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Rutger McGroarty, Michigan Wolverines (Michigan Photography)

2 Penguins Prospects Who Could Make Next Season’s NHL Roster

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Sylvie McCarthy | Last updated Mar 24, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins have not had a very successful season. President of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas has been trying to correct years of mismanagement and poor decision-making since he took over the team in June 2023. Pittsburgh is in for a busy offseason, but they have more than a few reasons to be hopeful about the future. Their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, has been having a very good season thanks to some young players who could be joining the Penguins’ roster as soon as next season.

Rutger McGroarty

Rutger McGroarty joined the Penguins last August when they acquired him via trade from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Brayden Yager. He played in three games with Pittsburgh at the beginning of the season before being sent down to Wilkes-Barre. He had a bit of a slow start with the baby Penguins, recording only one assist in his first eight games. Even though he wasn’t making it onto the scoresheet, he was doing great things on the penalty kill and in the defensive zone.

As the season has gone on, McGroarty has been steadily improving. His work on the forecheck and ability to create turnovers has been good for most of the season, but other areas of his game needed work. His playmaking skills and ability to make reads have come a long way since the beginning of the season. He is not the fastest skater, however, his overall agility has gotten a lot better.

McGroarty has two goals and two assists in his last five games, and he is a big reason why Wilkes-Barre is in the playoff conversation. Dubas has no doubt been keeping a close eye on his development throughout the season and will continue to do so as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fight for a playoff spot. If his development continues to head in the right direction, he could definitely be a permanent fixture on Pittsburgh’s second or third line by next season.

Sergei Murashov

Sergei Murashov is at the top of Pittsburgh’s goalie prospect list and for good reason. On March 22, he stopped 24 of 26 shots helping Wilkes-Barre get the 3-2 overtime win over the Hershey Bears. He is now 10-0-0 in the AHL this season and has set a franchise record for a win streak by a rookie netminder. He currently has a 2.58 goals-against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%).

Murashov was recalled by Wilkes-Barre in January from their ECHL affiliate the Wheeling Nailers. In addition to his 10 AHL wins, he is 17-7-1 in the ECHL this season with the Nailers. He is currently one of three active goaltenders on Wilkes-Barre’s roster which also includes Filip Larsson and Joel Blomqvist.

Murashov has good instincts, speed and athleticism. He also has a tremendous ability to read and understand plays almost before they happen. He seems to thrive in chaos, and he does not allow himself to be affected by what is going on around him. That is something the Penguins could definitely use in a goaltender. Obviously, there is still a lot of time left between now and next season, but if he does well at training camp, there is a good chance he could be playing in Pittsburgh at some point next season.

Penguins Have a Busy Summer Ahead

This season did not go as planned for the Penguins, and there are more than a few things that need to be corrected in the offseason. Goaltending is at the top of that list. They cannot go into another season with so much inconsistency between the pipes. However, with all the young talent down in Wilkes-Barre, Pittsburgh can be optimistic about the future.