Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen undoubtedly left a strong first impression with the NHL club this past season. In eight games with Pittsburgh to finish the year, the 22-year-old forward recorded seven assists. This included ending the season on a five-game point streak, where he recorded six helpers over that span.

Koivunen certainly earned his late-season call-up from Pittsburgh, too, as he impressed big time with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 63 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he recorded 21 goals, 35 assists, 56 points, and a plus-2 rating. Overall, it was a strong first full season in North America for Koivunen, and he certainly created more hype surrounding him in the process.

With how well Koivunen kicked off his NHL career with the Penguins this past season, there is no question that he is one of the Penguins' biggest breakout candidates heading into 2025-26. When taking a look at the Penguins' roster, the young forward should compete for a spot in their top six and also get power-play time. Thus, the possibility of him hitting a new level with the Penguins next season is absolutely there. 

It will be fascinating to see what kind of campaign Koivunen can have with the Penguins from here. There is no question that he has the potential to emerge as a very good NHL player, and he very well could cement himself as just that in 2025-26. 

Penguins Have Intriguing Target To Consider From BlackhawksThe Pittsburgh Penguins are currently in the middle of retooling their roster. Due to this, a number of their veteran players have been discussed in the rumor mill this off-season, including Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson. 

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