Breakaway on SI

Penguins Make Right Decision Moving Prospect Goalie

The Pittsburgh Penguins are doing right by moving their top goalie prospect to the American Hockey League.

Nick Horwat

Oct 25, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (30) follows the play against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Joel Blomqvist (30) follows the play against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have gotten off to a poor start in the 2024-25 season with a 6-9-3 season and no real signs to suggest improvement is coming. A trade sending Lars Eller back to the Washington Capitals plus a wave of recalls involving young players, it’s safe to say the Penguins are gearing up for a youth movement.

While top youngsters like Sam Poulin, Vasily Ponomarev, and Owen Pickering might get cracks at the NHL roster, there is one key Penguins prospect who should remain at the American Hockey League level for as long as possible this season. Goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist got his first taste of the NHL, but that should be it for the time being.

Blomqvist was recently reassigned to the American Hockey League, but that is the right place for him to be right now.

The Penguins have two NHL level goalies in Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic and aren’t equipped to be a three-goalie team. No matter how poor they’re playing, Jarry and Nedeljkovic would carry the load of playing time, and that’s exactly what Blomqvist needs to keep progressing.

At 22 years old, there is no need to rush Blomqvist. Of course, he should see regular NHL time in the near future, but he shouldn’t see the NHL again until the Penguins figure out what they’re doing in front of him.

In eight games played at the NHL level, Blomqvist holds a 3-5-0 record with a .904 save percentage and 3.60 goals against average. He’s given up fewer than three goals in a game just twice and has seen quite a bit of rubber.

Blomqvist has faced a team-high 261 shots and given up 25 goals.

The skill is clearly there, it just needs a little more time to marinate in the AHL. The Penguins need to be sharper in front of him and for the sake of development, the minors make the most sense right now.

If Jarry or Nedeljkovic get traded, even then the Penguins should try and keep Blomqvist as a third-string for the season.

The Penguins likely aren’t getting any better this season, but have a chance to regroup with a skilled set of youngsters in the years to come. Blomqvist will be the go-to netminder, but the Penguins need to be careful to not ruin great progress with some bad experiences this year.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

Published
Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

Home/Prospects Feed