Kyle Dubas Overhauls Penguins Roster with Two Major Moves

As the 2024-25 season reaches its conclusion, the Pittsburgh Penguins have nothing much left to fight for, so it is the perfect time to give top prospects a taste of some NHL action.

With eight games left to play, they've called up prospect forwards Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty and sent down Joona Koppanen.

Both players have been key members of the Penguins' AHL roster, helping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs. Koivunen leads the team with 55 points (21G-34A) in 62 games, sixth among AHL scorers.

A second-round draft choice (51st overall) previously by Carolina, he arrived in Pittsburgh last season as part of the Jake Guentzel trade.

McGroarty, who was acquired in the offseason in a trade that sent Brayden Yager to Winnipeg, began the season on the NHL roster but struggled to get up to the pro level.

The 14th overall pick in 2022, he played the 2023-24 season, completing his collegiate career at Michigan. After not scoring in three appearances in the NHL, he got his legs in the AHL, recording 39 points (14G-25A) in 60 games.

Since Feb. 15, McGroarty has paced the team with 18 points, two more than Koivunen.

With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin's time in Pittsburgh slowly winding down as they one day retire, their prospect pool will help dictate the franchise's direction.