Now that we are a month past the 2023 NHL Draft, it is a good idea to update the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top-10 prospect list. It is no secret that they have one of the weaker prospect pools across the entire NHL. Although in recent seasons, there are signs of improvement and it is trending upward.
This recent trend should look to continue in the coming seasons as the Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin/Kris Letang era is in its final years. If the Penguins hope to recover quickly from what will be major losses, it is paramount that management begins to replenish the cupboards.
On to some housekeeping. Prospect ranking lists are always tough to put together as they have a variety of factors that go into each ranking; like potential ceiling, floor, NHL readiness, translatability, etc. As a result, I have done the best I can to combine all of the factors and determine a top-10 prospect list.
Related: Pittsburgh Penguins Draft Brayden Yager 14th Overall
I have also set the age limit to any player 24 years old or younger by Oct. 1, 2023. This is because most prospects usually make the jump by that time and they start to enter “bust” territory by then. This does not mean that players in the system who are over 24 cannot become NHL contributors, just that it is unlikely. As well, they must have played below 82 NHL games and have their NHL rights held by the Penguins.
10. Nathan Legare, Right Wing
Potential: Bottom-Six Scorer
NHL ETA: 2024-25
Nathan Legare was originally selected in the third round, 74th overall in 2019 by the Penguins. Since turning pro in 2021, he has struggled to adjust to the professional game. This comes after scoring above a point-per-game (P/G) in his final three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). His current ranking has less to do with his skill level and more to do with how the past two seasons have gone for the winger.
Overall, in 125 American Hockey League (AHL) games, he has scored 15 goals and 20 assists. This puts him at 0.28 P/G. Broken down more, he scored at a .280 P/G pace his first year and a .279 pace this past season. At this rate, it is unlikely that Legare is re-signed next offseason. This upcoming season will be crucial for him and he will need to put together his offensive game if he is to remain in the Penguins system. Fortunately, time is on his side as he will only be 22 years old at the start of this season.
9. Jonathan Gruden, Left Wing
Potential: Bottom-six Forechecker
NHL ETA: 2024-25
Although ranking ninth on a top prospect list may not signal this, Jonathan Gruden has a chance to play some NHL games this upcoming season. He was acquired by the Penguins in 2020 from the Ottawa Senators and has made consistent improvements year over year. As a fourth-round pick (95th overall in 2018), his NHL potential has always been limited, but after playing three games in the show, he seems to be trending towards beating the odds.
One thing that Gruden has in his favour is his high-energy forechecking ability. This makes him potentially valuable in a depth role on an NHL team and could serve him well if the Penguins find themselves in need of help in the bottom six. He also shows decent offensive instincts which has allowed him to produce offence at every level of play thus far.
8. Isaac Belliveau, Left Defense
Potential: Third-Pairing Defenseman
NHL ETA: 2025-26
Isaac Belliveau will make his professional debut in 2023-24. He was drafted in 2021 by the Penguins in the fifth round, 154th overall. He saw some ups and downs over his QMJHL career after having a remarkable rookie year. Although his production was inconsistent, he still remains an intriguing prospect within the Penguins system. This is in part due to the lack of depth at the defensive position within the pool but also his potential upside in the NHL. As previously mentioned, he had a remarkable rookie season recording 53 points in 62 games with the Rimouski Oceanic. It ended up being his best season in terms of point production as he was traded partway through his draft year to the Gatineau Olympiques. The closest he came to recreating his rookie season success was in 2022-23 where he posted 46 points in 55 games.
Belliveau already has NHL-ready size at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, and has taken strides at rounding out his game at both ends of the ice. He possesses a booming shot from the point, an attribute that has become less common at the pro ranks but could serve him well if he utilizes it properly. Aside from that, he has solid puck skills but could work on his transition game as well as his defensive IQ as he has a penchant for miscues and lapses. If he can continue to develop his game more and take even larger strides at refining the tools he already possesses, he could become a useful bottom-pair defender at the NHL level.
7. Sergei Murashov, Goaltender
Potential: 1A/1B
NHL ETA: 2026-27
The Penguins drafted Sergei Murashov in the fourth round, 188th overall in 2022. He had an excellent post-draft year in the Russian Junior League (MHL) and made his debut in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). In 42 games split between Loko Yaroslavl and Loko-76 Yaroslavl of the MHL, he held a 26-9-6 record with a .946 save percentage (SV%). This stat line put him atop all U20 goaltenders in the MHL in terms of SV%. He also made the postseason with Loko where he featured in 10 games and posted a .932 SV% and a 6-4-0 record. To put the cherry on top of his season, he made his KHL debut where he played one game with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and posted a .947 SV%. If he can put together another excellent season in 2023-24, he could find himself higher on this list by next summer.
Looking ahead to this season, Murashov should return to Loko Yaroslavl. This is in part due to the logjam between the pipes within the Lokomotiv system with both the KHL and second-tier (VHL) team Molot Perm having more proven netminders occupying their tandems. If he proves that his abilities are beyond the MHL, he could potentially find more playing time via a loan to another VHL or KHL team. There he would face tougher competition and it might be better for his development in the long run. There is also the possibility that the players ahead of him on the depth chart underperform or get injured which would make this a moot point.
6. Valtteri Puustinen, Right Wing
Potential: Middle/Bottom-Six Forward
NHL ETA: 2024
Drafted as an overager, Valterri Puustinen was selected in the seventh round 203rd overall in 2019. After a great start to his young career back in his home country playing for HPK of the Liiga, he has shown improvements in his two seasons since coming to North America. He has played a total of 145 games in the AHL, scoring 44 goals and 57 assists; highlighted by his efforts last season scoring 24 goals and 35 assists in only 72 games. His uptick in production only scratches the surface in regards to his development with him taking leaps in his defensive skillset.
He has high-end offensive abilities capped off by great vision and an excellent shot. He’s not the greatest skater but makes up for it with his motor and willingness to go to the scoring areas. Fortunately, his offensive abilities have mostly translated this far and if given a shot may be able to adapt to the NHL game. Look for him to be a call-up option this season, especially with his waivers exempt status.
5. Samuel Poulin, Center/Winger
Potential: Middle-Six Forward
NHL ETA: 2024
Despite missing a large chunk of the season last year due to personal reasons, Samuel Poulin still has positive upside. He was once seen as one of the top prospects in the system and still could be a very valuable player at the next level. He had a promising debut season in 2021-22 registering 37 points in 72 games with Wilkes-Barre. Last season as previously mentioned, he missed time and only played 15 games in the AHL and three in the NHL.
If Poulin can enter this season and show that he has taken a step since his rookie year, he will certainly be very high on the call-up list. He already has value as a potential depth piece for the Penguins with his style of play, being a hard- forechecking and two-way capable player. His offensive upside and how well it translates will be the X-factor for him and will determine how high his ceiling truly is.
4. Joel Blomqvist, Goaltender
Potential: 1A/1B
NHL ETA: 2025-26
After signing his entry-level contract in April, it became clear that Joel Blomqvist was going to stay in North America this season. This comes after spending the last two years as a backup for Karpat of the Liiga. There he held his own, leaving the top Finnish men’s league with a 14-9-13 record and a .918 SV% over 45 games. Currently, he is ranked as the top goaltender in the Penguins’ system.
He has a very steady presence in the crease, staying square to shooters and always maintaining good positioning. As of right now, it remains to be seen exactly where he will play next season with a crowded crease down the Penguins depth chart. Outside of the three likely NHL goaltenders, there are four other potential goaltenders at the AHL level. He will have to battle to see where he lands and as a result may spend some time in the ECHL for the Penguins’ affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers. Fellow netminding prospect Taylor Gauthier found himself in Wheeling this past season and they could potentially form a tandem down there. This is especially true with Kyle Dubas’ track record, utilizing the Toronto Maple Leafs’ ECHL affiliate for prospects with a baseball-like approach to development.
3. Tristan Broz, Left Wing
Potential: Middle-Six Forward
NHL ETA: 2026
Tristan Broz was selected 58th overall at the 2021 NHL Draft. In his post-draft season in 2021-22, he had a somewhat underwhelming performance finishing with 11 points in 36 games with the University of Minnesota. However, after transferring to the University of Denver this past season he saw his production rise to 28 points in 40 games. Unfortunately, he was stuck behind a very skilled group in his freshman year, mainly playing on the second or third line. His playing time likely played a role in his lack of production. Last season, he seemed to mesh well with the team, getting consistent top-line minutes with Massimo Rizzo and Jack Devine.
Although he still has yet to really break out offensively, his high-motor play style makes him an intriguing prospect to watch over the next few seasons. In addition to his compete level, he has the puck skills, creativity, and shooting ability to be a valuable player for the Penguins going forward. At the very least, if he is able to add more weight to his frame, he could become a useful bottom-six energy player.
2. Owen Pickering, Left Defense
Potential: Second-Pair Defenseman
NHL ETA: 2026
I have been a believer of Owen Pickering since his draft year, where he went 21st overall in 2022. This belief did not waiver one bit with his uptick in production this past season. Despite not putting up gaudy totals like other top defensive prospects, he has many other tools at his disposal to make his NHL ceiling relatively high. He possesses great speed and skating ability, which he uses in tandem with his long wingspan to be an effective player on both sides of the ice. He is also very active in joining and initiating rush plays, engaging offensively on most shifts, and flashing his offensive potential.
One thing that would serve Pickering well is if he can add size to his 6-foot-4 frame as his net-front battling is a soft spot in his game. He currently weighs 185 pounds, but if he is able to bulk up even more, he would become a much more dominant player. Also, he can work on becoming a more consistent play driver by improving his decision-making under pressure which can be questionable at times. All-in-all, he has an impressive toolkit at his disposal that if developed properly could make him an effective top-four defenseman on the Penguins blue line.
1. Brayden Yager, Center
Potential: Top-Six/First-Line Center
NHL ETA: 2025-26
Anytime a team in Pittsburgh’s position adds a top-15 pick into their system, they’re more than likely going to be the automatic top prospect. Luckily, Brayden Yager (drafted at 14th overall in 2023) would top this list even if he was selected in the second round. He has the pedigree, entering last year as a potential top-10 prospect and previously being selected third overall in the Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. Not only that, but his play since entering the WHL has aligned with a top prospect as he won both the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and WHL Rookie of the Year honours in his first season. In total, over 154 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors, he has produced 155 points.
Looking forward, he will undoubtedly return to the Warriors for this upcoming season. There he should look to build on his already solid foundation. His calling card offensively is his shot which he has used to score 62 goals over the past two seasons combined. His passing/playmaking ability is something he has developed too, as evidenced by his career-high 50 assists this past season after registering only 25 as a rookie. In terms of areas to improve, he should continue to round out his game and become a more dominant player. He has a sound two-way game but his consistency could improve in that department. One way he could look to improve his dominance and two-way ability is by adding size to his 6-foot-0 frame as he is currently listed at only 170 pounds. There is very little doubt he will be able to make these adjustments and he should develop into at the very least a good top-six center in the future.
Over the coming years, the Penguins should look to add further depth and hopefully star-level talent to their pool. So far though, they have laid the groundwork with some strong building blocks for the future.
All stats and information from Elite Prospects