The Penguins are set to hold their annual prospect development camp, which will take place July 1-3 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
Intended to help prospects transition to professional hockey, this year's development camp features a 23-player roster. Among that group, there are five players who are brand new to the organization.
Let's take a look at who they are.
EVAN VIERLING
Age: 21
Position: Center
Size: 6-0, 176
Shoots: Left
22-23 team: Barrie Colts (OHL)
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins could really use a spark, and they might have found one by signing Vierling to an AHL contract for the 2023-24 season back in May.
Vierling, a fifth-round draft pick of the Rangers in 2020, became a free agent last June when New York opted not to offer him an entry-level contract and lost his rights. He then attended training camp with the Blue Jackets several months later, but didn't earn a contract despite a report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that said they came close to signing him.
Both teams might have a smidge of regret for letting him slip away after the season he just had in the OHL.
In his fifth and final season of junior hockey, Vierling led a strong Barrie Colts team in assists (60) and points (95) while finishing second on the team with 35 goals in 60 games. He continued to pace the Colts in scoring during the postseason, recording a goal and 12 assists in seven games.
His average of 1.58 points per game in 2022-23 was the highest mark of his junior career and a mammoth leap from his previous best of 1.02 points per game during his draft year (2019-20). It seems plausible that the Rangers didn't offer Vierling a contract because he had just 47 points in 55 games during the 2021-22 season, but that might have been due to COVID-19 wiping out the entirety of the 2020-21 OHL season and a year of his development.
At the time he was drafted, Elite Prospects described Vierling as a "defensively reliable, high-motor, two-way player, and a credible dual-threat scorer in the offensive zone." In my limited review, his passing ability and deception stood out right away.
I'll take it as a good sign that he did this not even two minutes into my first viewing:
Vierling, the OHL’s 2023 William Hanley Trophy winner as the league’s most sportsmanlike player, will look to prove last season was for real as he makes the jump to pro hockey.
BRAYDEN SCHUURMAN
Age: 19
Position: Center/Right wing
Size: 5-9, 191
Shoots: Right
22-23 team: Victoria Royals (WHL)
Although he isn't very tall at 5-foot-9, Schuurman carries some weight relative to others with similar height, which he leverages into a really strong shot. And he loves to shoot.
Schuurman attended development camp with the Oilers last summer after he went undrafted, even though he was projected by some to be a late-round pick. He's spent the past three seasons playing with the WHL's Victoria Royals, scoring 34 goals with 44 assists in 129 games.
According to EliteProspects, he is "dangerous with one-timers from the flanks, two-touch wristers after sprinting down the middle, or no-pull back wristers after gaining the zone. As soon as the puck arrives on his stick, everyone knows he’s shooting, but few opponents can stop him."
However, as Dobber Prospects notes, Schuurman's skating stride must be cleaned up, as must his off-puck play.
It is a bit troubling that his points-per-game average dropped from 0.79 in 2021-22 to 0.74 last season instead of taking a step forward, but that might have some correlation to the Royals being one of the worst teams in the WHL. He doesn't strike me as the kind of player who drives play a great deal, so it would make sense that he needs to be surrounded by talent in order to further leverage his shot.
CARTER SCHADE
Age: 20
Position: Defense
Size: 5-11, 187
Shoots: Left
22-23 team: Penn State University (NCAA)
Schade, a native of Mars, Pennsylvania, spent parts of four seasons playing for the Penguins Elite amateur hockey program. He'd never been a huge point producer as a defenseman, but popped off for 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) in 50 games in his final season with the program (2019-20).
In the summer of 2019, Schade tried out for the United States National Team Development Program, but didn't make the team. He was then selected first overall by the Lincoln Stars in the USHL Draft. In parts of three seasons with the Stars, he amassed eight goals and 42 assists in 112 games.
After committing to Penn State University in 2018, Schade made the jump to college hockey for the 2022-23 season, recording no goals and nine assists in 36 games while predominantly playing on the third pairing. Penn State finished the season ranked No. 8.
Schade is a very physical defenseman who seeks out contact to help his team regain possession of the puck, despite being undersized compared to other defensemen who play a similar style. He did well during his freshman season to cut down on the number of penalties he took.
MICHAEL SIMPSON
Age: 20
Position: Goalie
Size: 6-1, 198
Catches: Left
22-23 team: Peterborough Petes (OHL)
The Penguins already have a couple of intriguing goalies in the system with Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov, but Simpson is deserving of a look after a really strong 2022-23 season.
Simpson, who went undrafted, was the No. 1 between the pipes for the Peterborough Petes en route to an OHL championship. He went 16-7 in the playoffs with a .918 save percentage (fourth among OHL goalies with at least five postseason games) and 2.80 goals-against average (sixth), earning the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP.
During the regular season, no OHL goalie appeared in more games than Simpson (51). It was for good reason, as he boasted a .914 save percentage (third) and 2.73 goals-against average (fourth). His five shutouts were tied for the most in the league.
Those numbers were quite the turnaround from the previous season when he posted an .891 save percentage and 3.56 goals-against average in 45 games.
OWEN FLORES
Age: 19
Position: Goalie
Size: 6-2, 178
Catches: Left
22-23 team: Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Flores, the youngest player of this bunch, didn't have the greatest individual numbers in 2022-23, but it can't be ignored that the Niagara IceDogs were far and away the worst defensive team in the OHL. They finished dead-last in the league, winning just 12 games all season.
Although Flores' 4.59 goals-against average ranked 39th out of 41 OHL goalies, his .892 save percentage ranked 15th. The former figure is more of an indictment of the IceDogs' ability to limit the quantity and quality of shots he faced.
Flores attended development camp with the Red Wings last year after going undrafted.
Forward Jagger Joshua and defenseman Justin Lee will also be attending development camp with the Penguins. Joshua played seven games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season and signed a two-year AHL contract that runs through 2024-25. Lee appeared in eight games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and signed a one-year AHL contract for 2023-24.
