Visors and Risers

Credit Hockeysfuture.com Near the end of the 2015-2016 NHL season the Pittsburgh Penguins were rolling into the playoffs when suddenly their star goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury went out with injury. The penguins were left with a glaring opening in one of their most important positions in the game with playoffs quickly approaching. Enter Matt Murray … This 20 year old goaltender had played his last 41 games in the American Hockey League, posting a record of 25-11-3 including a goals against average of 1.54 and a .940 save % including a rookie record 12 shutouts that season. Before his jump to the pro ranks this relatively unknown goaltender played four seasons in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and was drafted by the penguins in the second round of the 2012 NHL entry draft. Murray came onto the scene and absolutely tore it up, helping to lead the penguins to their fourth Stanley Cup in team history. This season, Murray has been bet...

Credit Pittsburgh Post-Gazette   Following the end of his senior season at Northeastern, un-drafted NHL free agent Zach Aston-Reese was being pursued by at least five different NHL organizations looking to sign him to an entry-level contract. Some of these teams included Arizona, San Jose, and Vancouver, all teams that he could theoretically sign with and begin playing at the NHL level right away. Aston- Reese instead decided to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that he would have to scratch and claw his way just to crack the NHL roster over the course of the next few years. Why wouldn't he sign somewhere where he can make an immediate impact you may ask? The answer is simple, Pittsburgh has a history of setting NCAA free agent players up for success in the long run. Credit Dubber Prospects  In recent history, two of the biggest NCAA un-drafted free agents that have had a massive impact on the Penguins organization are Forwards Carter Rowney and Connor Shear...