Pittsburgh Penguins: Top 10 prospects entering 2019

The Pittsburgh Penguins don’t have much depth in their prospect pipeline, but the 2019 draft saw them add some much-needed skill. Here’s a look at their top 10 prospects.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a model of consistency in the NHL, which is a league filled with parity. They have missed only one postseason in the salary cap era and have made 13 straight. This is a blessing and a curse. On the bright side, it means the Penguins have had a ton of success. But on the other side, their prospect pipeline has been the sacrificial lamb.

It’s hard to find good prospects when you consistently draft low in each round and when you’re constantly trading picks and prospects for players. Despite the odds being stacked against them, the Penguins have been able to find some diamonds in the rough, such as Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel.

Their pipeline desperately needed talent, especially after some of their best prospects either graduated or got traded. The Penguins didn’t have many draft picks in the 2019 draft, but they managed to add two guys who should help.

Before I begin, let me clarify my definition of a prospect. For me, a prospect is anyone who is under 25 years old (as of the start of the season) and has yet to play in 25 NHL games in a single season or 40 in any two consecutive seasons. As an example, Teddy Blueger doesn’t qualify, as he turns 25 in August and he played in 28 games. Neither does Tristan Jarry, as he appeared in 26 games during the 2017-18 season.

I like separating the goalies from the skaters because it’s much harder to evaluate goalies than skaters. So why bother comparing the two? Let’s take a look at the Penguins best young goaltenders.

Goaltenders

1. Emil Larmi

Acquired: Undrafted (signed in June of 2019)

Age: 22 (turns 23 in September)

Stats: 36 games, 1.94 GAA, .909% save percentage; 18 postseason games, 1.72 GAA, .932% save percentage (HPK, Liiga)

Emil Larmi will likely be coming over to North America this season after a very good year in Finland. He helped HPK win the league title and is by far the Penguins most decorated goaltending prospect. Of course, by my definition, there are only two. But I digress.

While he’s only 6 feet tall, which is small for a goaltender, he’s compact in the crease and he’s athletic. Larmi has had success in one of the world’s most competitive professional hockey leagues. The Penguins have had good luck with undrafted goalies before – look no further than Casey DeSmith. Larmi could be their next hidden gem.

2. Alex D’orio

Acquired: Undrafted (signed in 2017)

Age: 20

Stats: 26 games, 4.48 GAA, .883% save percentage (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL); 23 games, 2.55 GAA, .899% save percentage; 7 playoff games, 2.47 GAA, .910% save percentage (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL); 1 game, 5.01 GAA, .848% save percentage (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL)

It was hard to evaluate Alex D’orio because the Saint John Sea Dogs were bad in front of him. He did better with Baie-Comeau Drakkar, but again, his save percentage wasn’t that great. D’orio is big and athletic, but he really has to improve his positioning. He also has a tendency to flop around a bit much, making him prone to high shots.

D’orio is very young, tall, and athletic. That’s all he’s got going for him right now, but those are three good traits to have if you’re a goaltender.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the Penguins top 10 prospects.

10. Jan Drozg

Acquired: 2017 fifth-round pick

Age: 20

Position: Left Wing

Stats: 60 games, 21 goals, 41 assists, 62 points; 6 postseason games, 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points (Shawinigan Cataractes, QMJHL); 2 games, 0 points (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL)

Jan Drozg averaged over a point per game on an otherwise mediocre Shawnigan squad. He led the team in points and assists during the regular season and postseason. Drozg also finished second in goals. Shawnigan only scored 188 goals during the regular season, so he played a part in a shade under one-third of their goals.

His defensive game is definitely a work in progress. That’s something the Penguins are hoping he improves in the AHL, where he will likely play next season. Drozg is intriguing on offense. He’s good at beating guys one on one and he has shown he can drive a line as a wing, even if it was just in juniors.

Drozg has overcome a lot to get to this point. The Slovenian forward had to adjust to a French-speaking city and did so seamlessly. Drozg has the mental makeup necessary to overcome obstacles. I usually don’t care about that stuff too much, but I think it’s relevant here. Things aren’t always going to be easy. Drozg has shown he can have success in the face of adversity.

His offense could make him a decent top-nine (third-line) forward, but he will have to improve his two-way play to do it.

9. Kasper Björkqvist

Acquired: 2016 second-round pick

Age: 22

Position: Right Wing/Left Wing

Stats: 42 games, 17 goals,13 assists, 30 points (Providence College, NCAA)

It took Kasper Björkqvist a bit to show his potential, but he finally did last season. He finished fourth on the team in points and earned himself an entry-level deal, which he signed in May. Björkqvist will likely be heading to either the ECHL or AHL.

He has what it takes to be a decent depth forward. Björkqvist is an energetic player who can be tenacious when pursuing the puck. However, I still haven’t seen much out of him with the puck that would make me suggest he’s got the tools to stick in the NHL full-time.

Björkqvist, does, however, have his penalty killing. I really like him there. If deployed properly on an aggressive penalty kill, he could do some damage with his skating and tenacity. This makes me think Björkqvist could fit on the Penguins fourth line, but that’s going to be his ceiling.

I’m not a big fan of “character”, but it’s worth noting that he was his team captain back in college. Björkqvist has always been a good two-way forward. The Penguins are hoping his offensive uptick last season is a sign of things to come.

8. Jordy Bellerive

Acquired: Undrafted

Age: 20

Position: Center

Stats: 68 games played, 33 goals, 50 assists, 83 points, 7 postseason games, 8 points (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL)

Jordy Bellerive had an offseason to forget last summer. He was involved in a bonfire accident that left him very injured. Bellerive made a surprisingly quick recovery and was able to have a successful WHL season.

His character is off the charts. Not only is Bellerive tough, but he’s also a leader. The Hurricanes named him their captain for two straight seasons, which is impressive. Bellerive didn’t dominate like you’d expect an older player to in the WHL, but given the circumstances, he had a very good season.

Having a full offseason should be great for Bellerive, as he will most likely be in the AHL next season. He has yet to prove he can hang with older players, so keep an eye on him for next season.

Bellerive can get pucks on net, which should serve him well. The Penguins love offensively-minded forwards. His hockey IQ isn’t quite at Jake Guentzel’s level, but he’s good at getting open. The Penguins need to work with Bellerive on his shot because, with his ability to generate them, he has the potential to be a 20+ goal scorer in the NHL.

At worst, he should be a valuable depth forward. His ceiling is right around a top-nine forward.

7. Sam Miletic

Acquired: Undrafted

Age: 22

Position: Left wing

Stats: 49 games, 12 goals, 23 assists, 35 points (Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, AHL)

Sam Miletic had a terrific first season in the AHL. He was one of the Penguins leading scorers in the AHL, placing sixth on the team in points. Furthermore, Miletic ranked among the top skaters on the team as far as points per game.

I’m not sold he’s an NHL player, though. Miletic’s skating is very underwhelming. However, he has enough skill to get by despite his bad skating. Furthermore, Miletic has a high hockey IQ. His offensive awareness allows him to create space and see things before they develop.

He also has to work on being more consistent. For example, Miletic had six points in his first six games. He proceeded to be held off the score sheet in his next seven games. Miletic wasn’t that noticeable when he wasn’t scoring. He’s going to have to improve his two-way play in order to find ways to contribute when he’s not on the score sheet.

Also, Miletic isn’t a physical player. So he’s going to have to work around that. On paper, Miletic had a great first season in the AHL. But once you dig deeper, there are still some concerns. That said, I think he’s the Penguins most NHL-ready forward prospect. His ceiling is low, though.

6. Justin Almeida

Acquired: 2018 fifth-round pick

Age: 20

Position: Center

Stats: 64 games, 33 goals, 78 assists, 111 points, 4 postseason games, 0 points (Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL)

Justin Almeida could be a late-round gem for the Penguins. They drafted him when he was 19 years old. Almeida rewarded them with an outstanding season, putting up 111 points. Yes, he did it when he was one of the older players in the WHL. But still, Almeida showed off his offensive upside.

Most importantly, he had a 111 point season despite playing most of the season with a hurt shoulder. Almeida was virtually invisible in the postseason, but I’ll give him a pass for two reasons. Firstly, most of his team was invisible – they only scored eight goals in four games. Secondly, Almeida’s injury was starting to nag him.

He’s not the best skater, so he’ll have to improve there. I think adding some strength to his frame would definitely help. Almeida’s overall game didn’t impress me, but then again, when you can drive offense like he can, you can justify his warts. His defense worries me, but he’s got the skill to make up for it.

I think he has the upside of a top-nine scoring forward. If paired with the right players, I could see him being a serviceable top-six forward. Almedia will likely be making the jump to the AHL this season and I’m excited to see how he does.

5. Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Acquired: Phil Kessel trade (2017 first-round pick of the Coyotes)

Age: 20

Position: Defensemen

Stats: 27 games, 7 goals, 18 assists, 25 points (Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL); 35 games, 2 goals, 20 assists, 22 points; 16 postseason games, 2 goals, 7 assists, 9 points (Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL)

Pierre-Olivier Joseph has impressive physical tools. He’s a very mobile skater who can push the puck up the ice. Furthermore, Joseph has experience playing during all situations. His offensive production, while not stellar, is still quite solid. Joseph has also demonstrated strong leadership abilities.

However, his hockey IQ isn’t great. Joseph hasn’t figured out how to use his physical tools to the best of his ability. His production hasn’t quite added up to what it should be at this point. Joseph also lacks strength (he’s just 161 pounds) and, though he’s mobile, his stride is a bit too high-energy for me. Gaining some muscle mass could help.

Joseph will likely max out as a good third-pairing defenseman. His tools are impressive, but he has yet to show he knows how to use them. However, the Penguins have had success getting the most out of defensemen similar to Joseph. He’s got the tools to have success, he just needs to figure out how to use them. I think the Penguins can help him with that.

The 2019-20 season will be an important one for him.

4. Filip Hallander

Acquired: 2018 second-round pick

Age: 19

Position: Center/Left Wing

Stats: 45 games, 7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points; 7 relegation games, 5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points (Timrå IK, SHL)

Filip Hallander was on a team that won only 10 games all season. Yet he was one of their most impressive players, finishing sixth on the team in points. Hallander also had the second-best plus-minus rating on the team among players who played at least 40 games.

He was in a bad situation, yet emerged as one of their best forwards. Hallander saw quite a bit of time on Timra’s top forward line and, by the end of the season, was trusted during all situations. Most young players would be discouraged by that situation, but Hallander found ways to improve.

What’s exciting is he’ll be playing on a better team in 2019-20. Timra got sent down a tier in Sweden, but Hallander got traded to Lulea HF, which is in the SHL. This means we’ll be able to get a much better read on how close to being NHL ready he is.

Hallander is a great skater and I like his two-way play. It’s a bit unfair to try to judge his offense, but I think with better linemates, his production would improve quite a bit. I’m not sold he’s a center, though I admittedly didn’t get to see him much there last season. Hallander stood out to me as a wing and I’m betting he’s good enough defensively to at least be worth a look down the middle.

He has a high floor, as he’s already proven he can be an effective player in a competitive professional league. Hallander has the potential to be a top-six forward, though he’d be more of a complimentary one.

3. Nathan Legare

Acquired: 2019 third-round pick

Age: 18

Position: Right Wing

Stats: 68 games, 45 goals, 42 assists, 87 points, 7 postseason games, 3 goals, 1 assists, 4 points (Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL)

Nathan Legare could be a very nice forward for the Penguins. He was one of the top goal scorers in the QMJHL, placing third overall in goals scored and was tied for eighth in points. Legare was the top goal scorer on a team that finished among the top scoring teams in the QMJHL.

He reminds me a lot of Jake Guentzel. While Legare isn’t quite as smart as him, I think his shot is better. He has the unique ability to find open space and get to it before everyone else. I’m not impressed with his skating, but he’s good enough to stick with his skill.

Legare’s two-way play is a bit underwhelming, but he’s still very young and I definitely saw improvement last year. Also, he’s going to be a goal scorer, so don’t worry about his two-way play. I’d be willing to bet Legare will outscore any of his deficiencies.

For what it’s worth, his defensive struggles weren’t effort related. Legare certainly tried hard, but still got caught out of position quite a bit. Still, I liked what I saw and I think with good coaching, Legare will learn. He’s a bit of a project, but I think he has top-six forward potential, especially if he can continue to score goals.

2. Calen Addison

Acquired: 2018 second-round pick

Age: 19

Position: Defense

Stats: 67 games, 11 goals, 54 assists, 65 points, 7 postseason games, 2 goals, 7 assists, 9 points (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL)

Calen Addison is a modern defenseman. He’s not big, as he’s just 5’11”. Nor will Addison be prone to dishing out bone-crushing hits. However, he’s very skilled and mobile. Addison is coming off two consecutive 65 point seasons, averaging a shade under a point per game as a defenseman. That’s pretty impressive.

Addison excels in transition, as he’s good at getting the puck up the ice quickly. He makes quick decisions in the defensive zone. But at the same time, if there’s an opening for him to take the puck up the ice himself, he’s not afraid to do it. That kind of fearlessness should serve Addison well.

He still has to work on his defense because he’ll have to rely on his stick rather than his size to create turnovers. Like many skilled defensemen, Addison also has the tendency to hang onto the puck a bit too much. But that’s something that tends to improve with age.

Addison should be the top defenseman for the Hurricanes next season, which will help his two-way game improve. His ceiling is quite high, as I could see him being a top-four defenseman.