The Pittsburgh Penguins roster mostly lacked fresh faces in the 2022-23 season, though a handful of younger players made appearances at the NHL level. With new management taking over and potentially trying to move some bloated contracts or shake up the team, perhaps some players in prospect pipeline fill any openings, at least temporarily.

NHL Ready

Forwards

Forwards William Nylander and Valtteri Puustinen represent the best chance of forward prospects making the NHL roster outright next season.

Nylander signed a one way extension, meaning, like Pierre-Olivier Joseph last season, the Penguins need to keep the 2016 eighth overall pick on the NHL roster or tack on as a sweetener in a trade. At 25 years old, Nylander averaged nearly a point per game in the AHL last season with 50 in 55 and looked good enough in nine games on the NHL roster for to stay in the lineup in 2023-24.

Puustinen led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in scoring for a second consecutive season and likely deserves a look at the NHL level if even to see if the 2019 seventh round pick sticks. The only problem? Creating room with a crowded group of NHL forwards. Puustinen injects speed and youth into the Penguins lineup but needs to capitalize on any opportunity presented in 2023-24.

Defense

Ty Smith fell victim to too many contracts crowding the blueline and spent the majority of the season in the AHL. Despite somewhat underwhelming numbers with seven goals and 24 points in 39 games, Smith looked pretty good in nine NHL games, recording five points. The Penguins finally trusted Pierre-Olivier Joseph in a full-time role at the NHL level last season, and the longtime prospect flourished. A similar opportunity and outcome exists for Smith in 2023-24.

Call Up Candidates

Forwards

Jonathan Gruden and Samuel Poulin appeared in the NHL last season with Poulin recording a single assist in three games, while Gruden went without a point centering the fourth line for three games.

Gruden improved significantly in the AHL from last season, going from 27 points in 75 games to 31 in 54. Depending on movement in the bottom six on the NHL roster, perhaps opportunity for Gruden emerges next season, though the 2018 fourth round pick likely remains in the AHL for the majority of the season.

After debuting in the NHL in 2022-23, Poulin missed the majority of the season dealing with mental health issues back home in Canada, but remains one of the strongest prospects for the Penguins. However, whether missing the majority of the season hurt the development of the 2019 first round pick remains to be seen. Poulin likely needs to show some dominance at the AHL level next season and play into a role in the NHL.

Additionally, despite not putting up significant points in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Nathan Legare brings a different element to the lineup, and, in a contract year, Pittsburgh needs to see if the 2019 third round shows any value at the NHL level.

Defense, Goaltenders

Unfortunately but unsurprisingly, no defense or goaltenders in the prospect pipeline appear remotely close to a call up opportunity.