It’s officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more – and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system.
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This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
Defenseman Tomas Galvas came in at No. 11 on our list, as his offensive upside has top-four potential. As we transition into the top-10 on our list, we look at a center whose bad injury luck is, really, the only reason he hasn’t found himself in a more full-time NHL role up to this point.
No. 10: C Tristan Broz
Yes, this is a different order from the one shared on our episode of the Pucks N’at Podcast last week. Putting out a rankings list of Penguins’ prospects is no easy task nowadays, and sometimes, minds are changed after more thought.
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So, here, we begin our top-10 this year with center prospect Tristan Broz.
It has been a trying two years for Broz, who was selected 58th overall by the Penguins in 2021. In the midst of a solid 2024-25 campaign, Broz contracted mononucleosis and missed nearly two months of action, with the long recovery process not doing him any favors, either. Last season, two different injuries limited him to 47 AHL games last year and stunted any NHL call-up opportunities.
If Broz and the Penguins had it their way the past two years, the 23-year-old would already have a much more sizable NHL sample rather than just one game, which came on Nov. 26, 2025 against the Buffalo Sabres. So far, it hasn’t panned out that way.
But if Broz manages to remain healthy this season, he could quickly become a regular part of the NHL lineup, and he should be one of the prospects vying for a roster spot during training camp this season.
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Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects 2026, No. 11: Newly Drafted Defenseman Has High IntrigueNext up on THN’s Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects list at No. 11 is a left blueliner new to the system who has shown some pretty high offensive upside and who could fill a glaring positional need for the Penguins in the future.
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During the 2025-26 AHL regular season – despite all the missed time – Broz registered 16 goals and 39 points. He also went on to be WBS’s leading scorer in the Calder Cup Playoffs with three goals and 11 points im 15 playoff games.
Broz is excellent on the penalty kill. He’s effective on the power play. He’s very conscientious, coordinated, and clean defensively. He can score goals and has a nice release. He can create. He can distribute. Really, there’s not much Broz can’t do, and his true all-around, two-way skillset makes him someone who should, theoretically, have a pretty high floor.
Of course, the question with Broz, like many young players transitioning full-time into the NHL, is whether or not he can distribute, create, score, and defend at NHL speed. He seems well-adjusted in terms of his transition to every level of hockey so far – including from the NCAA with the University of Denver to the AHL – but the NHL is a completely different beast.
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But Broz has a head on his shoulders, and his cerebral play should serve him well. He may not have the highest ceiling of anyone in the system, but he’s a pretty sure bet to be a full-time NHL player at worst.
Honestly, it was a tough decision to place him as low as he is on this list because he has the tools and the talent to be an effective NHL third-line center. He played as a winger in college, and he’s still learning a lot at the center position. And, even if he doesn’t pan out as a full-time NHL center, playing wing should open up even more offensive opportunity for him. But the fact that he’s as injury-prone as he is brought him down a few notches.
Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects 2026, No. 12: Wildcard Forward Has Potential To Keep Climbing NHL Ladder
Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects 2026, No. 12: Wildcard Forward Has Potential To Keep Climbing NHL LadderNext up on THN’s Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects list at No. 12 is a player whose unconventional path resembles that of a longtime Penguins’ veteran – and who looks like he could be a really solid piece of the team’s forward unit as soon as this season.
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So, what’s next for Broz? Well, given that he turns 24 this season, he’s at the point where he needs to make the most of his NHL minutes, even if some of that time has been robbed by injury already. If and when he is given an opportunity this season, look for Broz to make a whole lot of the right plays and the right reads and for him to be a responsible, reliable player in all three zones.
And, hey, even if the NHL roster space is a crowded place right now, never say never during training camp. Broz was probably good enough to make the team out of camp last season, so it’s safe to assume he’s going to make roster decisions in September very tough for the Penguins yet again.
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