The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!

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Make sure to check out the Pittsburgh Penguins team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/pittsburgh-penguins/

To view past 32s go here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/

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This off-season is one of uncharted territory for the Penguins and their fans. Once thought to be a sure-fire Penguin-for-life, the future of Sidney Crosby has hit the first bit of uncertainty in his career. While no trade is imminent, much speculation has circled around the core three of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. In terms of the 2025-26 season, the Penguins are veteran-heavy, with some young talent fighting for roster spots. The club had a relatively quiet off-season from a free agency and trade standpoint, but did do some impressive work in the NHL entry draft. Veteran defensemen Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba highlight their transactions, with youngsters Rutger McGroarty, Tristan Broz and Owen Pickering, among others, vying for full-time NHL spots. While the Penguins may end up towards the bottom-half of the standings, there should still be many positives for GM Kyle Dubas to point to.

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NHL Draft Recap

Round 1, 11th overall: Benjamin Kindel (F)

Kindel broke out with a brilliant WHL campaign with the Calgary Hitmen. He was second on the team with 35 goals and 99 points, trailing Oliver Tulk in both categories. He parlayed this with a dominant playoff run in which he led Calgary with eight goals and 15 points in 11 games. Kindel brings a lot to the table, most notably the pace he moves at. He is a good skater and features elite vision and playmaking ability, particularly with the puck. He also commands the pace of the game when he has the puck, bringing a dynamic element to the Penguins organization. Kindel inked his entry-level contract, however, time will tell whether he will head to Wilkes-Barre or back to Calgary.

Round 1, 22nd overall: Bill Zonnon (W)

While not the flashiest player, Zonnon is an effective, rugged winger who quietly dominated the QMJHL with Rouyn-Noranda. His 83 points were second on the team, but his play in the postseason was his money maker. The most notable part of Zonnon’s game is his consistency and reliability. All three zones have his full effort and he makes it difficult for opponents to have any easy play. His offensive game is also strong, with good puck skills and ability to create plays for his linemates. Zonnon remains unsigned by the Penguins and will head to Blainville-Boisbriand for this season, looking to refine his overall game before turning pro.

Round 1, 24th overall: William Horcoff (C)

Pittsburgh’s third first-rounder of 2025 followed the same trend as Kindel and Zonnon. Horcoff is a big, reliable center that does not play the flashiest game. He started the 2024-25 season with the USNTDP team and contributed three points in just seven games of action. Horcoff joined the University of Michigan in January for the remainder of the season, where his game began to blossom. He found a bit more offensive success and only had one tough four-game stretch at the end of January. He is excellent at winning board battles and features an impressive defensive game. Horcoff will head back to the University of Michigan for this year.

Round 2, 39th overall: Peyton Kettles (D)

Kettles is undeniably a defensive defenseman. He stands at 6-5 and does a great job at limiting rush chances for opponents. He has a big, active stick and engages players along the boards to jam up offensive zone time. Kettles may not be like Letang in terms of offensive production, but he could bring a lot of value as a shutdown, right-handed defenseman. Additionally, he is still just 17 years of age, meaning he has lots of developmental runway left before we see his final player form.

Round 3, 73rd overall: Charlie Trethewey (D)

Trethewey had a fairly unremarkable, but solid, season for the USNTDP team. He chipped in nine points in 24 USHL games, while being one of the team’s top blueliners. His skating is strong and he is able to make plays with the puck. Trethewey is likely not going to be one of the top point-producing defenders in the league, but his strong overall play could make him a reliable option in the future. He will play at Boston University this season.

Round 3, 84th overall: Gabriel D’Aigle (G)

D’Aigle was the eighth goaltender taken in the draft and struggled to find any sort of statistical positives for Victoriaville in the QMJHL. In fairness to D’Aigle, Victoriaville was at the bottom of the QMJHL standings, so his statistics are not entirely indicative of his play. He routinely faced over 40 shots in a game and had four games with over 50 shots against. However, D’Aigle’s size and raw athletic ability give him the opportunity for great development over the course of his younger years.

Round 3, 91st overall: Brady Peddle (D)

Peddle continued the Penguins’ trend of physical, hard to play against players. Standing at 6-3, 203 lbs, he is a menace on the back end. He did not register many points for Waterloo in the USHL, but he impacts the game in more ways. Peddle will head to Charlottetown for this year and Michigan State University in 2026-27. It will be a few years before Peddle is fully engrained in the Penguins system.

Round 4, 105th overall: Travis Hayes, (W)

Hayes’ second year with the Soo Greyhounds was markedly better than his first. He improved in just about every area of his game, but notably his scoring ability. The brother of Blackhawks prospect Gavin Hayes, Travis plays a high-motor style that makes him an intriguing forward prospect.

Round 5, 130th overall: Ryan Miller (C)

Similar to Hayes, Miller’s second year with the Portland Winterhawks was an improvement from his first. Miller is a do-it-all center that works well along the boards. He is involved defensively and is a reliable option in all three zones.

Round 5, 148th overall: Quinn Beauchesne (D)

Beauchesne is a great skater and a mobile puck mover from the back end. He is also a scoring option, registering 24 points for Guelph in 2024-25. With his skating, Beauchesne is an all-around solid blueliner and, with the right developmental track, could be an intriguing top-four option for Pittsburgh’s defensive core.

Round 5, 154th overall: Jordan Charron (W)

Charron is not the flashiest winger out there, but his solid, defensive-minded style should give him a runway to carve out a bottom-six role in the NHL. He has a high motor and plays a physical game on the forecheck that is a nightmare for defenders. Charron will play at St. Lawrence University this year and may take some time to ink his entry-level deal.

Round 6, 169th overall: Carter Sanderson (F)

Pittsburgh’s sixth rounder plays a consistent, solid defensive game. He does not post high point totals, but his physicality is something that could be of interest to NHL teams in the future.

Round 7, 201st overall: Kale Dach (C)

The final draft pick for Kyle Dubas in 2025 is  Kale Dach who was coming off of an 87-point campaign with Sherwood Park in the BCHL. He features some good hands and slick playmaking, exemplified by 65 assists in 54 games. Dach will be in Calgary with the Hitmen this year before heading to Penn State in 2026-27.

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Off-Season Moves

Incoming

Connor Clifton – Acquired from Buffalo Sabres

Matt Dumba – Acquired from Dallas Stars

Arturs Silovs – Acquired from Vancouver Canucks

Parker Wotherspoon – Signed two-year contract

Justin Brazzeau – Signed two-year contract

Caleb Jones – Signed two-year contract

Anthony Mantha – Signed one-year contract

Philip Kemp – Signed two-year contract

Rafael Harvey-Pinard – Signed one-year contract

Alexander Alexeyez – Signed one-year contract

Benjamin Kindel – Signed entry-level contract

Mikhail Ilyin – Signed entry-level contract

Outgoing

Connor Timmins – Traded to BUF

Isaac Belliveau – Traded to BUF

Alex Nedeljkovic – Traded to SJS

Vladislav Kolyachonok – Traded to DAL

Chase Stillman – Traded to VAN

Re-Signed

Philip Tomasino – Re-signed to one-year contract

Connor Dewar – Re-signed for one-year contract

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In The System

Risers

Ville Koivunen (F) – As is the case with every European player, the question was if Koivunen would be able to maintain his high point total and skilled play. He answered every question and then some. In 63 games, he registered 21 goals, 35 assists and 56 points in the AHL. Additionally, Koivunen saw eight games of NHL action and looked the part. He had seven assists and really injected some life into the late-season Penguins. In each game he played in, his ice time increased. Koivunen rocketed his way up the depth chart and surprisingly put himself into opening night consideration.

Harrison Brunicke (D) – Brunicke’s final season in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers was a successful one. He finished with 30 points in 41 games, despite the team missing the playoffs. After the season concluded, he joined the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins for the final ten games of the year and their playoff run. Brunicke made big strides in his game, particularly with how confident he played. If he can maintain his play into 2025-26, it may not be too long before he sees himself on Pittsburgh’s blue line in the near future.

Tristan Broz (F) – Broz’s first full campaign in the AHL was a successful one. He showcased the real offensive potential that was on display at the University of Denver. Additionally, Broz has shown that he is not afraid to draw in body contact, as he is strong along the boards. Broz will likely spend the beginning of the season in Wilkes-Barre Scranton, but may find himself in the Penguins lineup later in the season.

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Fallers

Emil Järventie (F) – The biggest knock on Järvente is his size. He weighs in at just 168 pounds and did not exactly rip up the Liiga. He spent eight games at the U-20 level and eight games in the Liiga with two different statistical results. He had five points at U-20 and none with Tappara’s Liiga club. Perhaps one shining light for Järventie was that he didn’t really get a lot of ice time. He averaged under ten minutes per night, meaning there is room for further development in Finland. Admittedly, an increase in point production would have been nice to see, so this season provides a big opportunity for the young winger.

Cruz Lucius (F) – After back-to-back near point-per-game campaigns at the University of Wisconsin, Lucius transferred to Arizona State, hoping that 2024-25 would be his final in college. Instead, he suffered a shoulder injury that set him back until January 2025. When he came back, he never fully regained his footing and statistical dominance. His ice time never reached over 18 and a half minutes per game. His shooting was also a bit inconsistent. This year, Lucius could benefit from a full campaign and raise his name among Penguins prospects.

Mac Swanson (F) – Coming into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Swanson was a renowned playmaker that put up points with Fargo in the USHL. Swanson had an opportunity to build on that year and look like a steal in the seventh round. Instead, he registered just 16 assists and 18 points at the University of North Dakota. This season marks a big chance for Swanson to regain some of his draft year momentum.

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Likely to see NHL action

Rutger McGroarty

Owen Pickering

Ville Koivunen

Tristan Broz

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Top 20 Prospects

This section is intended to paint a picture of the Pittsburgh Penguins prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.

1) Rutger McGroarty

2) Ville Koivunen

3) Benjamin Kindel

4) Harrison Brunicke

5) Bill Zonnon

6) Will Horcoff

7) Tristan Broz

8) Owen Pickering

9) Mikhail Ilyin

10) Peyton Kettles

11) Melvin Fernstrom

12) Sergei Murashov

13) Cruz Lucius

14) Tanner Howe

15) Jordan Charron

16) Quinn Beauchesne

17) Finn Harding

18) Emil Pieniniemi

19) Emil Järventie

20) Gabriel D’Aigle

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Final Thoughts

The Penguins are entering a transformative era in their franchise history. Crosby, Malkin and Letang are approaching the end of their Penguins’ tenures and the team is beginning to infuse younger talent into their lineup. This season should be two sides to the same coin. On one side, Pittsburgh will likely finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. On the other side, the influx of young talent should give management and fans a glimpse into who could be a part of the long-term future moving forward.

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Make sure to check out the Pittsburgh Penguins team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/pittsburgh-penguins/

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Thank you for reading! Follow me on X @norr028 for more coverage throughout the season.