The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the annual Prospects Challenge with one of the lowest ranked pipelines in the NHL.
That didn’t stop the Penguins top prospects from performing at a high level and taking a pair of demanding wins out of three games.
There were key players to watch in all three contests, but overall a few prospects shined bright and showed they can make a difference with this franchise.
Which prospects impressed the most at the challenge? Look no further than the top guys.
Goalie Joel Blomqvist and forwards Sam Poulin and Brayden Yager could easily fill as the Penguins three stars of the tournament.
After allowing two early goals in the opening game, Blomqvist shut the door for his remaining time in Buffalo, pitching a shutout in the finale.
Blomqvist did more than just make saves, however, as he looked poised and confident between the pipes.
As a netminder, finding that sort of confidence will be key, especially heading into his first full season on North American ice.
After taking time off last season to work on his mental health, Poulin has returned and it doesn’t look like he’s missed a beat.
Poulin picked up two goals in the tournament and looks poised to fight for a spot on the NHL roster this season.
You can tell the team is confident in his abilities as he was on the ice in every situation; even strength, power play, and even killing penalties.
At 22-years-old, it is just about time for Poulin to make that jump as a full-time NHLer, but he’ll have a lot of competition at this upcoming Penguins’ camp.
Yager is still a few years from making noise at the biggest level in the sport, but he showed why the Penguins took him with their first round pick.
Also with two goals in three games, Yager is already showing signs of a that he can be a standout player in the lineup one day.
With unlimited potential, it was important for Yager to put up a good tournament, and he did just that.
Beyond those three, there were a couple of notable standouts who could quickly become household names.
Jagger Joshua stole the show as a bone crushing pest not afraid to get under an opponents skin.
He also tapped in an empty net goal to seal the tournament.
Cooper Foster was around the puck on a consistent basis and can easily become a sleeper in the Penguins' system.
Dillon Hamaliuk was a throw-in piece to the Erik Karlsson trade, but with a pair of goals in the second game, there's a chance that's a name heard more often in prospect rankings.
The Penguins may not have a great prospect system, but they are proud of the names they have and their potential to become useful pieces for the organization.
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