BUFFALO, N.Y. —So, what did we learn from the Pittsburgh Penguins prospects on Day 1 of the Prospects Challenge at LECOM Harborcenter?
Quite a lot, actually.
The Penguins celebrated as Avery Hayes scored a breakaway goal with 26 seconds remaining for a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins prospects roster Friday. It was the third straight year the game between the two was a slobberknocker. Boston is tough and chippy, but the Penguins have not been shrinking violets.
For context, three years ago, Nathan Legare had half of the Bruins roster hoping to cause him great harm–and they tried. Two years ago, Jagger Joshua returned the physicality. In last year's tournament, the Penguins weathered an early thunderstorm of physicality before posting a lopsided win that had plenty of extra tussles and less than civil resolutions.
Friday, Boston prospect Jackson Edward boarded 2025 Penguins first-round pick Ben Kindel (11th overall) in the second period, so Penguins prospect defenseman Quinn Beauchesne (fifth-round, 148th overall) dropped the gloves and less than politely informed Edward that his actions weren't appreciated.
Beauchesne threw some right-hand hammers that seemed to connect … just to underscore the point.
For analysis today, we're going to skip over the players who had a full year of professional hockey, such as Tristan Broz , Avery Hayes, and Owen Pickering .
Indeed, Pickering was quite good Friday, and we'll spend some time dissecting the changes the big man made this summer.
Kindel immediately vaulted toward the top of the Penguins' prospect list by virtue of being selected 11th overall in June at the NHL Draft.
Kindel didn't shy from the physical game against Boston. Make no mistake, the puck likes him. That little piece of vulcanized rubber followed him all over the ice, even taking a wonky bounce over a defenseman's stick to yield Kindel's first-period breakaway (he didn't score).
Kindel was frequently near the net whacking at loose pucks and drawing attention, but that was an end result of good work with the puck in the offensive zone–not a tunnel-vision path to the net.
The downside for Kindel will remain his skating. He doesn't create a lot of separation, which limits his open ice, as defenders can keep up, but he still kept the ice tilted in his line's favor.
"So they're both great kids. Kindel is a great player. He can skate, he can shoot, and he can pass the puck. And he's responsible for his age too, which is not common when you're 18," said Hayes. "I feel like most kids just want to score and do all the fun stuff, but he's… he's on the right side of the puck the whole time, same with (Kale Dach), so it was fun playing with him."
The Penguins' seventh-rounder will embark on a unique path to pro hockey. Dach graduated from the BCHL last season to play in the WHL this year ( Calgary Hitmen with Kindel), then Penn State next year.
He showed very well Friday. As the Penguins' second line with Dach, Kindel, and Hayes was dynamic, Dach showed well. He set up some chances and was otherwise immediately involved in the pressure.
"He's really impressive. Coming from playing tier two junior to this environment with guys that played in the NHL last year, I thought he acquitted himself very well," said Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Kirk MacDonald, who is coaching the prospect team. "I felt as the game went on, he made a few really subtle plays in the O-zone, looked really good with Kindel.
"I think they're potentially playing together this year in Calgary, so that will be fun to watch, I'm sure."
As a seventh-rounder from the beleaguered BCHL, Dach needs to capitalize on every opportunity, large and small.
"I was given an opportunity right away, playing on the second line. I was ready to show management that I was a good pick," Dach told PHN. "Yeah. I felt good out there."
Dach is correct, the Penguins management, including Kyle Dubas , claimed plenty of space in the corner of the single-level Harborcenter and had a good view of the Penguins' zone.
Dach gave them something to consider.
His skating is OK (or he plays a slower game), so he'll have to work on that, but his talent in the offensive zone was obvious. After only one day, we're not ready to cast him as a future star, but he looked like someone who could carve out a professional career in the AHL–then after that, who knows?
His poise was noticeable, but as importantly, so too was his acceleration.
He was a bit too aggressive for my tastes a couple of times. He was fearless, holding the blue line, pinching, and once he was too fearless, starting the rush as he swept past a couple of Boston forecheckers before losing the puck at center ice. In the first period, the mistake is a little less dangerous, but his turnover happened in the third period of a tie game. Boston got a two-on-none as a result (Gabriel D'Aigle made the save).
That play both showed his skill but also his greenhorn status
However, Brunicke's NHL potential was on full display in the first period when he collected a puck near his own net, nearly standing still, then accelerated past three, then four of the Boston prospects on the rush. He set up a great scoring chance.
Brunicke has a smooth, fluid skating stride–you barely hear his skates on the ice. He simply and quickly glides to full speed. It's hard to imagine him going back to juniors this year. It's either the NHL or hope the CHL caves and agrees to accelerate the rule change that would allow him to play in the AHL.
The post Penguins Prospects Game 1 Scouting Report; First Pick, Last Pick Shine appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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