A technically sound goaltender, Joel Blomqvist struggled to handle a consistent workload at the NHL level last season and missed a portion of the season recovering from injury. Still, the 2020 second round pick showed flashes of strong play and looks ready to take the next step in 2025-26. At the AHL level, Blomqvist managed a 2.84 goals against average and .914 save percentage in 18 appearances. Due to the acquisition of Arturs Silvos, expect Blomqvist to start the season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but see some time in Pittsburgh given injury or a move involving Silvos or Tristan Jarry.