The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins enter the 2026-27 season hoping to build on one of the organization’s best seasons in recent years.

The Penguins finished the 2025-26 regular season with 101 points, earning second place in the Atlantic Division and a first-round bye. They then defeated the Hershey Bears in the Atlantic Division Semifinals before beating the Springfield Thunderbirds in the division finals. Their run finally ended in the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell to the Toronto Marlies in six games.

Now, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton faces the difficult task of replacing several important players while continuing to develop Pittsburgh’s young talent.

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The Penguins Still Have Plenty of Young Talent

The Penguins’ prospect pool gives them plenty of reasons for optimism.

Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, Owen Pickering, Chase Pietila, and Harrison Brunicke headline a group that could play significant roles at the AHL level.

Koivunen and Broz already demonstrated that they can produce at the professional level. Both were important contributors during last season’s playoff run, while McGroarty gives Wilkes-Barre/Scranton another former first-round pick with considerable offensive upside.

Pickering remains one of the organization’s most important defensive prospects. The former first-round pick has the size and skating ability to become a long-term NHL option, but another strong AHL season would help his development.

Brunicke also enters an important season after joining the Penguins late in the 2025-26 campaign.

Pittsburgh also added significant talent through the 2026 NHL Draft. Liam Ruck went in the first round, while his twin brother Markus Ruck followed in the second round. However, neither should factor heavily into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lineup immediately.

Veteran Additions Could Offset Some Departures

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lost several key contributors from last season, making its veteran additions particularly important.

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard returns after playing a major role during the Penguins’ playoff run. He scored two goals in the team’s decisive Game 5 victory over Springfield and finished the postseason as one of their more dangerous offensive players.

The Penguins also signed Hugh McGing and Justin Mast during the offseason. McGing brings AHL experience and versatility, while Mast adds size and physicality to the forward group.

Additionally, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton signed defenseman Brent Johnson and forwards Lucas Ciona and Mark Senden. Those additions should provide more depth as the Penguins navigate injuries and potential Pittsburgh call-ups throughout the season.

That depth could become especially important because the Penguins will likely see several players move between the NHL and AHL.

Goaltending Looks Very Different

Goaltending represents the biggest change entering the season.

Sergei Murashov established himself as one of the AHL’s top young goaltenders last season. He earned a spot on the AHL Top Prospects Team and played a major role during Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s playoff run, including a .943 save percentage against Springfield in the Atlantic Division Finals.

However, Murashov appears ready to challenge for a larger role in Pittsburgh after the Penguins opened training camp with him among their NHL goaltending options.

That will likely mean Joel Blomqvist will be the starter for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He went 16-5-6 with a 2.40 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage, and a shutout last season.

The organization addressed that uncertainty by signing Cam Johnson to an AHL contract. Johnson won the Kelly Cup MVP award with the Florida Everblades before joining the Penguins, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton an experienced goaltender capable of handling a significant workload.

Taylor Gauthier also remains an option.

If Johnson can provide steady goaltending behind Blomqvist, the position should remain a strength rather than a weakness.

A Difficult Atlantic Division Schedule Awaits

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will play 72 games during the 2026-27 regular season.

The Penguins open the season at home on Oct. 3 against the Springfield Thunderbirds. They then host Hartford on Oct. 4 before traveling to Hartford for another matchup on Oct. 10.

The Atlantic Division remains one of the AHL’s deepest divisions. Providence, Hershey, Charlotte, Springfield, Hartford and Lehigh Valley all have legitimate playoff aspirations, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will also face plenty of competition from outside the division.

The Penguins’ schedule should therefore provide plenty of meaningful games throughout the season.

Can Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Return to the Calder Cup Finals?

The Penguins proved last season that they can compete with the best teams in the AHL.

They finished with 101 points and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final, marking a major improvement from the previous season. Their playoff run also showed how valuable their young core can become when the games matter most.

However, repeating that success will not be easy.

Murashov could spend much more time in Pittsburgh, while several veterans from last year’s team have moved on. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will need Koivunen, Broz, McGroarty, Pickering, and its other young players to take another step.

The Penguins also need Blomqvist to provide reliable goaltending.

If those pieces fall into place, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has enough talent to remain near the top of the Atlantic Division. The team has already shown that its prospect pipeline can produce impact players, and another year of development should only strengthen that foundation.

Prediction: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins finish third in the Atlantic Division and make it back to the Calder Cup Playoffs.