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Penguins Prospects Keep Wilkes-Barre Dominant & Future for Pittsburgh Bright
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- Penguins Prospects Keep Wilkes-Barre Dominant & Future for Pittsburgh Bright
The Pittsburgh Penguins are heading to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and are one of the biggest surprises in the NHL, turning around a team that was going nowhere into the second-best in the Metropolitan Division.
Their American Hockey League team in Wilkes-Barre Scranton isn't far behind. They weren't a surprise but their ability to churn out prospects has been, and it's their farm system will keep the Penguins' contending window open for years to come.
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Koivunen & McGroarty Are Borderline NHLers at This Point
Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen were on the same line in the Friday night game against the Bridgeport Islanders with Tristan Broz at center. The line was dominant, scoring twice in the 4-2 win, and at times, it felt like they were showing off with all the skill on that line. "We have good chemistry, and we can be a really good line for our team," Broz noted after the game.
What makes the line stand out is that all three players are skilled but bring something else to the offense. "They all play well off each other. The good thing about them is they all bring a different element," Penguins AHL head coach Kirk MacDonald noted in a conversation with The Hockey News . "Rutger is a guy who's going to forecheck and play down low. Ville is a distributor in the offensive zone; he slows the game down and does a great job of working in space," he added.
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Koivunen is a fascinating player because he has the skill and the quick puck movement, allowing him to make plays out of nothing. His goal in the first period of the recent game showed his quick wrists, where he could turn a rush chance into a goal. It's one of the many ways the young Finnish winger has improved from last season. "I think my skating has gotten a little bit better, all around, everything's gotten a little bit better," Koivunen mentioned after the game.
There's a debate about whether McGroarty and Koivunen should have stayed in the AHL or even the NHL instead of going on the roller coaster, where they get called up and sent right back down. Koivunen admitted it's been rough, although he's used to it (even going back to his childhood, where he had to commute to the rink). While it's probably not the best for their development, it shows how close they are to the NHL.
The Growth of Brunicke & The Late Bloomers
Harrison Brunicke started the season in Pittsburgh before heading to the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Hockey League to focus on his development. The young defenseman is back and looks better than ever, operating the point on the power play and opening up the offense. "He does a great job using his feet to get himself out of trouble," MacDonald stated on Brunicke's ability at the point.
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This time around, Brunicke looks like a more mature defenseman, someone who values the puck in all three zones. "For him, he's continuing to learn when to move pucks and when to hold on to pucks," MacDonald noted on his offensive side, while adding, "I thought tonight he did a good job defending, he was hard on pucks" for his play defensively recently.
The Penguins might have rushed other skaters to the NHL, some of whom, like Ben Kindel , were ready. However, they've been patient with Brunicke and Broz, and it's paid off with both players making significant contributions late in the season.
Broz missed over a month with an injury and returned in the recent game, proving the value of a top-six center. "Broz brings that speed to the middle of the ice," MacDonald added. He's not the only late-bloomer prospect on the Penguins either, as Broz, Avery Hayes , and Owen Pickering are all emerging as depth players, which the NHL team will need down the line.
The Farm System Reflects The Successful Penguins Turnaround
It's hard to point to one person who deserves all the credit for the Penguins' success. Many will look at Kyle Dubas and the job he's done with the NHL team and the drafting but he's only a part of it, just like MacDonald is behind the bench.
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The Penguins not only drafted well to kickstart their retool, but they also hired the right people and built a winning culture. It has them prepared to make a run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the AHL team is prepared for success in its own right. "I don't think there's anything more we need to. We just need to play the way that we can play as a team," Broz remarked after the 4-1 win over the Islanders, a game that showed that when they play their style, it's tough to see them losing.
