Tanner Howe: Photo Courtesy of WBS Penguins Hockey begins this week. The Pittsburgh Penguins are sending a team of some of their best prospects and a few veteran young players working their way to the NHL to Detroit for the annual Prospects Challenge.
The Penguins will face prospect teams from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and Dallas Stars over four days beginning Saturday at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena. The Penguins’ team is highlighted by 2025 first-rounder Bill Zonnon (22nd overall), their 2026 top picks Liam Ruck (selected 22nd overall) and Markus Ruck (selected 39th overall), slick Russian forward Mikhail Ilyin, who arrived in North America for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins playoff run late last season, and 2024 second-round pick Tanner Howe.
Zonnon, Howe, and Ilyin got their first tastes of professional hockey in the second half last season, with Zonnon and Ilyin arriving late in the campaign. Howe overcame knee surgery last summer to play the final 27 games of the season and participate in the playoff run.
The Rucks will make their first appearance in team activity after attending July’s development camp. The Penguins prospect team will send a competent blue line that could largely play together in the AHL this season, with some NHL games.
Emerging top prospect Harrison Brunicke is on the roster, as is college free agent Jake Livanavage, who made his NHL debut in the final game of last season, and the developing righty Chase Pietila. 2026 second-rounder Tommy Galvas, 20, is also on the blue line, which is quite impressive for a prospects tournament.
And 6-foot-2 goalie Matvei Nikonovich from Belarus, the team’s 2026 fifth-round pick, has also made the trip across continents to participate. Penguins Prospect Tournament Schedule Penguins vs. Columbus, Saturday, Sept.
12, 3 p.m. Penguins vs. Detroit, Sunday, Sept.
13, 7 p.m. Penguins vs. Dallas, Tuesday, Sept.
15, 10:30 a.m. Pittsburgh Penguins 2026 Prospect Tournament Roster PlayerNo.Shoots/CatchesHt., Wt.Age2025-26 Club2025-26 Stats FORWARDS Atley Calvert84R6-1, 19422WBS Penguins (AHL)70 GP, 16 G, 22 A, 38 PTS, 28 PIM Jordan Charron75R6-1, 19018Soo Greyhounds (OHL)66 GP, 25 G, 22 A, 47 PTS, 68 PIM Brayden Edwards83R6-1, 18721WBS Penguins (AHL)3 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, 0 PIM Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)55 GP, 14 G, 19 A, 33 PTS, 24 PIM Max Graham36L6-3, 20922WBS Penguins (AHL)1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, 9 PIM Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)66 GP, 11 G, 13 A, 24 PTS, 101 PIM Travis Hayes73R5-11, 16818Soo Greyhounds (OHL)63 GP, 16 G, 24 A, 40 PTS, 52 PIM Tanner Howe40L5-11, 18320WBS Penguins (AHL)27 GP, 8 G, 8 A, 16 PTS, 43 PIM Pierce Mbuyi78L5-10, 16018Owen Sound Attack (OHL)68 GP, 32 G, 43 A, 75 PTS, 85 PIM Mikhail Ilyin70L6-0, 18121WBS Penguins (AHL)5 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, 2 PIM Severstal (KHL)68 GP, 14 G, 30 A, 44 PTS, 18 PIM Liam Ruck34R6-0, 17418Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)68 GP, 45 G, 59 A, 104 PTS, 36 PIM Markus Ruck80L6-0, 16418Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)68 GP, 21 G, 87 A, 108 PTS, 28 PIM Daniel Russell74L5-10, 16124WBS Penguins (AHL)4 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS, 0 PIM Michigan State (NCAA)37 GP, 11 G, 28 A, 39 PTS, 32 PIM Carter Sanderson62L6-2, 19618Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)54 GP, 17 G, 17 A, 34 PTS, 88 PIM Tiernan Shoudy64L5-9, 17924Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)6 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS, 2 PIM Michigan State (NCAA)37 GP, 7 G, 13 A, 20 PTS, 33 PIM Bill Zonnon23L6-2, 19019Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)35 GP, 14 G, 32 A, 46 PTS, 6 PIM DEFENSEMEN Harrison Brunicke45R6-3, 19620Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)9 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PTS, 2 PIM WBS Penguins (AHL)11 GP, 1 G, 7 A, 8 PTS, 2 PIM Kamloops Blazers (WHL)24 GP, 2 G, 22 A, 24 PTS, 20 PIM Tyler Duke47L5-10, 19421Michigan (NCAA)40 GP, 2 G, 16 A, 18 PTS, 83 PIM Tomas Galvas32L5-10, 16820Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)32 GP, 8 G, 16 A, 24 PTS, 10 PIM Czechia (WC)8 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, 0 PIM Czechia U20 (WJC-20)7 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 PTS, 0 PIM Czechia U20 (International)16 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 PTS, 2 PIM Czechia (International)16 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS, 0 PIM Finn Harding50L6-2, 19221WBS Penguins (AHL)54 GP, 4 G, 18 A, 22 PTS, 42 PIM Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)7 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 PTS, 4 PIM Benett Kelly55R6-1, 18718Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)66 GP, 5 G, 19 A, 24 PTS, 44 PIM Peyton Kettles63R6-6, 19418Swift Current Broncos (WHL)2 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS, 7 PIM Kelowna Rockets (WHL)3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, 8 PIM Jake Livanavage4L5-10, 17422Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, 0 PIM North Dakota (NCAA)39 GP, 5 G, 20 A, 25 PTS, 10 PIM Maleek McGowan54L6-0, 19021Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)62 GP, 14 G, 22 A, 36 PTS, 29 PIM Chase Pietila44R6-2, 18722WBS Penguins (AHL)66 GP, 2 G, 14 A, 16 PTS, 85 PIM Broten Sabo20L6-3, 20723Ohio State (NCAA)35 GP, 2 G, 19 A, 21 PTS, 31 PIM WBS Penguins (AHL)1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS, 0 PIM GOALTENDERS Carter Casey86L6-2, 18118Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)28 GP, 19-3-4, 2 SO, 3.02 GAA, .882 SV% Matvei Nikonovich60L6-2, 18718Ladia Togliatti (MHL)38 GP, 20-14-4, 2 SO, 1.96 GAA, .939 SV% Lada Togliatti U18 (Russia U18)3 GP, 3-0-0, 1 SO, 0.65 GAA Xavier Wendt39L6-0, 17918Tri-City Americans (WHL)43 GP, 18-20-3, 1 SO, 3.25 GAA, .905 SV%
