The Pittsburgh Penguins are hopeful that goaltender Joel Blomqvist will become a long-term answer for them between the pipes. It is understandable, as the 23-year-old has shown promise at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins early on in his career.
During the 2023-24 season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he had a 25-12-6 record, a .921 save percentage, and a 2.16 goals-against average. He followed that up with an 8-7-3 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.84 goals-against average this past season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He also played in his first 15 games with Pittsburgh in 2024-25, recording a 4-9-1 record, a .885 save percentage, and a 3.81 goals-against average.
Due to his strong AHL play and solid upside, Blomqvist has now gotten some praise. In a recent article for NHL.com, Kevin Woodley ranked the 10 best goalies who are under 25, and Blomqvist secured the final spot on the list.
When noting that Blomqvist has the potential to emerge as an NHL starting goalie, it makes sense that he made Woodley's list. The Finnish netminder has been a very good goalie at the AHL level, and he should only improve as he continues to get more experience with Pittsburgh moving forward.
Overall, it is hard not to feel optimistic about Blomqvist's future. It will be interesting to see what kind of season he can put together in 2025-26 from here.
NHL Trade Rumors: Penguins' Bryan Rust Linked To 3 TeamsPittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is one of the NHL's top trade candidates right now. With the Penguins retooling, the 33-year-old winger would have the potential to land them a significant return if they decided to trade him.
Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Read the full article here