Penguins Prospect Check-in: Injuries, returns and more – Hockey Writers – Pittsburgh Penguins
As the calendar nears FlishPipping to December, the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to stay in the Eastern Conference. While the NHL team is looking for continued success, its partner of American hockey, Wilkes-Barre / Skrola, is a great success so far, thanks in part to other hopes of the organization. Along with that comes the success of other hopes at different levels.
Injuries hit two 2025 draft picks
The Penguins had three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, and they took three forwards with those picks. Included in that TRIO was Pick 22 by Bill Zonnon. Zonnon was a bad prospect who was released from the closer station all season, and there was a lot of excitement about what he could do in his post-partum year. But he couldn’t stay on the ice but for two games of the blainville-boisbrian armada of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He missed training camp with the Penguins with a knee injury before finally making his return to the ice with Armada 1, before getting injured again. The second injury has not been ruled out, and he is not expected to play until sometime in December. To say the time of the season did not reach the beginning he or the penguins were hoping that it is less than less. There is hope that he can return to full health and show the form that makes him a first round pick.
Another 2025 picked up an injury, with Pick-Round Pick Peyton Kettles getting shoulder surgery that will keep him out six to seven months starting in November. It was hoped that the kettles could help the keeper of the 2026 Memorial Cup, the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League (WHL), become major players in the last-of-the-sose junior career. He was acquired by the Rockets from the speedy Broncos earlier in the season. Davidenman signed his entry-level contract (ELC) with the Penguins following an injury and subsequent surgery, leading many to believe he would be due at least in Wilkes-Barre.
McGroary is back with a vengeance
Entering training camp this season, there was hope that Rutger McGroarty, who spent two separate seasons with the Penguins last season, could be a fixture in the NHL lineup. Unfortunately he was injured before the season could start and he just came back to play with Wilkes-Barre / Skrolon in November and he looks very good, and the speed looks very good, and he looks stronger than he did last time.
If he can continue to play at the level he has since his return, McRoaty should easily push for the NHL before long. After being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets for Brayden Yager in 2024, there were high hopes for a first-round pick, and it looks like he’s getting closer to helping those hopes and expectations.
The breakout seasons continue
The penguins have seen their few opportunities continue to break through the seasons with their existing teams. They have consistently had successful round picks in their draft class, all making big impacts. Starting with Ryan Miller, pick fifteen. Miller had a breakout season with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. He has taken his offensive game to the next level and has been a good fit for the Winterhawks. The highlight of most of them has always been his ability to play. He currently sits in the top 10 in the whl with 23 assists, while adding another seven goals. He is currently on an 18-Game Pecking Streak. One of the most impressive prospects in the Penguins’ program is Jordan Charron. Charron picked up his game and took it to the next level after being drafted in the fifth round. He has been a force on the offensive end of the soo greyhound season and helped carry the load when Brady Martin was with the Nashville Raiders.
Related: Always hoping for an NHL team standing in 2025-26
At the combined level, the Penguins have two of the top five prospects in the NCAA in points. I-2025 PICH WOKUQALA I-HORCOFF YOKUQALA IQHAWE UKUZE UQEQESHE UKUZE UQEQESHE UKUZE UQEQESHE UKUZE UMCULO WAMAKHAYA WAMAHHALA KANYE NAMANDLA WAKHE NGOKUGCINA KAKHULU NGOKUPHAKATHI KWEZOBUCHWEPHESHE BOKWELAHLE. His scoring ability is on full display, leading to an NCAA-leading 17 games. On the flip side, 2022 TICK-Round Zam Plante has been the University of Minnesota-Dluluth’s leading scorer this season and is tied with Horcoff in scoring with 24 points. He has been more of a playmaker than the backbone of the goal this season and has been impressive.
The success of hope gives more hope for the future
With the prospects mentioned above, combined with prospects like Mikhail Ilsin, Sergey Murashov, and others who have started to arrive this season, there is a lot of hope for the future of the Penguins. With the 2026 world junior championship (WJC) just around the corner, the organization can see their few hopes in consolidating their home countries’ good fortunes. The team has already seen nine NHL-leading rookies make their debuts, with Tristan Broz, Benjamin Undel and Murashov being three of those players. The future remains bright for general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas and the penguins.
