‘He’s A Great Player’: Tristan Broz Confirmed To Make NHL Debut

One day after getting the call to the big club, yet another Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie is set to make his NHL debut.

On Tuesday, Penguins’ head coach Dan Muse confirmed that forward Tristan Broz – recalled Monday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) – will make his NHL debut Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. He will be the ninth rookie to play in a game for the Penguins this season, which is the highest mark in the league.

Advertisement

And the 23-year-old from River Falls, Wisc. will have an entire cohort of family and friends supporting him.

“A bunch of family,” Broz said. “My parents, my two sisters, all four of my grandparents, my mom’s sister and her family… then I got, like, five buddies coming in, too.

“It’s really cool. I think that will be the coolest moment is seeing those guys and sharing it with them.”

Despite a strong training camp, the Penguins elected to have Broz start his season in the AHL, where he’s registered eight goals and 13 points in 18 games. He was scoring at a 32-goal pace prior to his call-up, and the University of Denver product has seen his goal production increase year over year and as he has climbed levels of hockey from the NCAA to the professional game.

Advertisement

While an increase in goal-scoring doesn’t happen for every player as they advance through rising levels of hockey, it has for Broz. And he credits a lot of that to his teammates.

“I think I’ve gotten a lot more reps on my shot and just in game situations of knowing where to go,” Broz said. “And then, you also play with better linemates and better teammates every level you go up to. So, it helps if guys make really good plays, and I think that’s a big part of it as well.”

‘It’s A Dream Come True’: Penguins’ Prospect Tristan Broz Grateful For Those Inolved In Journey To NHL When a media scrum formed around Pittsburgh Penguins’ forward prospect Tristan Broz – just