Pittsburgh Review

For the third consecutive season, the Pittsburgh Penguins will participate in the annual Prospects Challenge held in Buffalo, New York. The tournament will run from September 13-16 at LECOM Harborcenter.

The Penguins are one of six participating teams along with the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, and Ottawa Senators. Pittsburgh will play three games in total. They will open against the Bruins on September 13 at 12:00 PM, face the Senators on September 14 at 12:00 PM, and conclude the tournament against the host Sabres on September 16 at 5:00 PM.

Pittsburgh’s roster will consist of 25 players made up of 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders. The full roster can be viewed here.

Headlining the Penguins’ roster are recent first-round draft picks Brayden Yager (2023, 14th overall) and Owen Pickering (2022, 21st overall). Appearing in game action for the first time in a Penguins sweater are Pittsburgh’s pair of 2024 second-round draft picks Harrison Brunicke (2024, 44th overall) and Tanner Howe (2024, 46th overall). Other notable prospects include NCAA Champion Tristan Broz (2021, 58th overall), newly-signed goaltender Sergei Murashov (2022, 118th overall), and ECHL Goaltender of the Year Taylor Gauthier.

Forwards Vasily Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen, acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in March, will also attend the Prospects Challenge.

Several players who played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League last season are also on Pittsburgh’s Prospects Challenge roster. These include forwards Avery Hayes, Mathieu De St. Phalle, Logan Pietila and Beau Jelsma; and defensemen Isaac Belliveau and Scooter Brickey.