With the 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC) in the rear view mirror and the Pittsburgh Penguins seeing two of their prospects playing solid roles with their home countries (Will Horcoff and Harrison Brunicke), the focus now returns to the play of their prospects back with their respective teams. In the last month-plus, there has been plenty of action and things to catch up on regarding the pipeline that general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas and the Penguins’ front office have built.
Bill Zonnon Returning to Form After Injuries
The 2025-26 season did not get off to the start that one of the Penguins’ 2025 first-round picks wanted, with Bill Zonnon fighting two separate injuries at the start of his draft-year-plus-one season. In the offseason, he was traded from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Zonnon played in just two games for the Armada before going down with an undisclosed injury that kept him out for almost two months.
Finally healthy again, Zonnon returned to the Armada lineup on Dec. 28 and has reminded everyone why he was a first-round pick by the Penguins at last year’s draft. He has been on a tear since returning, showing the ability to take over a game and dominate at both ends of the ice. He is currently on a five-game streak in which he has recorded multiple points, tallying 11 points in that span.
Bill Zonnon, pictured with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, has been great for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada this season. (Photo credit: Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Zonnon has put his entire skill set on display, showing a willingness to play a physical style of game at the defensive end, and then turning into offense with the speed he possesses. He has also shown off his lethal shot this season. The two-way game that he has displayed this season is a major part of why he went 22nd overall to the Penguins, and if he can stay healthy the rest of the season, he could end up being a prospect to keep a close eye on next season at training camp.
Roller Coaster Ride for Murashov With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
One prospect who has seen their game vary as of late has been goaltender Sergei Murashov. After he was returned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL), Murashov has been up-and-down with his performance in between the pipes. Since the middle of December, he has given up four or more goals in three of the 10 games he has been a part of. In two of those games, which came in back-to-back outings, he was pulled after giving up five goals.
But the young Russian netminder has looked solid outside of those three games and has continued to put up strong numbers for one of the AHL’s top teams this season. Overall, Murashov has compiled a 15-5-0 record, 2.18 goals-against average (GAA), and a .922 save percentage (SV%) for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Related: 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins Top Prospects – Midseason Rankings
With Stuart Skinner, who the Penguins acquired earlier in the season from the Edmonton Oilers, being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) this offseason, keeping a close eye on the performance of both Joel Blomqvist and Murashov in the AHL is worth doing. One of these two netminders could very easily end up playing a full-time role with the Penguins next season if they perform to their full potential.
Pieniniemi Makes Season Debut in Wheeling
After being suspended by the organization for not reporting to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, Emil Pieniniemi finally made his debut for the Nailers just before the end of the 2025 calendar year (Jan. 31). The Penguins’ third-round pick in the 2023 Draft has plenty of skill to his game and many were excited to see him make his way to the organization. While that was delayed a bit with the suspension, Pieniniemi has looked solid for the Nailers.
In the ten games Pieniniemi has played this season, he has put up four points (two goals, two assists), and has gotten more comfortable and up to speed with the professional game. He has shown no issue with getting involved in the offensive zone, putting up multiple shots in five of the first ten games he has played in. After putting up 60 points for the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season, the numbers should start showing up with the Nailers.
He has also shown a solid defensive game, with his reach a major asset. If Pieniniemi can finish the season strong with the Nailers, he may end up finding his way to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before the end of the 2025-26 season and continue to catch the eye of the higher-ups of the Penguins’ management.
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
While the aforementioned prospects have had different levels of success this season, the Penguins organization has seen plenty of others succeed as well. The success of their pipeline so far this season bodes well for the organization as they continue to build.
