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.
At No. 19, we highlighted Kale Dach, a seventh-round center who could end up looking like a steal when all is said and done. With the next prospect on our list at 18, the situation is somewhat similar. But this is a guy who is garnering increased attention within the organization and is someone who could be ready sooner than folks think.
Like Dach, it’s not as if Miller was selected in the top-three rounds of the draft. In fact, they were actually taken in the same 2025 draft class, with Miller going in the fifth round (130th overall). He was one of three fifth-round selections by the Penguins in 2025, the others being defenseman Quinn Beauchesne and forward Jordan Charron.
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On the surface, Miller’s growth has been relatively quiet. He had a breakout offensive season with the Portland Winterhawks in 2025-26, registering 30 goals and 75 points in 65 games, but he still didn’t garner all that much attention from fans and media.
However, his growth was about more than just offensive production. In fact, he grew in pretty much every facet of the game – and he affects the game in several different ways.
Of course, the offensive production stands out, and it came to a head during a 20-game point streak – which included eight goals and 27 points – in the first half of the WHL season last year. But what stood out more was his playmaking smarts, ability to read plays in all three zones, and him being in the driver’s seat in terms of dictating play.
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As the team’s captain, the left winger (he also plays center but is mostly deployed on the wing) drives play offensively while also being committed to the defensive details. He is a tenacious forechecker, his skating is a big strength, and he doesn’t shy away from physicality, either, making him a very tough guy to play against.
The Penguins were extremely impressed with the steps that Miller took last season, and they believe they have something in the young forward, who is committed to one of NCAA hockey’s most prestigious programs in the University of Denver next season. Miller’s play last season actually earned him an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) at the end of the year.
“I thought he really stood out in the two games (in WBS),” said Penguins’ director of player development Tom Kostopoulos. “I thought his skating looked really powerful. His puck skills look good. He’s a competitor. He might stand out in our organization among prospects of guys that want the puck, that play with hunger and a desperation to win puck battles. If [people] watched him last year in Portland, he would rip your head off to win a puck battle, and it’s contagious. It moves around the lineup and everyone, it gets his linemates and teammates to buy in.
“So, he knows he’s got some things to work on, but I thought he looked really good [during development camp] and looked really good in the gym and on the ice. We’re really excited about the year he had… really excited about him. He’s a great kid, and he’s determined and hungry.”
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Miller pointed to his confidence as something that allowed him to take big strides last season.
“I think just being more confident as a player,” Miller said. “Obviously, my teammates helped a lot, too. I have a good line. But, yeah, I think just taking a step that way, believing in myself throughout the year, and having the coaching staff behind me… they all helped me take a step this year. That was probably the biggest thing.”
There is still a long way to go in order for Miller to reach the pros, but his game appears as if it will translate well to the AHL when the 19-year-old becomes eligible. Should he pan out, he should be a really solid third-line player, which will help the Penguins’ depth down the line.
Keep an eye on this guy. The talent and the will is there, and it won’t be surprising if he finds himself much higher on next year’s list.
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The list so far:
No. 20: D Chase Pietila
No. 19: C Kale Dach
No. 18: LW/C Ryan Miller
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