In yesterday’s post, I detailed many of the extraordinary things that went right for our Penguins this season. However, there was one important area I didn’t touch on. Namely, how our Pens did when it came to developing the kids. Regarded as a Dan Muse strength.
On that count, I’d say the results were mixed at best.
Before I go into detail, it should be noted our youngsters certainly didn’t lack for opportunity. On the contrary, the Pens broke training camp with four rookies on the roster, including forwards Ben Kindel, Ville Koivunen and Filip Hållander. Nineteen-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke rounded out the quartet.
Following a couple of non-descript games, Koivunen was quickly dispatched to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he would average better than a point-per-game. With a sterling 5v5 goals for percentage of 63.64, the 25-year-old Hållander played well through the early going while slotting on different lines before a blood clot in his leg effectively ruined his season.
After scoring a goal against the Islanders in the second game of the season, Brunicke’s play quickly went south. This led to an odyssey of sorts that saw him bounce from the Pens to the Baby Pens for a conditioning assignment, then on to Team Canada for the World Juniors before returning to his junior team in Kamloops and, recently, back to the Baby Pens.
Among the initial crop, only Kindel, arguably the surprise of training camp, stuck with the team. The 18-year-old thrived to the tune of 17 goals and 34 points.
Koivunen would eventually return and skate on a Kid Line with Kindel and Rutger McGroarty, with decidedly mixed results. Puck possession and play driving weren’t issues. Indeed, the trio actually had some excellent metrics. Koivunen’s, in particular, were outstanding. However, when it came to actual production, the line faltered badly, both as a unit and individually.
On the heels of his stirring cameo in the spring of 2025, Koivunen managed only two goals and seven points in 36 games. With just two goals and five points in 21 games, power forward McGroarty likewise struggled to produce, despite strong numbers with the Baby Pens.
Of particular concern, the speed of the NHL game, which tends to separate the men from the boys, seems to be an issue for both at this stage of their development.
Not so for peppery winger Avery Hayes, who scored two goals and was a forechecking demon during his spectacular debut against the Sabres on February 5. Although he, too, would experience growing pains at the big-league level, it wasn’t because Avery couldn’t keep pace. Which likely makes the 23-year-old the most NHL-ready of the bunch.
Among the other kids to make an appearance? Tristan Broz skated in one game for the Pens in December, with some rough metrics (Corsi 31.82, xGF% 13.93). Defenseman and former first-round selection Owen Pickering struggled mightily during a four-game trial and was quickly returned to the Baby Pens. This after playing in 25 games for the black-and-gold in ’24-25.
Wunderkind goalie prospect Sergei Murashov appeared in five games over a five-week span. He posted a 21-save shutout against the Predators on November 16, but was porous in his final two starts (.862 save percentage), including a come-from-in-front loss to the Mammoth on December 14 that saw him yield four third-period goals and the overtime winner.
As we all know, developing young players isn’t an exact science and there’s often a learning curve involved. Players like Kindel who step in and produce right away are the exception rather than the rule. As hard as it is to believe, Oilers great Leon Draisaitl scored only two goals in 37 games as a 19-year-old rookie. Practically matching Koivunen’s output this season.
Still, I think the Pens have to be at least mildly disappointed with the way the kids progressed.
Will any of them, particularly Koivunen, McGroarty and Pickering, eventually pan out?
Time will tell. But at first blush, we appear to have more questions than answers.
With all due respect to our faithful readers, I decided to forgo a standard recap…
Down 2-games-to-0 and with our first-round series shifting to the City of Brotherly Shove for…
The Penguins did a lot of good things during last night’s 3-0 Game 2 loss…
When the Penguins are on their game, which they decidedly weren’t during last night’s Game…
I don’t claim to prescient. And I’m sure as heck not right all the time.…
Over the past couple of days, I’ve expressed my concerns about the Penguins’ upcoming first-round…
View Comments
Did you see Dubas signed a college kid named Jake Livanavage (21 yrs old, 5'10", 174lbs) and he reported directly to the Pens not WBS?
Rick,
Not sure I would call Filip Hållander a youngster. He is certainly a young whippersnapper compared to you or me, but he is 25. He is a holdover from the old regime and their loser schemes. Don’t get me wrong, I like Hållander; I just don’t call him a kid in hockey terms.
The Kid line of Koivunen – Kindel – McGroarty looked very much like a Sullivan planned failure attempt; throw all the players who need veteran presence together and expect them to miraculously walk on water. However, only Kindel ever found chemistry with anyone – then they broke up the Mantha – Kindel – Brazeau line. Koivunen has played well defensively (one of the lower GA/60) but has had trouble contributing offensively. The McGroarty trade was a win; Yaeger is looking like a wasted pick and at least McGroarty has gotten some NHL experience.
I remember when I questioned the wisdom of the team for drafting Pickering in the 1st round and how many people attacked me for my lack of faith in the Pens scouting department. Hmm… I still would like to see the kid make it in the NHL. He still may make a bottom or even middle pairing, but he was never a 1st round pick player. He needs far more time to develop than what a 1st rounder should take.
Avery is a bottom 6 player. Perhaps the worst thing that happened for him was scoring two Goals in his first game. That success set up an expectation in many fans that could lead to the kid failing from falling short of being a top gun.
Broz won a spot on the team in training camp but was sent down to WBS anyway. He was given a one game cameo against the Buffalo Sabres, who appear to be the best team in the East. Our Pens won 4-2 but were heavily outshot 31 – 19 that game. Only 3 of the 15 CA were HDCA. The team was playing prevent-defense and ceding low danger shots, protecting the house. Not much intel can be garnered from that game. Unfortunately, this kid has had a streak of bad luck down in the AHL. Rather than getting the legitimate chance he earned in training camp, he has suffered several injuries and wasted a season of his career.
It is funny that you choose to talk about Murashov’s Utah Overtime Loss and not his Shut Out win against Nashville, his relief effort against Minnesota when Silovs got shelled, giving up 4 Goals on 10 shots, or the fact that the young Russian still has the highest Sv% of the three, 0897 (above the league avg) vs Silov’s 0.891 (below the league avg), or Skinner’s 0.886 (even lower than the league avg, despite a slightly above avg last performance).
I do apologize you did mention the SO but glossed over it to push about the one bad game. It was our friend Cody's friend that keeps completely ignoring the SO. In the end though as I mentioned Murashov still has the best numbers of the three Goalies on this roster.
With all due respect, my good friend, Murashov was below a .900 save percentage in three of his five appearances. And he didn't just have one sub-par start at the end, he had two. An .857 save percentage (18 saves on 21 shots) during a 3-2 OT loss to Seattle on November 22, and an .865 SV% in the aforementioned loss to the Mammoth on December 14 when he gave up four third-period goals in six minutes.
He had a .250 quality starts percentage (1 out of 4). Goals saved above average, a touch on the plus side.
I want Murashov (and Blomqvist) to succeed as much as anybody. And I'm mildly disappointed that Sergei isn't going to get a couple starts as we wrap up the season. But you can't just sweep the bad stuff under the carpet or turn a blind eye to it.
Like everyone else, I hope the kid eventually emerges as a franchise goalie. But I fully expect there to be some growing pains along the way. Kind of like what we saw during those early appearances.
Rick
Again Rick,
Time to look at it, Murashov has a Sv% above the League Average while Skinner and Silovs are below the League Average. It is well past time to start counting the SIGNIFICANT number of times those two STUNK out the rink with their atrocious play. Neither Skinner nor Silovs has ever produced at the NHL level, let alone playoff calibre Goaltending. Even if Murashov doesn't, playing him at least gives hope while continually trotting out losers only brings about losing.
And quite frankly, Blomqvist is the better Goalie! but I would settle for Murashov or even Gauthier, anyone that hasn't already shown that they can only play below the League Average, only reaching Average when the planets align for them.
According to a report on Pittsburgh Hockey Now, the Pens have returned Murashov to the Baby Pens ahead of tonight's game with the Devils.
A little bit of a curious move. I thought it would be a no-brainer to give the kid a start or two during this final stretch. Maybe the fact that we haven't officially clinched a playoff spot factored into the decision.
For better or worse, it looks like we'll be riding Big Stu and Silovs.
Rick
For Worse