Pittsburgh Penguins - Prospects

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a prolific offense for years, and the central characters in their group of forwards could stay together and productive for years to come. Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero is going to have the ability to supplement those forwards with a crop of exciting young defensemen in the coming seasons. Not all of them will play for Pittsburgh, touted prospect Joseph Morrow was traded to the Dallas Stars for Brenden Morrow before the NHL Trade Deadline, but they all are valuable assets and lead the list of top prospects in the Pittsburgh organization.

1. Olli Maatta, D: Maatta was the Penguins' second pick in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft (No. 22), but had they selected him with their first choice, which was No. 8, it wouldn't have been considered much of a reach. In fact, if the draft was held with those players again today, he'd have a chance to be in that top 10. Maatta (6-foot-2, 206 pounds) had 12 goals and 52 points last season for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League in a total of 78 games between the regular season and their run to the Memorial Cup tournament. The 19-year-old has played for Finland in the World Junior Championship three times, and has a chance to play a fourth at the 2014 WJC. He also has a chance to make the country's roster for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

2. Derrick Pouliot, D: The eighth pick of the 2012 draft, his position on this list is more a reflection of Maatta's ability than anything from Pouliot. Each is an elite prospect and could play next to Kris Letang and log lots of minutes for the Penguins someday. Pouliot, 19, had 13 goals and 65 points in 65 regular-season and playoff games for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, whom he helped win the WHL title and advance to the Memorial Cup. Listed at 5-11, 195, he's an offense-first defenseman who can push the pace and produce points.

3. Scott Harrington, D: The third member of Pittsburgh's defense trio that participated in the 2013 Memorial Cup, Harrington was Maatta's teammate with London. The 20-year-old had a combined three goals and 23 points in 71 regular-season and OHL playoff games for the Knights, and represented Canada at the WJC for the second straight season. He was the 54th pick in the 2011 draft. Maatta and Pouliot have plenty of offensive upside, and Harrington (6-2, 205) could provide the defensive cover for them in the near future.

4. Brian Dumoulin, D: The third part of the trade package Pittsburgh received for Jordan Staal from the Carolina Hurricanes, Dumoulin turns 22 in early September and could make his NHL debut at some point during the 2013-14 season. He had six goals and 24 points in 73 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season, and eight points in 15 games in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Listed at 6-4, 219, he doesn't have the offensive upside of Maatta or Pouliot, but the 51st pick in the 2009 draft could be a valuable depth defenseman, offering solid play at a cheap rate, for the Penguins in short order.

5. Tristan Jarry, G: Pittsburgh's first pick in 2013 (No. 44), the 18-year-old goaltender went 18-7-0 for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL last season. He's listed at 6-1, 183, and had sparkling numbers (1.61 goals-against average, .936 save percentage) last season.

6. Josh Archibald, RW: A sixth-round pick (No. 174) in 2011, Archibald was a breakout performer in college hockey in 2012-13, when the 5-10, 181-pound forward had 19 goals and 36 points in 39 games for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He will turn 21 in early October and is set for his junior year with UNO.

7. Scott Wilson, C: Wilson, listed at 5-11, 184, had 208 players taken before him in the 2011 draft. The Penguins nabbed him with third-to-last pick and the 21-year-old enters his third season at UMass-Lowell as one of the top players in Hockey East. Wilson was league rookie of the years as a freshman and returned with the exact same stat line, 16 goals and 38 points, as a sophomore. The River Hawks reached the Frozen Four, where they lost to Yale University in overtime in the semifinals.

8. Oskar Sundqvist, C: Sundqvist was a third-round pick in 2012 (No. 81). The 19-year-old has good size (6-3, 182), and he split last season between the junior team and men's team for Skelleftea in Sweden. He had one goal in 14 games in the top league.

9. Bryan Rust, RW: Rust had 11 goals and 30 points combined in his first two seasons with Notre Dame in the CCHA. He surpassed those totals as a junior, collecting 15 goals and 34 points in 41 games. Rust, 21, was a third-round pick (No. 80) by the Penguins in 2010. He’s listed at 6-foot, 190, and will be a senior this season with the Fighting Irish.

10. Theodor Blueger, C: A second-round pick in 2012 (No. 52), Blueger had six goals and 19 points in 37 games at Minnesota State-Mankato in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Blueger, 19, is listed at 6-1, 183, and is the second-highest drafted Latvian in League history (Zemgus Girgensons went to Buffalo with the 14th pick of the same draft).