CHL Prospect Pipeline – Pittsburgh Penguins

Introducing the CHL Prospect Pipeline presented by Kubota, the premiere feature highlighting current CHL talent that has been drafted or signed by each of the National Hockey League’s 32 teams.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Raivis Kristians Ansons

A high IQ forward who plays with a purpose, the Latvian left winger joined Baie-Comeau after being selected in the second round of the 2019 CHL Import Draft before later putting together a solid first season that saw him finish with 35 points counting 13 goals and 22 assists across 60 appearances, good for fourth in team scoring and ultimately helping him to hear his name called by the Penguins in the fifth round of last summer’s NHL Draft. Beginning the past season on loan with Zemgale of the top-tier Latvian league, the 19-year-old produced nine points in 10 showings before returning to the Drakkar in a late-season push that saw him tally twice and add four assists through nine outings. Internationally, Ansons also earned an opportunity at the 2020 Division 1 World Juniors, helping his native Latvia to a second-place finish.

With the 149th pick of the 2020 #NHLDraft, the @penguins have selected forward Raivis Ansons from the @DrakkardeBaieCo! pic.twitter.com/pA0T2yG5eW

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) October 7, 2020

Jonathan Gruden

Skating a single season with the London Knights in 2019-20, the budding left-wing made a lasting impression as he recorded north of point-per-game production that totaled 30 goals and 36 assists through 59 appearances and ultimately wrapped up the year sitting fourth place in team scoring. Originally chosen by Ottawa in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, the 2000-born forward shifted to the Penguins last summer in the move that made former Soo Greyhounds goaltender Matt Murray a member of the Senators. Possessing a high-energy game, Gruden played the past season on loan with the Penguins’ top farm club in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton where he produced 14 points through 32 showings. A Michigan native, Gruden’s success on the international stage counts a silver medal with Team USA at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship.

The winners of the 2019-2020 London Knights Players Player Award: Jonathan Gruden & Ryan Merkley 🏆
Congratulations, @jgruden17 & @ryan_merkley! 👏 pic.twitter.com/sEWHFrLDG6

— London Knights (@LondonKnights) July 10, 2020

Nathan Legare

A projected power forward with intriguing offensive upside, the fourth-year right-wing split the past season between Baie-Comeau and Val-d’Or, putting up solid showings with both clubs before ultimately wrapping up the regular season with 38 points through 33 appearances. Not yet finished, the 2001-born forward then added 18 points through 15 playoff contests, highlighted by a four-goal outing that helped eliminate Chicoutimi. Originally taken with the sixth pick in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, Legare has totaled 224 career contests in which he has collected 106 goals and 119 assists for 225 points, highlighted by a career-high, 87-point finish in 2018-19 that ranked eighth-best league-wide. A Montreal native, Legare has also showcased internationally including the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as well as the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship. A 2019 third-round selection by Pittsburgh, Legare reached an entry-level contract with the Penguins the following September.

Nathan Légaré set a new team record with four goals in a single #QPlayoffs game while helping the @ForeursVD sweep the @SagueneensLHJMQ to reach the #PresidentCup final!

STATS + HIGHLIGHTS 👉 https://t.co/FRxO4FtvRa pic.twitter.com/KuB9mxmZnE

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 21, 2021

Samuel Poulin

Mixing an industrious playing style with desirable puck skills, the gifted right-wing plays a well-rounded game as illustrated over his four seasons in the QMJHL split between Sherbrooke and Val-d’Or. Notching a career-high 77 points in only 46 games in 2019-20, the then first-year Phoenix captain put together a dominant campaign that saw him finish 14th in league-wide scoring, highlighted by a franchise-record setting eight-point night coming against Shawinigan. The second-overall selection from the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, Poulin’s time in the league has totaled 192 appearances and 229 points, bookended by the recently completed campaign in which he notched 31 points over 24 games and two stops before adding another 19 points through 15 postseason showings. A native of Blainville, Que., Poulin’s experience on the international stage is underscored by a gold-medal win with Team Canada at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Poulin, 20, was chosen by the Penguins in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Guess who just reunited on the @foreursvd?@poulin_sam and @Nathan_Legare, friends for life and 2019 Penguins' draft picks.

Did we just get a new favorite QMJHL team? https://t.co/NluheJzGZa

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 26, 2021

Lukas Svejkovsky

Playing with good patience and poise, the Medicine Hat Tigers right-wing has elevated his game over each of his three seasons in the WHL, while still holding untapped potential. Splitting his sophomore season between Vancouver and Medicine Hat, the 2001-born forward finished with a career-high 38 points over 52 contests, then built on that performance in the WHL’s recently completed campaign that saw him tally north of a point per game in collecting 12 goals and 10 assists through 20 appearances, good for fourth in team scoring. A native of Point Roberts, Wash., Svejkovsky was selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of last summer’s NHL Draft.

With the 108th pick in the 2020 #NHLDraft, the Penguins select center Lukas Svejkovsky. pic.twitter.com/PjCrqXJvU5

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 7, 2020

At a Glance