As the NHL regular season winds down and the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to fight for a playoff spot, there are plenty of prospects in the organization’s system who are beginning their playoff runs, whether at the junior or college level. The Penguins have seen plenty of their prospects finish their seasons strongly, and some have signed entry-level contracts (ELCs) as well.
C Kale Dach
Kale Dach continues to look like he could end up being a late-round steal for Penguins general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Dach made the jump from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) to the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Calgary Hitmen and has been the league’s most productive rookie. Heading into the playoffs, Dach finished the regular season with the most points by any rookie in the league by 17 (Dach finished with 75) and led all rookies in power-play goals as well (12).
Known more for his playmaking heading into the season, Dach has shown he can be as lethal with the puck as well. Where he has improved his game the most is with his overall skating. Throughout the season, he has shown more confidence attacking opponents one-on-one and the speed and stick-handling ability to beat a defender and get into high-danger areas. In the offensive zone, he has a knack for being around the puck, and with his work ethic, he has been a threat all season long with the Hitmen. He is not just one-dimensional, though, as his work ethic has translated well to the defensive side of the puck. He is a pest opponents have to account for and has a high IQ at both ends of the ice.
Will Dach end up being a full-fledged NHL star? Probably not, but there is plenty of promise and upside in his game already, and he has room for even further development to the point that he could very easily end up playing in the NHL in a few years. Penguins fans will not have to travel or look too far to watch him next season, as he is committed to playing at Penn State University for the 2026-27 season, where he will certainly be able to develop and refine his game even more.
G Gabriel D’Aigle
Another pick from the 2025 Draft, this time a third-round pick, Gabriel D’Aigle, had a busy regular season for the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). His overall record definitely does not jump off the screen, but he helped carry the Tigres to the QMJHL playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. He was one of the busiest netminders in the league, facing the fourth-most shots and saving the second-most of any goaltender in the regular season. His save percentage (SV%) was impressive given the number of shots he faced, at .908. His size helps him take up space in the net, and he is a very mobile netminder.
Related: Crosby & Malkin Should Be Career Penguins Unless the Superstars Ask to Leave
D’Aigle’s hard work and strong individual play led to his signing his ELC with the Penguins on March 21, and, given that he is 20 years old and has played four seasons in the QMJHL, he will be able to make the jump to the professional ranks immediately next season. Seeing where he starts next season, whether in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (American Hockey League) or in Wheeling (ECHL), will be something to keep an eye on. The signing gives the Penguins even more organizational depth at the goaltender position, and if either Joel Blomqvist or Sergei Murashov ends up in the NHL next season, there is a good chance that D’Aigle could see some time in the AHL early on.
C William Horcoff
After being taken toward the end of the first-round of the 2025 Draft (24th overall), everyone knew that William Horcoff would be a prospect who would be a bit of a project and a player who had plenty of development ahead of him. He was also a prospect whom the Penguins viewed as a player with plenty of upside and skill already in his game, plus you cannot teach the size he has (6-foot-5).
The pick of Horcoff has already begun to look like a good one for the Penguins, as in his first full season at the University of Michigan, he has taken his game to another level through advanced development in a few different areas. Horcoff has gotten more confident with the puck on his stick, especially in space, and continues to use his size to his advantage to work into high-danger scoring areas, while also working on his skating and overall passing this season. He has been a big part of the Wolverines’ success, as they won the Big Ten Championship (postseason tournament), and are the number one seed heading into the NCAA Tournament. While his development in his game has been great this season, there is still plenty of runway for him to continue growing, which is the exciting part.
F Tanner Howe
After being selected in the second round of the 2024 Draft, Tanner Howe is a prospect who has not quite lived up to the expectations and hype that surrounded him. He was traded to the Calgary Hitmen last season and was more of a complementary player on a deep roster. In April of last year, he tore his ACL, which kept him out of action until February of this year with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). Since making his professional debut, Howe has shown off his entire two-way game, pestering opponents at both ends of the ice and being an impact player whenever he is on the ice.
GOAL. #WBSPens crash the net & restore their two-goal lead at 3-1 with 7:54 left in the 2nd period.
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) March 14, 2026
Joona Koppanen's second of the night from Tanner Howe and Rafael Harvey-Pinard.
The Howe – Koppanen – Harvey-Pinard line is having themselves a night.@InsideAHLHockey pic.twitter.com/HvEhd4qktd
Howe started off on a hot streak in the AHL, putting up seven points in his first 10 professional games, but has been held pointless in the last four games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Even with being held off the scoresheet, he has been noticeable at both ends of the ice and has the ability to still be a strong player if the offensive production may not be there. The development and finish to the 2025-26 season for Howe will be something to watch carefully. If he can have a strong finish, along with a healthy offseason and then a strong training camp with the Penguins, he could be in line for some NHL action at some point next season.
C Bill Zonnon
Bill Zonnon will be a name many Penguins fans will get to know very well, if they do not already. His season was a bit of a battle due to injuries with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL), but when he has been in the lineup, he has proven why the Penguins took him in the first round of the 2025 Draft (22nd overall). Zonnon has a great work ethic at both ends of the ice and has shown the ability to be a game-changer as a goal-scorer and a set-up player. Finishing the regular season with 46 points in just 35 games, his all-around game could help lead the Armada deep into the playoffs (they face D’Aigle and Victoriaville in the first round).
Zonnon’s strong play and resilience led to him signing his ELC with the Penguins on March 22, and he is expected to play a big role in the organization’s future. He can play both on the wing and at center (he moved to center last season) and is an all-around strong player that Penguins fans will love to see play more.
The Future is Growing Nearer for the Penguins
With the Penguins having seen a handful of young players already making their way to the professional ranks (AHL or NHL), and with the prospects in their system, the future seems to be getting closer. The organization should be in safe hands, with the talent and depth that Dubas has helped bring into the system since taking the reins.
