After ranking the top 100 NHL prospects for 2015-16, and ranking each team by organizational depth, ESPN Insider Corey Pronman ranks the top 10 prospects for each NHL team. Here is his entry for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Extended write-ups on prospects ranked in the top 100 can be accessed here.
Let me be blunt here. Due to the many trades of prospects and picks -- and the graduation of Derrick Pouliot -- there is not a ton to be excited about in the Penguins' system. This is a team that is going for it.
Brian Dumoulin's skating has continued to improve, and combined with his big frame and good offensive IQ, he projects as being able to handle an NHL role. The pure upside on him is a question, as he will be 24 years old at the start of this season. Scott Wilson is a guy I've gone back and forth on the past few seasons, but when I saw him live this season, he was impressive. He can skate, make plays with the puck, and win battles.
Adam Clendening struggled in 2014-15 at times, after being so impressive the previous season (and two organizations ago) in the Chicago system. He has real standout offensive qualities as a puck mover, but his defense and decision making continue to be substantial issues.
Oskar Sundqvist is an interesting player, as he's a big, strong center with skill who can kill penalties, but he has really heavy feet. Those first few steps can be a little painful to watch. Tristan Jarry is a fairly athletic goalie, with quick feet and a strong glove hand. He also has very impressive puck-playing skills. However, his decision-making and reads/reactions leave you wanting, and his save percentage has dipped each of the past two seasons.
Jake Guentzel may not have enough pure upside to get to the NHL, but he shows flashes of the top-level skill and vision that makes you at least see a possibility, even if he's not a dynamic two-way player. Bryan Rust (11th) is a classic low-upside prospect who has fantastic speed and is a tireless worker, but his puck skills and offensive IQ are null. Dominik Simon is a highly skilled but small forward who has been passed over several times, but has shown well during international events. He has a lot of work ahead of him to round out his game.
Noteworthy prospect
Sergei Plotnikov was a great free-agent signing by the Penguins. He's a hard-working power forward with speed and solid puck skills. He could be a top-nine NHL forward, with a decent amount of certainty due to his high-level experience from the KHL and IIHF World Championships. One Russian scout told me Plotnikov could be a top-six forward in the NHL, but I think that is slightly optimistic.
2015-16 impact
Plotnikov will slot in to an everyday spot right away, and Dumoulin or Clendening could play right away in a lower role. I think Wilson has shown he's either ready or close to ready for a bottom-six job. In theory, that's about the extent of it, but if the Penguins get hit with injuries, you're talking about replacement-level guys such as Dominik Uher or Rust getting the call.