Tristan Broz led the Atlantic Division in scoring during last week’s American Hockey League All-Star Challenge. But it sounds like he should have gotten a chance to add even more.
The Penguins prospect and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton standout had five points in three games during the 3-on-3 tournament and led the Atlantic squad, which also featured goalie Sergei Murashov, to a 1-1-1 record and plus-3 goal differential. They were left out of the championship game — and apparently that was a mistake.
“The commissioner came in after, and he apologized to our captain, Patrick Brown, and he said that they messed it up,” Broz said. “They made a big list of tiebreakers, and I think it was because they announced it on the broadcast that if this team won by four, [they would be in]. So then there’s a lot of drama. And then in their game, they ended up winning by four, but that wasn’t the actual tiebreaker.”
Broz’s competitiveness is clear. He said it was “frustrating” not to get a shot at the championship despite his three goals and two assists in the showcase.
And it’s somewhat of a metaphor for his season. He leads the Penguins’ AHL affiliate with 30 points in 40 games and has positioned himself as one of the top forward prospects in the organization. But he’s played just one NHL game. The team’s surprising forward depth — along with an ill-timed injury for Broz — has kept him in Wilkes-Barre.
“That’s kind of life in the game,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s not always perfect or fair. Not everything is just handed to you. And especially for me, it feels like nothing’s been handed to me. I feel like when I look back on it, I’ll be grateful for that. I feel like my time here has really made me a much better hockey player, but also has really helped my character and just made me a much better person, as well.”
Broz put up eight points in five AHL games from Jan. 9 to Jan. 17, but then he went out with injury and didn’t play again until Feb. 6.
Had he been healthy, it’s possible he could have played his second NHL game Feb. 5 in Buffalo, when the Penguins suddenly found themselves without Blake Lizotte, Noel Acciari and Rickard Rakell.
Avery Hayes got the call-up for his first NHL game that night and turned it into a historic outing, becoming the fourth NHL player since 1917 to score multiple goals in the first period of his debut.
“It is amazing,” Broz said. “I wasn’t surprised at all, but it was awesome. I was so happy for him. Just crazy. We played a game the night before, and then he was over at our house, and he was playing cards until decently late in the night, then he got called up the next morning. Drove to Buffalo that day, and I think it was almost good for him, because he didn’t have time to really think about it. He just went in there and played.”
Broz also debuted against Buffalo, on Nov. 26, and was playing cards on the bus when he got the call. He was sent back down to the AHL a few days later.
He’s scored 14 goals and 16 assists with a plus-13 rating in AHL action this season. He’s far from satisfied.
“I felt like I’ve been pretty unlucky sometimes this year with not getting the puck in the back of the net,” Broz said. “Even just this last game, I get a shot in the slot, my stick’s broken. The last two years, sometimes I felt like I’ve left a lot of meat on the bone, which you never want to do. But I thought it’s been a good experience. I feel like I’ve learned a lot more this year how to be a professional and how to show up every game.”
His perspective remains refreshingly positive.
“There’s been a lot of trials [in the] last year-and-a-half, with getting mono last year … when I felt like I was playing really good hockey and probably in a pretty close spot to getting called up,” Broz said. “And then this year, getting hurt. But I’m back playing now, and I’m just really grateful to be able to play hockey every day and to do that as my job. That’s just such a blessing and something that I never want to take for granted, because once it’s over, it’s over.”
He’s enjoying his time with the Baby Penguins. Broz rooms with Boko Imama, and they frequently have teammates over to hang out. Imama, an enforcer, is an “awesome, super mellow guy, just very easy-going,” off the ice, Broz said.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has managed to build a strong culture and continue to rack up wins despite utilizing an AHL-high 47 players this season. Broz has played a huge role in the team’s 32-13-5 start — and looks ready for more whenever that opportunity arises.
“I see what the organization is building here, and it’s been really fun to get close with a lot of the younger guys here,” Broz said. “And I feel like when hopefully a lot of us do come up with the Penguins, we can bring that closeness that we already have created here. That can hopefully help lead to winning championships now and in the future.”
• In what’s becoming an evergreen note in our “Pipeline” feature, Bill Zonnon just keeps scoring. The second of the Penguins’ three first-round picks in 2025 has racked up 28 points in 20 games for Blainville-Boisbriand of the QMJHL since returning from injury in late December. Zonnon is a plus-12 in that stretch.
He had two goals and an assist in the Armada’s 6-0 victory Friday.
Bill Zonnon : accuracy, efficiency!
• The player the Penguins selected two spots after Zonnon scored this weekend, as well. Will Horcoff ended a four-game goal drought with a power-play tally in his team’s 6-3 win against Gavin McKenna and Penn State on Saturday. Michigan picked up a shootout victory over the Nittany Lions the night before.
• It wasn’t a great weekend for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coming out of the brief AHL All-Star break. They were shut out by Syracuse in a 5-0 defeat Saturday. They were much more competitive Sunday against Cleveland but fell 4-3 in overtime. Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen each scored. Koivunen is heating up — he’s up to eight points in his last four games.
Emil Pieniniemi registered his first AHL goal with a slick shot from the left faceoff circle to tie the game in the third period. He has three points in his first six games with the Baby Penguins.
• Avery Hayes had an assist in the overtime loss Sunday. But his most notable moment came when he fought former Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese. Despite giving up significant size in the tussle, Hayes took him to the ground.
