Penguins Prospects Emotions; Making Sense of Decisions (+)

CRANBERRY — Harrison Brunicke and Avery Hayes were dealing with their potential NHL roster spots in very different ways. Both potential rookies found themselves in the new Pittsburgh Penguins’ main training camp group with the NHL regulars, such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Thursday, the Penguins also cut down their roster by 11 players, assigning five to the AHL camp in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and waiving six, including Danton Heinen and Valtteri Puustinen.

And the delineation was crystal clear. Group A was the NHL regulars and 25 players closest to an NHL roster spot, and Group B was the players who … were not.

The side locker rooms at the UPMC Lemieux Complex, where the prospects were roomed for the last three weeks, were eerily quiet following the previously unscheduled 10:30 a.m. practice for Group B. After a few days of cuts, there were fewer players to occupy the stalls, but that’s not why the side locker rooms were hushed.

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