Pictured above: 2024 second-round pick Harrison Brunicke, captain of Team Patrick.
Now that the draft is over, it’s time for the Penguins to move forward with the next step of the process at 2025 Development Camp. It began on Thursday (July 3) and goes through Monday (July 7). The full schedule is here.
“Obviously, when you’re in our position, you’re accruing picks and prospects – but you have to make good on them,” Pittsburgh’s President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas said. “You have to draft good players. You have to do a great job in developing them. We’ll turn them over after today to Tom Kostopoulos, and we’ll get to work.”
Kostopoulos, Pittsburgh’s Director of Player Development, said they’re talking to the 52 invitees about coachability, competitiveness, and work ethic over these next few days, which include on- and off-ice sessions. We’ll continue to add content from camp right here, so it’s all in one place. Keep checking back!
–Michelle Crechiolo
DEVELOPMENT CAMP: TEAMS
2025 Development Camp is underway for the Penguins! The boys will be skating at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex through July 7.
Here are the teams ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/L6OZA6Hr3n
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
Many of the attendees are Penguins draft picks, and there are some undrafted kids in the mix, including 20-year-old forward Oliver Tulk from the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. He is reunited with his former teammates and Penguins prospects Ben Kindel (2025 first round) and Tanner Howe (2024 second round).
This past season, Tulk led the team in scoring with 100 points (38G-62A), with Kindel right behind him, totaling 99 points (35G-64A). Tulk plans on playing in the NCAA next season for the University of Wisconsin, but is still working towards his first professional contract. He hopes to leave a good impression on the Penguins, with a little help from his friends.
“Tanner’s been here for a year, and Ben is a first-rounder. He’s getting a lot of praise right now, and obviously everything he deserves,” said Tulk on joining his teammates at Development Camp. “It’s awesome to be around them and see what it’s like from their perspective.”
Another message from this management group is that everyone is on the same playing field, no matter what you’re signed to, no matter who you are. That is something Kindel, drafted 11th overall last weekend in Los Angeles, is taking to heart.
“(Pittsburgh’s Vice President of Player Personnel) Wes Clark has been giving me a lot of advice to just stay hungry and never look back,” said Kindel. “The draft is in the past now for me. I’m just looking forward to getting after it and having that mentality of more of an undrafted player and staying hungry.”
–Brandon Karafilis
Kindel speaks to the media
FIRST LOOK: MELVIN FERNSTROM
The Penguins acquired the forward from Vancouver, a Canucks third-round pick in 2024, as part of the Marcus Pettersson-Drew O’Connor trade on Jan. 31. Fernstrom went on to record 11 points in the last 19 games with Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League, and won Rookie of the Year.
“It’s something that not a lot of people get to have. It was really fun and exciting,” said Fernstrom, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins.
Dubas said when they spoke to Fernstrom ahead of his draft, he showed an understanding of what the development path was going to be like. He then executed on his goals of earning a spot in the SHL as a teenager and embrace his role as a highly competitive bottom-six forward.
“But there’s a lot of offensive potential,” Kostopoulos said. “I think his shot is elite. His ability to find space in the offensive zone is really high end for a kid that age. His coaches were really impressed with his ability to absorb information from the older players on his team. And although the team didn’t do really well, they felt like he kept getting better and better. So to be put in with the big team and be able to produce, I think it was a really good season for him.”
Hear from the 19-year-old below.
–Michelle Crechiolo
Fernstrom speaks to the media
@PensInsideScoop Posts of the Day: July 3
Will Horcoff spent a lot of time around NHL facilities growing up, as his dad Shawn played over 1,000 games. In Dallas, his teammates included Jason Spezza and Trevor Daley, now in hockey operations for the Penguins.
Or should we say, Mr. Spezza and Mr. Daley 🥹 pic.twitter.com/1QDwvHcgTh
After joining the Penguins coaching staff as an assistant, Nick Bonino got in touch with Sidney Crosby.
“In typical Sid fashion, we’re right down to business, and he wants to know how the year’s going to be, and I love that. I’m really excited to work with him and everyone.” pic.twitter.com/OnWQStHNyn