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One Young Player Forcing His Way Into Penguins' Future Despite Crowded Depth Chart
Tristan Broz is often a forgotten piece of the Penguins future, but after being highlighted recently, it's been made clear he could force his way onto this team.
Back in 2021, the Pittsburgh Penguins used a second-round pick on talented centre Tristan Broz out of Wisconsin, and his development since then has been exactly what they'd hoped for.
Through three seasons in college, Broz tallied 32 goals and 79 points for Denver and Minnesota, and after getting his first taste of action in the American Hockey League a season ago, the future's clearly bright.
From NCAA Heroics to AHL Breakout: How Broz Revived His Career
Despite all of that experience, Broz is just 22-years of age, and in his AHL debut campaign, he tallied 19 goals and 37 points in 59 games, making him one of the stars of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins a year ago.
Now, rather than being a forgotten draft pick from four years ago, Broz is heating up, and with the team looking for pieces of the future following Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty's debut, he fits the bill for what they want.
Why the Penguins' Center Logjam Could Delay His NHL Debut
While the obvious Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be the top-six centres for next season, beyond that, the team have got several players fighting for spots, with the likes of Tommy Novak and Blake Lizotte not going to give up their spots easily.
That means that the 6-foot-0, 205 pound Broz likely doesn't have a shot to make it to the NHL this season unless he truly impresses, but after a year of AHL experience under his belt, hopes are high for the talented young forward.
Ultimately, Broz is a name to keep a very close eye on, as he could cement himself as a middle-six forward in Pittsburgh for years to come, but until the team clear way for the younger players, his path to playing time remains blocked for now.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 29 | 24 ANSWERS One Young Player Forcing His Way Into Penguins' Future Despite Crowded Depth Chart Will Tristan Broz make his NHL debut next season? | ||
| Yes | 18 | 75 % |
| No | 6 | 25 % |
| List of polls | ||