One day after getting the call to the big club, yet another Pittsburgh Penguins' rookie is set to make his NHL debut.
On Tuesday, Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that forward Tristan Broz - recalled Monday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - will make his NHL debut Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. He will be the ninth rookie to play in a game for the Penguins this season, which is the highest mark in the league.
And the 23-year-old from River Falls, Wisc. will have an entire cohort of family and friends supporting him.
"A bunch of family," Broz said. "My parents, my two sisters, all four of my grandparents, my mom's sister and her family... then I got, like, five buddies coming in, too.
"It's really cool. I think that will be the coolest moment is seeing those guys and sharing it with them."
Despite a strong training camp, the Penguins elected to have Broz start his season in the AHL, where he's registered eight goals and 13 points in 18 games. He was scoring at a 32-goal pace prior to his call-up, and the University of Denver product has seen his goal production increase year over year and as he has climbed levels of hockey from the NCAA to the professional game.
While an increase in goal-scoring doesn't happen for every player as they advance through rising levels of hockey, it has for Broz. And he credits a lot of that to his teammates.
“I think I’ve gotten a lot more reps on my shot and just in game situations of knowing where to go," Broz said. "And then, you also play with better linemates and better teammates every level you go up to. So, it helps if guys make really good plays, and I think that’s a big part of it as well.”
'It's A Dream Come True': Penguins' Prospect Tristan Broz Grateful For Those Inolved In Journey To NHLWhen a media scrum formed around <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' forward prospect Tristan Broz - just <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-top-forward-prospect-recalled-from-ahl">recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Monday morning</a> - after practice, something a bit unusual happened.
And one of the guys who has helped with that finishing ability is Ville Koivunen, who was placed on IR Nov. 16 and appears to be primed for a return to the lineup. He was flanking Broz's left during line rushes Tuesday and was a full participant in practice, even if his status remains up-in-the-air for Wednesday's game. And they displayed a lot of chemistry in WBS last season as well as in a short sample this season.
If he does get the chance to play alongside Koivunen and Novak - both guys he's had a fair amount of experience with - it could make things a bit easier in terms of his NHL adjustment.
"For sure, yeah. Ville’s always a guy, from the first time I played with him, that I’ve really enjoyed playing with just because he’s so skilled," Broz said. "And me and him, I think, can play off each other pretty well. Same with Tommy as well. I’ve [skated] with him in the summer for, like, the last four summers, and we’re always on the same team in the summer, too.
Pittsburgh's 2021 second-round pick (58th overall) Tristan Broz will make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Sabres.
— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) November 25, 2025
Broz will be the ninth rookie to suit up for the @penguins this season, which is the most in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/HAyU2KOx8t
"So, it’s nice to have two guys that you already have some chemistry with, and I think that will make things a lot easier for me.”
Koivunen agrees that their established chemistry should bode well for them.
"It's a lot of fun to play with him, of course," Koivunen said. "We played a lot together last year. He's a great player, he's great with the puck, and he wins some battles, too. And he plays a lot as a skillful player. So, I've waited a lot to see him play [here]."
While Broz is obviously excited to share his NHL debut with his friends and family who will be in attendance, he also took a moment to appreciate how special it is that he gets to debut alongside guys like Koivunen, goaltender Sergei Murashov, and Joona Koppanen, as they've - in a way - grown together in their NHL journeys.
The Early Returns On Sergei Murashov Are Encouraging Sergei Murashov has only played in two NHL games, but he has looked really good. The timing of youth arriving in Pittsburgh has largely coincided, and it speaks to not only how much talent the Penguins have on the brink of making an NHL impact, but also to how close growing into the NHL experience together has made this group of young players.
"It’s so cool," Broz said. "I mean, I took Sergei out to dinner last night. I owed him dinner from last year. We did a shootout competition, and he smoked me pretty good. So, I owed him dinner last night.
"And, yeah, we were just talking about [this]. Like, it’s so cool just almost going through all the levels, and he’s, obviously, so stoic and such a cool guy to talk to. But I was telling him how it was hard also to not look back at the journey that has been, and I think it’s so cool to share it with those guys. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Penguins' Injured Goaltender, Forward Full Participants In PracticeIt appears a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' netminder - and one of their young forwards - is one step closer to his return to game action.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!