Notable attendees include forwards Sam Poulin (1st round, 2019) and Nathan Legare (3rd round, 2019), who recently finished their junior hockey careers, as well as Drew O'Connor (free agent), who appeared in 10 games for Pittsburgh last season.
It will also mark the first chance for fans to see 2021 draft picks Isaac Belliveau (5th round) and Ryan McCleary (7th round), and goaltender Filip Lindberg who was signed to an entry-level contract on July 28, 2021.
Also attending are two players on amateur tryout contracts - forward Josh Williams and goaltender Brett Brochu. Williams, 20, completed his fourth season in the QMJHL last year with the Edmonton Oil Kings and was second on the team and tied for 14th in the QMJHL with 30 points (17G-13A) in 22 games. Brochu, 18, appeared in one game for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League in 2020-21. He was set to play for the London Knights of the OHL, but the OHL's season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Development camp kicks off on Saturday, September 18 with a pair of practices. A skills session with skating and skills development coach Ty Hennes will be held from 10:00-10:45 AM, followed by a practice from 11:00-11:45 AM led by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach J.D. Forrest.
Sunday's schedule will be the same as Day 1, while Monday's schedule will include practice at 10:00 AM, and then a second practice session with "small area games competition" at 11:00 AM. The final day of camp on Tuesday, September 21 will feature a practice, and then a full scrimmage with multiple 5-on-5, 4-on-4, and 3-on-3 scenarios.
All practices, including the final scrimmage, are open to the public and free of charge.
As in previous years, the Penguins' development camp will feature a variety of off-ice presentations and activities focused on helping players transition to becoming a professional athlete.
Below is the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2021 Development Camp Practice Schedule at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex:
Saturday, September 18
10:00 AM - Skills Session
11:00 AM - Practice
Sunday, September 19
10:00 AM - Skills Session
11:00 AM - Practice
Monday, September 20
10:00 AM - Practice
11:00 AM - Practice (small area games competition)
Tuesday, September 21
10:00 AM - Practice
11:00 AM - Scrimmage
Pittsburgh's 2021 training camp will begin with the first on-ice session on Thursday, September 23. A full schedule and camp roster will be released at a later date.
UPDATE AS OF 9/15: Forward Drew O'Connor is not attending camp and defenseman Chris Merisier-Ortiz has been added.
