It’s been 5 years because the Pittsburgh Penguins had an opportunity to make a first-round decide within the NHL Entry Draft, the final being present Toronto Maple Leafs winger Kasperi Kapanen in 2014.
Maple Leafs proper wing Kasperi Kapanen was the Penguins’ final first-round decide in 2014. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Whereas it’s not going we’ll see the 2019 21st-overall decide, 18-year-old ahead Samuel Poulin, on the Penguins beginning roster for a number of years, listed here are 5 quick details to learn about him each on and off the ice.
Poulin Plans to Play within the NHL at Age 18
In keeping with an interview with the Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette’s Matt Vensel, Poulin himself feels that he’s in all probability three years away from taking part in within the NHL, and the analysts agree. Solely a handful of prospects in every draft class make an NHL group inside a 12 months of choice. Nonetheless, simply because Poulin is aware of the chances doesn’t imply he received’t attempt to beat them.
He informed Pittsburgh Tribune-Evaluate reporter Chris Adamski:
“I’m gonna attempt to make the group instantly. It’s my dream to play within the NHL, so I’ll attempt to earn my place on the group,”(from ‘1st-rounder Samuel Poulin out to beat odds, make Penguins at 18,’ Pittsburgh Tribune-Evaluate – 6/26/19).
Poulin received his first likelihood to indicate the Penguins group what he can do in black and gold on the Prospect Growth Camp on the UPMC Lemieux Sports activities Complicated this June. The spotlight of the three-day camp – which incorporates practices and coaching classes – is the annual Three-on-Three match the place 4 groups battle it out for the Michel Briere Cup.
Samuel Poulin, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2019 NHL Draft (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Poulin scored the ultimate purpose for the victorious Group Jagr, which bested Group Lemieux 7-5 for the trophy. Although it will likely be laborious for him to crack the already-talented Penguins roster, Poulin is making a great identify for himself inside the group.
Poulin & Legare are BFFs
Talking of the 2019 NHL Draft and Penguins Prospect Growth Camp (and extra just lately offers with the Arizona Coyotes franchise), Pittsburgh traded up within the third spherical to take the 74th-overall decide from the Coyotes to draft ahead Nathan Legare, and nobody was extra excited than Poulin.
Poulin and Legare have been buddies since they had been seven years previous, and have performed with and in opposition to one another many instances through the years. Legare even took to Twitter following the draft to share a throwback of the duo as children.
The chums had been on reverse groups in the course of the Three-on-Three match at Growth Camp, the place Legare put up two targets for Group Lemieux within the closing recreation. For the pair, taking part in in opposition to one another was identical to previous instances. Poulin informed the Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette:
“Once we performed in opposition to one another in junior we talked rather a lot, and as children, we might discuss to one another even in the course of the video games, so we did the identical on the market,”(from ‘Shut buddies Poulin, Legare placed on present,’ Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette – 6/30/19).
Hockey Is a Poulin Household Affair
Samuel isn’t the one Poulin within the hockey world. His older brother Nicholas is a ahead for McGill College and skated for the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for 4 seasons. Samuel additionally performed for the Phoenix for 2 seasons, with each brothers on the squad in 2017-18.
RELATED: Penguins Swing for the Fences With Poulin
Samuel’s father Patrick Poulin performed 14 seasons within the NHL. He was drafted ninth general by the Hartford Whalers in 1991 and performed for the Whalers, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Montreal Canadiens throughout his profession. He additionally hung out with the Springfield Indians and Quebec Citadelles of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Indianapolis Ice of the Worldwide Hockey League (IHL).
Samuel Poulin’s (pictured) father, Patrick, in all probability didn’t obtain the identical sort of media blitz that gamers do right this moment when he was drafted in 1991. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Along with taking part in within the NHL, Patrick coached each Samuel and Legare after they performed on the identical summer time league groups rising up.
Poulin & His Pup Scoped Out Pittsburgh
Poulin is able to add one other canine to the Penguins cheering squad. Becoming a member of Instagram-famous Beckham and Leo Murray, Cooper Rust, and Roo Dumoulin is Cooper Poulin. Samuel’s mother, Annick, and the pup explored the town with him earlier than Growth Camp and visited Pittsburgh landmarks Mt. Washington and Level State Park, in addition to took a tour of PPG Paints Area.
There’s nothing fairly like experiencing the town of Pittsburgh. @poulin_sam, his mom, Annick, and his canine, Cooper(!!!!!), visited Mt. Washington and received a tour of PPG Paints Area. pic.twitter.com/digQUt1m8N— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 29, 2019Poulin Already Has Penguins Connections
Poulin had connections to Pittsburgh even earlier than he was drafted. His godfather is former Penguins goaltender Jocelyn Thibault.
Thibault performed 14 seasons within the NHL and two seasons with Patrick Poulin in 1997-98 and 1998-99 as a member of the Canadiens. Thibault got here to the Penguins in 2005, following the lockout, however performed simply 38 complete video games with the membership as a consequence of a nagging hip damage that impacted his efficiency. He was changed because the beginning goalie by then-rookie Marc-Andre Fleury.
Following his retirement from the NHL, Thibault led a gaggle out of Sherbrooke, Quebec to create a QMJHL growth group in 2012-13: the Phoenix, for which Samuel and his brother performed. Thibault serves as common supervisor of the group.
Samuel Poulin as a member of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, a QMJHL group based by his godfather Jocelyn Thibault. (Courtesy of Vincent Lévesque-Rousseau)
Although we would not see Poulin within the beginning lineup at PPG Paints Area for a number of years, we will’t wait to be taught extra about him and watch him develop as a participant earlier than he makes his NHL debut.
