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As General Manager Kyle Dubas does that careful dance between squeezing out the final years of the Sidney Crosby era and rebuilding the franchise’s deeper, more solid structural layers, the 2026–27 season feels like the real hinge. After a 2025–26 run that put Pittsburgh back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the front office is trying to connect that Hall of Fame experience with a newer core of early-20s prospects who are starting to look ready for larger opportunities.
And if there’s major roster churn coming this offseason especially in net and among the middle-six winger spots then a few young names are set up to see bigger roles, more ice time, and chances to break out statistically, not just develop quietly.
Rutger McGroarty: The “Future Top-Six” Power Forward
The 22-year-old forward is often described as one of the most NHL-ready offensive pieces in Pittsburgh’s pipeline. After strong upward movement with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL, McGroarty got an NHL look during the 2025–26 season while working in limited minutes and under the hood though, his AHL production and underlying trends still point toward legitimate upside, so it no longer feels like he’s waiting on the minors to figure things out.
His breakout case for 2026–27 is tied closely to possible lineup openings. The coaching staff is evaluating potential shakeups, including possible movement involving veteran wingers, to speed up the youth infusion. If that happens, the natural landing spot is top-six minutes, and McGroarty is one of the first names connected to that possibility and his game is physical around the net, he’s comfortable in front of goal, plus he’s solid at protecting the puck. Put him next to a more cerebral center like Crosby or Evgeni Malkin and suddenly it becomes a cleaner offensive fit. That’s the reason he could plausibly push toward a strong breakout scoring season.
Sergei Murashov: The Soon-to-Be Answer Between the Pipes
Pittsburgh’s goalie depth chart is heading toward a significant structural rewrite this summer, which opens a clearer runway for 22-year-old Russian prospect Sergei Murashov. During last season in the AHL he split time, but still put together strong numbers and continued building his reputation as one of the organization’s more intriguing goaltending prospects.
Dubas has publicly mentioned internal competition among the organization’s younger goaltenders, with Murashov expected to battle for NHL opportunities alongside Joel Blomqvist and other depth options. Murashov comes in with a high developmental ceiling. He’s shown tracking that looks advanced, and his positioning appears calm and repeatable, which helps reduce dangerous rebound situations. If he puts together a strong training camp, then a path toward NHL starts or a shared workload role becomes realistic. That’s why he profiles as a serious dark-horse rookie candidate capable of helping stabilize Pittsburgh’s defensive baseline.
Ben Kindel: Moving Up Into Real Top-Six Usage
Ben Kindel remains one of the more interesting young offensive names connected to Pittsburgh’s future plans. Early evaluations of his game have highlighted his hockey IQ and passing instincts, and those traits continue showing up consistently in transition play and offensive-zone reads and when he’s on the ice, there are usually positive offensive indicators that suggest the pace of play tends to move in the right direction around him.
For next season, Pittsburgh could continue raising Kindel into larger offensive situations if his development keeps progressing. If he eventually settles into a permanent top-six role beside established finishers, then it becomes a much better environment for his spatial awareness and distributor-style passing. If he adds the right physical mass over the offseason, so he can survive tougher defensive matchups against top pairings then his playmaking toolbox could translate into legitimate long-term offensive production rather than occasional flashes.
Harrison Brunicke: The Right-Side Answer for the Long Run
On the blue line, 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke looks ready to become a more consistent part of Pittsburgh’s long-term plans on the right side. He briefly appeared at the NHL level before returning to junior and developmental competition to continue refining his structure and defensive details. More recently, his work in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s playoff environment has continued pushing his prospect profile upward.
Brunicke’s appeal is his smoother skating and modern transition style. That matches the higher-tempo system the coaching staff appears to want. The financial side matters too, because Pittsburgh could eventually need younger and more cost-effective defensive depth options around veteran stars like Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. Over the last 12 months Brunicke’s physical growth and improved gap control have looked noticeable. If that development continues, then meaningful NHL deployment could become realistic without turning defensive stability into a major concern.
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