With a 2-1 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially fell out of a playoff position for the first time in the 2025-26 season.
And after a spectacular month of October - when they went 8-2-2 - November has not treated them kindly.
Pittsburgh is now 2-4-3 in November, and they have blown leads in five of those games. Maybe it's a bit extreme to say that the Penguins are in free fall, but it's safe to say that if they don't stop the bleeding soon, things could get ugly really quickly - especially with a gauntlet coming up in December.
And a large reason they're bleeding in the first place is because of their injury situation. The Penguins are without the likes of three top-nine players in Rickard Rakell, Justin Brazeau, and Ville Koivunen as well as a reliable fourth-line piece in Noel Acciari, which has dried up their scoring depth and their depth in general.
Players like Connor Dewar and Kevin Hayes - ideally, bottom-six players - have been placed in top-six roles but haven't yet been able to account for the production lost from Rakell and Brazeau. Scoring is a legitimate problem for the Penguins right now, and they desperately need a jolt.
And that's exactly why it's time for the Penguins to pull the trigger and give some of their top young forward prospects a look.
As a disclaimer, it's - of course - not guaranteed that these young players would come up and provide any more production than the players currently on the roster. It's hardly fair to expect young players - especially ones with little to no NHL experience - to make an immediate impact.
Takeaways: Penguins Lose Heartbreaker To Seattle Kraken, Fall Out Of Playoff PositionAfter a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/takeaways-penguins-no-show-in-5-0-loss-to-minnesota-wild">disappointing effort in a 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild</a> on Friday, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' young goaltender Sergei Murashov declared that the team would come out much better on Saturday.
However, in this case, it's not just about the production. It's also about the youthful legs and the energy that some of these guys can bring. The Penguins have been outskated during large stretches of these last nine games, and they look a touch slower. Having younger guys in the mix can only help to provide a spark.
And the three most likely candidates - in this case - are center Tristan Broz, right wing Avery Hayes, and right/left wing Rutger McGroarty.
It's possible that the Penguins could have two roster spots open up as early as this week. Forward Philip Tomasino was waived Wednesday and cleared, so he is eligible to be re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS). In addition, there is possibly a looming AHL conditioning stint ahead for 19-year-old rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke, which would open up an NHL roster spot for up to 14 days.
Using those two roster spots on two of the above players may just be what the Penguins need right now.
Penguins' Rookie Defenseman Eligible For AHL StintIt has been exactly two weeks since <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke dressed for a game day.
Broz, 23, is off to a good start with WBS, as he has eight goals and 13 points in 18 games. He has played most of the season as WBS's first-line center, and his versatility could really help the NHL club right now. He is defensively responsible, can play on both special teams units, and - most importantly - can put the puck in the back of the net.
Avery Hayes - who shares a birthday with Broz - has three goals and six points in 12 AHL games this season, and he just returned from injury. He impressed in training camp and saw time alongside Sidney Crosby, and his north-south style, forechecking ability, and habit of crashing the net could provide the right kind of spark for the Penguins.
And then, there's McGroarty. This one is a little tougher, as he missed all of training camp and the first month and a half of the season with an upper-body injury. However - in his two games back in WBS - he hasn't looked a step behind, as he has two impressive goals in two games and even looks a step faster than he was in a five-game sample at the end of last season.
Rutger McGroarty with a beauty of a shorty #ProBluepic.twitter.com/PfpeOA8Sa0
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) November 23, 2025
Penguins Prospect Rutger McGroarty Scores Game-Winning Goal For WBS On SaturdayRutger McGroarty scored his second goal of the 2025-26 AHL season on Saturday.GM/POHO Kyle Dubas has said that the Penguins are going to take their time with McGroarty and easing him back into the fold, as he is an important piece for their future. But, if McGroarty shows he is ready for NHL action now, would it be something for the Penguins to consider? He would likely be an immediate upgrade in the top-six, and - like Broz - his ability to play on both special teams units effectively is a big plus.
At the end of the day, this team as is simply isn't getting it done right now. And the Penguins may not be able to tread water much longer without some of the top players in their lineup.
So they need to consider making some changes in short order to get back on track. They need some new life, and bringing some young blood into the fold could provide them the exact kind of spark they need to hold them over until they start to get healthy again.
Penguins' Prospect Continues Scoring Dominance In NCAAUp to this point, the 2025-26 season has been a good one for <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' prospects.
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