PITTSBURGH — There is a growing sentiment in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization that goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov will be ready to start next season in the NHL.

This past season, the Penguins’ ideal scenario was for the 22-year-old goaltender to spend an entire season in the AHL. Except for a few NHL appearances — he didn’t look out of place — Murashov shone with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He finished the regular season with a 24-9-4 record, a 2.20 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.

He was even better in Wilkes-Barre’s first-round playoff victory against the Hershey Bears, posting a 1.99 GAA and a .937 save percentage.

The Penguins wanted Murashov to play an entire season in Wilkes-Barre, yes, but they also hoped he might lead their AHL affiliate on a lengthy playoff run. One series down, Wilkes-Barre, which received a first-round bye, is a substantial favorite in its third-round series against the Springfield Thunderbirds, who pulled off a big upset against the Providence Bruins in their second-round series.

Though Murashov isn’t a finished product, the organization is pleased with his improvement. His puck-handling and rebound control are works in progress, like they are for so many young goaltenders, but he has taken strides on both fronts. His athleticism is exceptional. So, too, is his acumen for challenging shooters and reading plays.

The Penguins have several intriguing goaltending prospects, including Joel Blomqvist, who also had an excellent season in Wilkes-Barre, and Gabriel D’Aigle, a 2025 third-round pick whom the Penguins love.

Murashov tops the list, though. Everyone I talk to within the organization says Murashov is on pace to be the man in the Penguins’ net — likely next season. I’d be surprised if Murashov and Artūrs Šilovs aren’t the Penguins’ top two goaltenders come September.

Pardon my repetition, but Murashov’s maturity is off the charts. You don’t hear the word “professionalism” used to describe a 22-year-old very often, but I hear it about Murashov all the time.

Zonnon on the rise

It’s Bill Zonnon time in Wilkes-Barre.

The 22nd pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is expected to make his AHL debut in the second round. In a Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League season marred by injuries, Zonnon still put up 46 points in 35 games for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

You’re going to want to monitor him. In the days following the draft, members of the Penguins brass were every bit as excited about Zonnon as they were about Ben Kindel, whom they loved from the start.

Only 19, Zonnon is 6 feet, 2 inches and 190 pounds. He’s a fast, straight-line player who’s big and fearless. Some within the organization think Zonnon’s floor is a third-line NHL center. He can play wing, too, but he’s a natural center. I believe the Penguins will keep him in the middle moving forward.

I estimate he’s still a year away from being NHL-ready. His target for a debut might well be the 2027-28 season. As with Kindel, however, the Penguins won’t put the brakes on Zonnon if they feel he’s ready next season. He’s a big part of their future.

Pickering pondering

I’m not sure the same can be said of Owen Pickering, the team’s 2022 first-round pick.

He hasn’t been a disaster by any stretch in Wilkes-Barre, but I sense that he’s unlikely to become a mainstay on the Penguins’ blue line. I just don’t think Pickering, drafted by former general manager Ron Hextall, has ever endeared himself to the current Penguins regime. Personally, I didn’t think he looked horrible in his 29 NHL games over the past two seasons, but I don’t think the decision-makers were all that impressed. His skating isn’t great.

He screams “change of scenery.”

Sneaky defense depth piece

Finn Harding, the Penguins’ seventh-round pick from 2024, is doing a nice job on the Wilkes-Barre blue line. One team source recently told me, “You never really notice him when you watch that team play — and I mean that in a good way.”

Harding doesn’t have star potential. He might not even have top-four potential in the NHL. Still, he could become a Ben Lovejoy-type player, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Because Erik Karlsson will be 36 when next season begins, and Kris Letang is 39, the Penguins will need some help on the right side of their blue line soon. Harrison Brunicke, a 20-year-old defenseman selected in the second round of the 2024 draft, has had a strong AHL postseason and could make the team next season. Harding could be in the mix for a depth role, too.

McGroarty’s skating

Reviews of Rutger McGroarty are decidedly mixed.

The Penguins love his size, intangibles and ability to elevate his game in big moments, which he’s done in the AHL postseason.

There is still organizational concern, however, that McGroarty’s skating isn’t where it needs to be. It’s always going to be the problem with the 2022 first-round pick, until it isn’t.

Bargain buy

The Penguins already intended to bring 26-year-old forward Connor Dewar back into the fold. His playoff performance made the decision even easier.

Team sources told me the Penguins were especially pleased with how Dewar played against the Philadelphia Flyers. Between his age, his performance in Pittsburgh and his ability to elevate his game, the Penguins feel like they got a bargain at $2.25 million annually.

Acciari’s future

You never know — and GM Kyle Dubas’ appreciation for Noel Acciari is well-known — but I’d be surprised if the veteran forward makes his way back to Pittsburgh next season. Acciari, 34, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Acciari enjoyed an uptick in his production this past season, but Dubas is eager to make the Penguins younger as soon as possible. Acciari can still play, and I have no doubt he’ll find a role somewhere in the NHL, but I don’t see it in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins have to get younger at some point, and letting Acciari walk is one way to create an opening.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Springfield Thunderbirds’ AHL playoff results. The Penguins received a bye in the first round, and the Thunderbirds upset Providence in Round 2 after knocking off Charlotte in the first round.