CRANBERRY — The Pittsburgh Penguins‘ noon practice session was a clear indication of the players expected to be on the NHL roster early next week, or at least under serious consideration. While coaches plopped a couple of surprises into the B group, including defenseman Owen Pickering, the top group also included five NHL rookies.

Penguins first-round pick Ben Kindel was in the top group, a clear sign he has played his way into contention for an NHL roster spot. So, too, was Harrison Brunicke in the top group.

Both Kindel and Brunicke could stick on the NHL roster for up to nine games before engaging the first year of their entry-level contract. Neither is eligible to play in the AHL this season, as Kindel is 18 years old and Brunicke is 19. Beginning next season, each NHL team will have the ability to put one 19-year-old in the AHL, but the NHL and CHL have not agreed to start that option this season.

Kindel was the Penguins’ first-round pick in the June NHL Entry Draft, 11th overall. Brunicke was the Penguins’ second-round pick in the 2024 draft, 44th overall.

If the top group were to become the opening night roster, the Penguins would have six rookies in the lineup. Rutger McGroarty remains on the injured list and has not joined the team for on-ice activities. He would make seven.

Avery Hayes, 22, was also in the top group. The former undrafted free agent who earned an NHL contract last March is waivers exempt. However, Filip Hallander is not.

Hallander, 25, netted the empty-netter on Wednesday night against the Buffalo Sabres and registered an assist earlier in the game. He returned to the Penguins organization after spending the last two seasons in the Swedish Elite League.

Based on the group separation–Here is Group B–it appears the Penguins are considering eight defensemen and 13 forwards, though there are also 14 forwards in the top group.

Including Sergei Murashov, the Penguins also had three goalies in the top group, though Arturs Silovs played Wednesday night, so Tristan Jarry and Murashov handled the bulk of practice.

Murashov increased the total players in the group to 25, two more than the 23-man roster limit for the regular season.

Of course, as coach Dan Muse has noted, nothing is final. The team could opt to keep only seven defense and recall a player from the B group, such as Pickering or Tristan Broz.

There are eight players currently on the injured list, including Bryan Rust, who will miss two weeks. McGroarty suffered an upper-body injury over the summer, and Kevin Hayes will be re-evaluated in mid-October after suffering an upper-body injury on the first day of training camp when Ryan Graves delivered a hard check.

Penguins Group A

Forwards

*Ben Kindel

*Avery Hayes

*Ville Koivunen

*Filip Hallander

Sidney Crosby

Evgeni Malkin

Rickard Rakell

Justin Brazeau

Noel Acciari

Blake Lizotte

Connor Dewar

Philip Tomasino

Tommy Novak

Anthony Mantha

Defensemen

Matt Dumba

Ryan Shea

Kris Letang

Erik Karlsson

Matt Dumba

Connor Clifton

Ryan Graves

*Harrison Brunicke

Goalies

Tristan Jarry

*Arturs Silovs

*Sergei Murashov

*Rookies

Penguins Lines

Koivunen-Crosby-Rakell

Novak-Hallander/Kindel-Tomasino

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensemen

Wortherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Dumba/Brunicke

Jones-Letang

Latest Cuts

The Penguins reduced their roster to 39 on Thursday morning, assigning five players to the AHL camp in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Scooter Brickey

Mathieu De St. Phalle

Taylor Gauthier

Aidan McDonough

Chase Pietila

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