Penguins Recall Multiple Top Prospects

The Pittsburgh Penguins are giving new cracks at the NHL to a pair of their top forward prospects.

Oct 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (2) reacts during player introductions before making his NHL debut against the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins don’t have much left to play for to close out the 2024-25 season, so giving a few top prospects a shot at the NHL seems like a viable option. With eight games remaining, the Penguins have recalled top forward prospects Ville Koivunen and and Rutger McGroarty.

Koivunen and McGroarty have been offensive leaders in the Penguins pipeline, helping one of the American Hockey League’s (AHL) top teams already clinch a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Penguins have recalled forwards Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty from the @WBSPenguins (AHL).
 
Forward Joona Koppanen has been re-assigned to WBS. pic.twitter.com/hwgRFRIz19

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 28, 2025

In 62 games played with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Koivunen leads the team with 55 points (21G-34A). His 55 points are good for sixth in the entire AHL and is looking forward to possibly making his NHL debut with the Penguins.

Originally a second-round draft pick (51st overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes, Koivunen made his way to Pittsburgh in the Jake Guentzel trade last season.

The Penguins acquired McGroarty over the offseason in a deal that sent Brayden Yager to the Winnipeg Jets. McGroarty started the 2024-25 season on the Penguins NHL roster, but it was clear he needed time at the AHL level to find a rhythm in professional hockey.

McGroarty spent the 2023-24 season finishing his college career with the University of Michigan. The Jets selected McGroarty 14th overall in the 2022 Draft.

In three NHL games to kick off the 2024-25 season, McGroarty didn’t score a point and was a minus-one. In 60 games with the WBS Penguins, however, McGroarty has 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 total points.

Since February 15, however, no one on the WBS roster has been more productive than McGroarty. He’s notched 18 points in that time, two more than Koivunen.

The Penguins are building something special in their pipeline. With the final days of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin around the corner, they’ll need to rely on their budding prospect pool to guide them into the future.

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