If Penguins Don’t Go Young With Roster, They’re Doing It Wrong

Just prior to the onset of training camp, Pittsburgh Penguins’ general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas took to the podium and made a declaration of sorts. 

And, truthfully, the words shouldn’t have come as a shock to anyone who pays attention to the current situation with the team.

“The message to the veteran guys is that, with where we’re at, the young guys are coming. They’re going to get opportunity, they’re going to have to earn everything… but it’s been very clear to them what the expectation is,” Dubas said. “And it’s up to them to hold onto their jobs and hold onto their spots and their places with the Penguins and in the NHL.”

He also said this: “If [the young guys] continue to push all the way – and it’s very clear that they should be on the team – they’ll make the team, and we’ll deal with whatever the ripple effects of those are on some of the more veteran guys.”

If that wasn’t a clear message that youth would truly be pushing for the NHL roster this time around, I don’t know what is. This pre-season has not been akin to pre-seasons past, as there is legitimate talent at every position making strong cases to be included on the NHL roster for the opener against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7. 

So who has made that strong case for themselves? Last season, the list had two names on it in forward Rutger McGroarty and defenseman Harrison Brunicke – only one of whom made the roster. This season, that’s not what has transpired.

‘The Young Guys Are Coming’: 3 Observations From Dubas’s Pre-Season Press Conference
On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their 2025 training camp with a few words from general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

– Brunicke has, once again, proven that he is already one of the Penguins’ six best defensemen. And, honestly, “six” is a stretch. He is probably one of their three best defensemen – with the other two being semi-obvious future Hall-of-Famers. His skating is a marvel to witness, and his hockey sense is very advanced for a blueliner at 19 years of age. 

– Ville Koivunen has left no doubt that he should and will be included on the final 23-man roster, and he has proven that his seven points in eight NHL games to close out the season last year were no fluke. His vision is unmatched among Penguins’ prospects – and nearly among Penguins’ skaters, period – and he has consistently been working alongside Sidney Crosby.

– Tristan Broz’s versatility – and ability to put the puck in the back of the net – have been on full display all throughout camp, and he is such a responsible player. The level of maturity in his game is something that can’t be taught, and he’s someone who can thrive in an NHL bottom-six role without it being hindrance to his development.

– Avery Hayes has shown a knack for always being in the right place at the right time to make something happen, as he can create offense off the forecheck and generate chances around the net-front. His tenacity and work ethic are also hallmarks of his game, and his style of play is remniscent of Bryan Rust’s in the early years.

Penguins Make Wave Of Roster Cuts, Place Six Players On Waivers
With each passing day, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster is coming more and more into focus. 

– Filip Hallander is showcasing his two-way prowess and his playmaking smarts, which were both evident last season in the SHL, when he put up 23 goals and 53 points in 51 games. He is another player with offensive upside who can be effective in a bottom-six role, and he’s making the most of his second chance with the organization in camp.

– Sergei Murashov has been – without a smidgen of a doubt – the best goaltender in camp, and he is leaving very little doubt that he may very well be NHL-ready now. Of course, there’s no sense in rushing a young netminder with his ceiling and potential, but goaltenders have a tendency to tell you when they’re ready – and his agility, quickness, athleticism, poise, and performance have all indicated that he may not need AHL seasoning after all.

– Owen Pickering may not be having the most flashy training camp on the Penguins’ blue line, but he’s showing an ability to keep things simple and steady, which is something that blue line needs. He may not be in mid-season form quite yet, but a 25-game sample size last season, his performance in camp, and the Penguins’ less-than-ideal left side certainly work in his favor.

– Finally, there’s Ben Kindel – the Penguins’ 11th overall pick in 2025 – who has been the story of the pre-season. He’s played in six pre-season games, is riding a three-game point streak, and hasn’t looked out of place at all. It’s safe to say that no one expected Kindel to be in the roster conversation, but he’s forced his way in there by being the best player on the ice most nights. Size be darned, that nine-game trial is looking like something he has flat-out earned.

Should Ben Kindel Get The Nine-Game Trial? The Case For And Against
There are a lot of stories coming out of Pittsburgh Penguins’ training camp this year. Many of them involve young players making an impression and pushing for the NHL roster.

This isn’t a case where there are two players pushing for the NHL roster but barely – if at all – outperforming veterans. Nope. In this case, all eight of these players are outperfoming veterans within their positional battles. 

So, if Dubas and the Penguins’ organization actually want to follow through on what they said about the young guys coming, there should be no doubt that, at least, most of these guys will be on the NHL roster come Oct. 7. It’s not reasonable to expect all of them to make it, but it’s absolutely reasonable to expect five or six of them to make it, right?

It seems pretty straightforward. But, for some reason, it still feels like there is a certain degree of inevitability to veterans – once again – getting the benefit of the doubt in battles that aren’t really even 50-50.

For example, what is the sense in Ryan Shea, Ryan Graves, or Caleb Jones – none of whom figure to be part of the bigger picture going forward or have put together remarkable camps – making the roster over Pickering or Brunicke, both of whom do figure to be part of the big picture and have shown a degree of readiness high enough to have earned a spot? 

Observations from Thursday’s Penguins Practice
The Pittsburgh Penguins practiced on Thursday, and the players were split into two groups. The first one consisted of many players who are expected to be in the AHL this year, while the second was the main NHL group. 

What about the fact that Broz, Hayes, and Kindel have all worked their rears off – and have the results to prove it – to earn a spot on the roster, while veterans like Blake Lizotte, Tommy Novak, and Noel Acciari have not replicated the same energy or output? 

The goaltending situation may the only one that makes sense, should Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs be the final two. Even if Murashov has been the best of the three, development is paramount for goaltenders, and the Penguins cannot afford to screw that up with Murashov. Jarry and Silovs have performed well enough to earn their way onto the roster, too. 

The right call is – without a shred of a doubt – to reward young players for standout camps by following through on what was stated from the beginning. What kind of message does it send to younger players if they’re not rewarded for their efforts? When the organization does not follow through on Dubas’s pre-camp declaration?

Maybe there is a timeline to consider. It’s not a stretch in the least to assume that the Penguins may be a better team this season if they let the kids play, which may not be what the goal is or what is deemed in the best interest of the organizational rebuild. Keeping them around also kicks off their respective entry-level contracts, which may be something to consider as well. 

If the Penguins opt for a veteran roster, that’s a pretty clear indication of what they’re trying to – or, perhaps, not trying to – accomplish this season. Maybe a top-10 pick in the 2026 draft is paramount to the trajectory and success of the rebuild.

But, the young guys are just that: young. There are going to be mistakes and growing pains. It’s not as if keeping them around guarantees that the team will finish higher in the standings, as performing immediately is an unfair expectation for young players. 

What’s the cost of holding the young guys back if they are ready? Does the need to ensure a very precise timeline outweigh that cost? Does the incentive for fans to see an imperfect but, at least, hopeful product on the ice outweigh catering to the season’s expectations?

The Penguins have until Monday to submit final rosters for the start of the NHL season. If there are not at least four of these names on that list, they’re – quite simply – doing it wrong. 

Penguins’ Pre-Season: Final 23-Man Roster Prediction Edition
A few days ago, we had our Mailbox Monday, and I gave my final predictions for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ final 2025-26 roster.

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