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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So, this time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. However, 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. So, this excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
To kick off our 2026 Top-20 Penguins’ Prospects list, we will first reveal the names of those who just missed the cut.
Honorable mentions
C Atley Calvert
Leaving the 22-year-old undrafted center off this list was a very, very tough call. After putting together two very impressive WHL campaigns with the Moose Jaw Warriors from 2022-24, Calvert joined the organization on an ATO and was eventually signed to an AHL contract.
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His performance in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers – former affiliate of the Penguins – during the 2024-25 season included 13 goals and 36 points in 38 games, and it earned him an AHL promotion, where he has remained ever since. In 96 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), Calvert has 25 goals and 52 points.
He was rewarded a precious contract slot when the Penguins inked him to a two-year, entry-level contract earlier this summer. They believe in his talent and his growth and that he will continue to play a pivotal role in WBS’s top-six.
RW Melvin Fernstrom
Fernstrom, 20, had a lot going for him heading into the 2025-26 season. He had just won Rookie of the Year for the Swedish Hockey League the season prior, when he put up eight goals and 17 points in 48 games playing against men.
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However, he took quite the step back last season.
After recording just three goals and four points in 36 SHL games, Orebro HK was set to loan him to a lower league until the Penguins elected to bring Fernstrom back to North America from his loan. He did have a nice showing for WBS in the regular season, posting two goals and eight points in 14 games, before an injury ended his season. So, there is some reason for optimism heading into the 2026-27 season.
However, there is still a lot of work to be done in the skating department for Fernstrom, and he has to develop more consistency. A strong year could land him back on the top-20 list next year and on track to help the NHL club at some point.
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D Jake Livanavage
A product of the University of North Dakota, Livanavage signed a two-year entry-level contract last season to appear in one NHL game, so he will be entering the second year of his deal.
He nearly cracked the list because of the offensive upside. He had five goals and 25 points in 39 games for North Dakota last season, and he is a fleet-footed blueliner in transition as well as a power play specialist. If he can take a step this season, he may even see NHL time.
The Penguins are pretty thin at left defense as is, and they’re even more shallow in their prospect pool at the position. Livanavage is one of those wild cards who could pan out – but he definitely needs to refine the defensive side of his game first.
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LW Pierce Mbuyi
Mbuyi is probably the name here that has the highest chances of being a riser by this time next year.
The 18-year-old was selected in the third round (86th overall) by the Penguins in this year’s draft after posting 32 goals and 75 points in 68 games for the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack last season. He may be a bit undersized at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, but his tenacity, speed, forechecking, lively shot, and ability to expose the soft areas of the ice should bode well for his continued development.
He has committed to go back to Owen Sound for the 2026-27 season as the team’s captain, and he will then head to Penn State University for the 2027-27 campaign. If Mbuyi’s development goes on the track the Penguins think it will, he will easily crack the top-20 next season and could end up being a third-round steal for them.
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Other notables: D Quinn Beauchesne, D Peyton Kettles, D Charlie Trethewey, F Jordan Charron, G Gabriel D’Aigle
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