2024 Pittsburgh Penguins Training Camp Overview & Tier Lists

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It's that time of year again: hockey season!

The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to open training camp with their first on-ice practices of the 2024-25 season Wednesday morning.

NHL Roster Locks

These are pretty cut and dry. Guys who will be on Pittsburgh's roster to begin the season. Not really any explanation needed for this section, and as an independent media outlet covering the AHL we're obviously going to focus the least on these guys.

Goaltenders (2): Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic

Defensemen (5): Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Ryan Graves, Marcus Pettersson and Matt Grzelcyk

Forwards (12): Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Michael Bunting, Kevin Hayes, Lars Eller, Cody Glass, Noel Acciari, Blake Lizotte, Anthony Beauvillier and Drew O'Connor

Season-opening IR (1): forward Matt Nieto

NHL Roster Bubble Players

Most of these players will likely begin the season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but there appears to be a few NHL roster spots up for grabs - especially on the blue line.

While these guys may ultimately ticketed for the AHL, a strong showing in training camp will go a long way in ensuring their name gets called when injuries arise in Pittsburgh. It's not an if, but when. Happens every year.

I listed these guys in order of most likely to make the NHL down to least likely.

Defensemen: Sebastian Aho, John Ludvig, Jack St. Ivany, Ryan Shea and Nikolai Knyzkhov (PTO)

Training Camp Battles

Forwards: Rutger McGroarty, Jesse Puljujarvi, Emil Bemstrom, Valtteri Puustinen, Vasili Ponomarev, Jonathan Gruden and Sam Poulin

McGroarty appeared on the scoresheet often in the Prospects Challenge, as his line with Ponomarev and Avery Hayes (AHL contract) had a big finish. It will be up to McGroarty, who is eligble to be assigned to the AHL without needing waivers, to force his way onto the NHL roster and make GM Kyle Dubas put an extra forward on waivers to begin the season.

Puljujarvi and Bemstrom finished the year in Pittsburgh, as did Puustinen though the latter joined W-B/Scranton for their playoff push this past spring. Puljujarvi is kind of a beat-the-odds type story as he overcame significant injuries to get back to the NHL last spring. Here's my story after catching up with Puljujarvi last season to detail that experience. (https://insideahlhockey.com/article/brickey-brings-size-offensive-instincts-to-ahl-penguins-blueline)

Ponomarev had a rocky season spread among four different teams last year, plus he was injured with the AHL Penguins shortly after his arrival as part of the return in the Jake Guentzel trade. Of the forwards listed above, only McGroarty and Ponomarev are exempt for waivers - possibly making their chances at cracking the NHL Penguins opening night roster an uphill battle.

Keep an eye on Jonathan Gruden as a darkhorse candidate to make the Penguins' bottom-six out of training camp. He's arguably the best fit for fourth line NHL duties among the group of forwards listed above perceived to be in contention for the NHL roster. If not, Gruden will be part of the leadership group with the AHL Penguins and a key cog for that team as I wrote my latest feature heading into camp on Gruden's NHL aspirations (https://insideahlhockey.com/article/gruden-among-those-in-the-mix-for-pittsburghs-bottom-six-forward-core)

As far as the blue line, newcomer Sebastian Aho has been an NHL regular the past few seasons while Jack St. Ivany took major strides forward in his development with the AHL affiliate last season.

John Ludvig and Ryan Shea are also experienced blueliners looking to crack Pittsburgh's opening night lineup, and both would require waivers to be sent to the AHL this fall.

Nikolai Knyzkov is at camp on a tryout and is also pushing for a roster spot on the blue line, not to mention a contract.

AHL Roster

It's at this stage where things get a little murkier, as depending on how many/which NHL roster bubble players make it through waivers could make this list fluctuate a little bit.

Needless to say, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins roster certainly looks deeper on paper than it did last year. The AHL rosters always look good in September and October.

Key: (AHL) = players signed by the Penguins to AHL contracts.

Goaltenders: Joel Blomqvist, Filip Larsson

Defensemen: Owen Pickering, Nate Clurman, Mac Hollowell, Filip Kral, Dan Renouf (AHL) and Scooter Brickey (AHL)

Forwards: Corey Andonovski, Tristan Broz, Marc Johnstone, Avery Hayes (AHL), Jimmy Huntington, Bokondji Imama, Ville Koivunen, Joona Koppanen, Jagger Joshua (AHL), Sam Houde (AHL) and Mathieu De St. Phalle

Rookie Camp Standouts

Avery Hayes is picking up right where he left off from the tail end of last season, scoring at will in the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo over the weekend. (https://insideahlhockey.com/article/hayes-looking-to-build-off-strong-finish-to-2023-24-season)

Tristan Broz and Ville Koivunen got a taste of the AHL postseason, albeit a short stint of two games after getting in some regular season AHL action last spring. The organization has high hopes for both players. (https://insideahlhockey.com/article/broz-koivunen-inserted-directly-into-penguins-playoff-run)

Mathieu De St Phalle also had a good showing at the Prospects Challenge and will aim to make the AHL Penguins roster out of training camp. He can start with a strong first impression this week in main camp amongst NHL players and NHL hopefuls. (https://insideahlhockey.com/article/friday-feature-ten-years-later-de-st-phalle-reunited-with-gruden-as-pros-with-the-penguins)

Scooter Brickey was another prospect who got an AHL contract and joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton late last season after finishing his NCAA career at Ohio State. He had big offensive numbers his final collegiate season, but appeared to be working from the back-end out while trying to acclimate to the pro game last spring. He's another AHL hopeful to make the WBS Penguins opening night roster. (https://insideahlhockey.com/article/brickey-brings-size-offensive-instincts-to-ahl-penguins-blueline)

AHL Roster Depth/Bubble Players

Goaltenders: Sergei Murashov and Taylor Gauthier

Defensemen: Justin Lee, Mats Lindgren and Philip Waugh

Forwards: Atley Calvert, Gabe Klassen, Jack Beck, Logan Pietila and Kyle Jackson

The Tryouts

These players aren't signed to a contract by the Penguins organization, neither NHL or AHL deal, and are looking to earn a job through this camp.

Goaltenders: Charlie Schenkel

Defensemen: Caeden Carlisle, Nikolai Knyzhov (PTO) and Donovan McCoy

Forwards: Justin Cloutier and Beau Jelsma

Beau Jelsma was injured during last weekend's Prospects Challenge, but had a good showing on an amateur tryout with the AHL Penguins last spring and was invited back to Rookie Camp and Main Camp this fall so perhaps an AHL deal is the outcome here.(https://insideahlhockey.com/article/jelsma-looking-to-earn-contract-with-penguins)

A Way Too Early AHL Penguins Roster Projection?

There's always the possibility of an early-season waiver addition/subtraction, or trade - and there's going to be bumps and bruises along the way - but there's a lot of depth built to start the fall for new head coach Kirk MacDonald to work with in his first season at the helm with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Goaltenders (3) : Joel Blomqvist, Filip Larsson and Sergei Murashov

Defensemen (8):

LHD: Nick Shea, Owen Pickering, Filip Kral, Daniel Renouf (AHL) RHD: Jack St. Ivany, Mac Hollowell, Nate Clurman, Scooter Brickey (AHL)

Forwards (15)

Ville Koivunen - Vasily Ponomarev - Valtteri Puustinen Sam Poulin - Jimmy Huntington - Avery Hayes (AHL) Joona Koppanen - Tristan Broz - Corey Andonovski Jagger Joshua (AHL) - Jonathan Gruden - Marc Johnstone Bokindji Imama - Sam Houde (AHL) - Mathieu De St. Phalle (AHL)

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