.

The other strong debut was Ville Koivunen, who was picked up in a trade for Jake Guentzel.

Koivunen registered seven assists in eight NHL games, with promise of real potential, following a good AHL run. How he fares will tell whether that trade is worthwhile.

And there was also an underdog tale: 26-year-old Nathan Clurman, ECHL-playing, earned his debut with a call-up for one game due to injuries. It was brief, but a milestone moment in his pro life.

All four were the sole Penguins rookies this year, but there are others who may be on their way. Avery Hayes, Tristan Broz, and Sergei Murashov are all on the bubble.

Early notice may come to Harrison Brunicke, and even the organization's newest first overall pick at the next draft may be a dark horse.

Years of a parched pipeline of possibilities are finally behind us, and Pittsburgh is now experiencing a wave of youth potential. The wave is growing, and due to it, a brighter future awaits.