Once upon a recent time, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ prospect list was a paltry push to reach 10 deep, often including players who were mere ECHL fodder. In two quick years, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has deepened the pool to well beyond 20 players fighting for their hockey dream.

As Pittsburgh Hockey Now begins our annual top Penguins prospect list, we’ve expanded the list to the top 20, and will leave a couple of notable names off the list. In order to rank the wide-ranging types of prospects the Penguins have accumulated, we’re using a three-tiered points system, 1-5, ranking the prospects on their ceiling, their likelihood to play in the NHL this season, and a combined score of their likelihood to make the NHL and potential impact when they do.

There is an important nuanced difference between a player’s ceiling and their potential impact. For example, prospect Mac Swanson (2024, seventh round) is putting up good numbers at the University of North Dakota because he’s a talented player with upside, but he is unlikely to reach that potential in the NHL. So, we rated him with a much higher ceiling score but a much lower likely impact score.

In fact, the shifty 5-foot-8 Swanson, who had 28 points in 40 games last season for UND, did not make the top 20 list because he scored a one on potential impact/NHL likelihood.

It’s imperfect, but it’s the best we could do to rank the deep pool with some talent that has a real NHL chance. In fact, the 16-20 rankings have a couple or few players who will play in the NHL, including one who may get a cup of coffee this season.

Top 2026 Penguins Prospects 16-20

20. Tommy Galvas (2-1-2)

The 20-year-old was the Penguins’ second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. He was passed over in his first two NHL draft-eligible years before the Penguins used the second of their second-round picks on him (54th overall).

He’s a (edit) left-handed offensive defenseman who put up big numbers in the ’25 World Junior Championships (3-6-9), but is still undersized and has quite a big growth curve ahead. However, players who post big WJCs can’t be overlooked, but he’s probably three years away. His potential is a solid offensive defenseman capable of putting up points from a third-pairing spot.

Galvas will remain in the Czechia league this season, and presumably come to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next season. He’s at least two years away from making his NHL debut.

19. Quinn Beauchesne (2-1-2.5)

Because of the overwhelming injuries in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he made his pro debut in the AHL Playoffs. He was the fifth-round pick as part of the Penguins’ monster 2025 draft class. The 6-foot, 187-pound right-handed defenseman has a long road to the NHL, but the scrappy Beauchesne neither shies away from physical play nor the puck.

“I don’t know if another prospect in our organization grew as much as he did during the season last year,” said Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos. “It was great to see. You could see him mature as a leader, as an individual, and really take ownership of his career and development. I’m really happy with him. He’s an underrated player. He’s got snarl to his game. He’ll stick up for his teammates. He’s got a nasty edge. There’s something there.”

Indeed, there’s something there. He’s at least a year away from a replacement stint in the big show, if not two.

18. Finn Harding (2-2-2)

As a seventh-round pick in 2024, Harding was guaranteed nothing, but he has elevated to an AHL defenseman with more growth possible. Last season, he shuttled back and forth between Wheeling and WBS, but primarily spent the season with the WBS Penguins, playing 54 games as a 20-year-old (he turned 21 in March).

Harding is a solid right-handed defenseman (6-foot-2, 192 pounds) who has a little bit of offensive flair but is otherwise still finding his game at the pro level. He might have a lot more offensive game to contribute, and righties are always in short supply. If there are injuries or trades at the NHL level, Harding could make the drive from WBS to Pittsburgh this season.

His NHL debut is unlikely, and he has more work to do. He didn’t necessarily leap off the page last season, but a solid puck-moving defenseman with a right-handed stick always has a chance.

17. Chase Pietila (2.5-2-2)

Quiet. Steady. Reliable.

Pietilla, 22, was also part of the Penguins’ 2024 NHL Draft Class and, after two years in the USHL (Youngstown), he spent two years at Michigan Tech. Pietila also has a right-handed curve and solid size (6-foot-2, 190 pounds), and was one of the primary defensemen for the strong WBS team. His great strength is being positionally sound.

He won’t wow anyone and doesn’t have a high ceiling, but he’s got a high floor, and very well could get a cup of coffee or two in the NHL this season if the Penguins need a righty on the blue line. Unfortunately for Pietila and others, the NHL roster is overloaded with righties, but Dubas could make a couple of moves between now and the NHL trade deadline.

He had only 16 points in 66 AHL games this season and just two more (1-1-2) in the playoffs. Indeed, his great strength is reliability and being a quiet shutdown defender. He projects as a depth defenseman, but it won’t be long before he can handle sheltered minutes in the NHL.

16. Charlie Trethewey (3-1-3)

Trethewey, 19, is a Penguins elite product who completed his first year of college hockey at Boston U. The difference from one summer to the next was remarkable for Tretheway, who was a third-round pick in 2025.

His performance at the Penguins’ July development camp put him firmly on the map and among the Penguins’ prospects with a higher ceiling. The stocky (editright-handed defenseman is listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, but told PHN that’s now up to about 207. He moves well and is assertive; his freshman year at Boston served him well.

Trethewey has some puck skills–a good first pass and a little bit of offensive instincts, but his bread and butter is in the defensive zone. In a couple of years, he could be a solid second-pair defenseman playing beside one of the Penguins’ more offensively talented D-men.

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Tags: charlie trethewey chase pietila Penguins Prospects. Top penguins prospects Quinn Beauchesne tomas galas

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