Penguins Prospects Fight Limited Opportunity, How They’re Pushing (+)

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Penguins Prospects Fight Limited Opportunity, How They’re Pushing (+)

Penguins Prospects Fight Limited Opportunity, How They're Pushing (+) — Penguins Prospects Fight Limited Opportunity, How They’re Pushing (+)

Dan Kingerski · Pittsburgh Hockey Now

Mon, Sep 21, 2026 ·

8 min read

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A pair of Pittsburgh Penguins prospects are putting in the work but also fighting the odds. Rutger McGroarty and Tristan Broz are pushing for a permanent Pittsburgh address, but both seem to accept the reality that they're happy with their progress; they will first have to prove it.

And proving it probably means more time with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, whether or not they deserve it. It's an interesting situation, and PHN went straight to the players for the full story on what they've been told to work on and how they're dealing with the reduced opportunity in camp.

While many teams limited their training camp rosters to 50 or fewer, the Penguins are not like most teams. As a long-standing strategy dating back to his leadership of the Toronto Maple Leafs , Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas wants a lot of players and even more competition.

There are pure positional battles in the Penguins camp, though the three-day practice schedule and four-game exhibition schedule aren't entirely conducive to extended looks or second chances.

ThePenguins's prospects know they have to not only show they're read, but alsobe a better choice. Others want those spots, too.

For two consecutive training camps, the Penguins organization has opened the door for prospects and young players to claim a spot, at least verbally. On Day 1 of camp, assistant general manager Jason Spezza opened the door to the future and admitted that the young players need to crack the lineup, but he also tacitly closed the gate for their immediate entry by indicating they would have opportunities during the season.

To their credit, when asked about the limited showcase, the impacted young players have unflinchingly supported the process. In fact, McGroarty spun it to the positive, indicating fewer opportunities means succeeding in those chances looks even better.

But he also knows the score.

"It's pretty much just up to us. I mean, at the end of the day, if we had come up last year and lit it up, we would be here, no question," McGroarty told PHN. "So we didn't do that, and when we get our opportunity, (we have to) be ready with it and try and roll with it."

Broz is a different type of player and competitor. He wears his intensity and desire to get to the NHL like a sweat-stained team workout shirt. In speaking with a couple of media outlets, including PHN, Broz referenced the spark that carried the WBS Penguins last season

"So felt like I made a lot of progress as a player and started to put up more numbers down there and just play better hockey, winning hockey," Broz said. "Our team was obviously really really good, so definitely feel like I started to figure out what I can do and what's going to make me successful as a pro. I'm just looking to look forward to doing that for a full season."

Among the Penguins prospects, he is becoming one of the experienced hands at WBS. This season will be his third in northeast PA, and following a full collegiate career, statistics suggest this campaign will likely determine whether he'll be an NHL player.

But is there enough opportunity for him?

"I don't really think it's like that limited of an opportunity. If anything, it's just kind of nice to get the season rolling faster. Like, not I'm saying camp's not fun or anything, but I think playing regular season games that matter are more fun," Broz said. "And yeah, I mean I think it's just exciting to play some games here, and I think we got approval on the playoffs last year, and just who we are as players throughout the season."

Indeed, the Penguins prospects have shown well in camp. Broz has flung himself into corner battles and puck retrievals. McGroarty has put himself in scoring positions and finished chances.

The soaring benefits of that AHL playoff run have been a theme. The WBS Penguins' playoff run didn't just lift the confidence of players; it was a necessary affirmation on their path and trajectory toward the NHL. Not coincidentally, prospect defensemen Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke , who played big roles in the playoff run, have also been solid in camp.

What they Worked On

In fact, Broz has met the challenge to get to the NHL head-on. He spent the summer not back home in Minnesota but in Pittsburgh training with the Penguins staff.

"I put myself in a good spot for the season by just having a great summer, and obviously it's a world-class facility and world-class people around (here) that help you train and help you become better," said Broz. "So, I just wanted to be around the best people that could make me the best player that I could be … It was a short summer, but I definitely feel like we got a lot of work in, got a lot of work on the ice, working with (skating coach) Jeff Murray and (skating consultant Josh Wrobel), and a lot of different coaches out here. So I feel like it's been a productive summer.

"Yeah, I'm ready for the season. I was excited for the season to start when our season ended last year."

The Penguins' scrappy center is a different type of center than the Penguins have in the organization. He's a mix of soft hands and good speed, but a shooter's mentality. He pushes a wheelbarrow full of intensity, but he didn't play center until late in his college career, and some pieces of the puzzle haven't yet fallen into place.

The ceiling seems to be a third-liner at the NHL level, but he might be a fourth-liner, or surprise everyone by further tapping into his offensive game and rising higher. This summer, Broz and the Penguins worked on just that—holding onto the puck and some finer points of his skating to open up the offensive zone.

"This summer we worked a lot on protecting the puck, turning with the puck. You know, I think I'm someone that can skate through the middle with the puck, but then just working on once I get into the O-zone, being able to hang on to it for longer, which I think will be good for me," said Broz. "Just the longer you can hang on to it, sometimes plays aren't always available, so if you can protect the puck and hang on to that puck, obviously you give yourself more time to open up plays. So I think that was a big thing, just getting comfortable coming out of turn to speed."

McGroarty, 22, is also awaiting his full-time turn at the NHL level. He's had a couple of opportunities, playing five games at the end of 2024-25 before blocking a shot caused a lower-body injury that cost him the final three games of the season, and 24 games last season. '

McGroarty comes with some pedigree as the Winnipeg Jets ' 2022 first-round pick, 14th overall. While at the University of Michigan, McGroarty notified Winnipeg that he didn't feel at home in a Jets' sweater and wouldn't sign with them.

But his NHL time has not yet begun in earnest. In his 24 games last season, he had just three goals and three assists. Conversely, McGroarty filled the coffers in Wilkes-Barre with 34 points (10-24-34) in just 30 games.

McGroarty has also spent the summer in intensive training to get his game to an optimal level. And he put in the off-ice work.

"It's continuing to do all the things that I'm good at and get better at those and become the best at those, and then continuing to work on the stuff I need to get better at–skating power, conditioning, and then also mentally," McGroarty said. "I think it was a big summer for me. Just talking to my sports psychologist a lot. He and I developed a really good relationship."

Lots of skating. Work. Growing confidence. And some mental work, too. The more you talk to the Penguins prospects, the easier it is to be convinced they'll wear NHL sweaters.

However, neither McGroarty nor Broz are likely to make the team next week when the team submits its 23-man roster. It's a numbers game, but just as Spezza hinted, the opening night roster is unlikely to be the final roster. Just as the Penguins front office has said, and the prospects know, they will need to push their way past the last barriers.

"I mean, I think that's been the best for all of us (the message) is that they want us to push every day and earn our spot here. And I think it's great. I don't think it would be fair to anyone to just hand guys spots, hand guys anything. So I like the way that they're doing it, that they're making us earn it. And I think when we do that, finally, it's going to feel that much more rewarding, and we'll feel that much more confident playing in the league that we really earned that spot."

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