Coming off injury, development is the magic word for Penguins prospect Cruz Lucius

The goal of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ development camp at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry was for the organization’s prospects to get better. That’s obvious given its name, but getting better was something forward Cruz Lucius did not have much of an opportunity to do this past year.

When Lucius transferred to Arizona State ahead of the 2024-25 season, a shoulder labrum injury and subsequent surgery kept him out of action until January, limiting his playing time and impact on the ice.

“Not being in the games was hard, but what I learned was you’ve got to take every moment you have, you know, can’t take it for granted,” Lucius said. “One day you could be not playing for four months and in a sling for six, so I think it’s just even when I was hurt, just enjoying that moment, working towards something, which was, obviously, getting back as soon as possible, as well as just, like, staying confident and staying with it just because there’s so many ups and downs to that process.

“So that was kind of the biggest, biggest thing that was hard on me but also, in my opinion, helped me out for my future in hockey.”

Once he returned to the lineup, Lucius recorded 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 19 games.

CRUZ LUCIUS MEET MULLETT MAGIC ????#BeTheTradition /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/H7f1OujDJM

— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) February 8, 2025

Before transferring, he played two years with Wisconsin from 2022-24, scoring 68 combined points on 24 goals and 44 assists.

“I wouldn’t say (I was) thrown in the fire, but I was super excited to play as well as my teammates (were) having me back in the lineup as well as the coaching staff. … Maybe I should have had a little bit more warming up and practicing before that,” Lucius said. “But all I wanted to do is get back and be with my team in those games.”

At development camp, coaches and Lucius have focused on improving his overall skating ability. Whether it is speed, agility or other skills, he wants to find some untapped potential.

“It was probably not the best year for him in terms of trying to get up to speed after missing all that time. We’re looking forward and Cruz is looking forward to him having a full offseason (of training),” Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza said. “He’s worked really hard. He stayed (at Arizona State), putting in the time. He’s going to have more of a leadership role, a bigger role there. It’s tough for any of these guys when they miss the start of the season and try to join the team halfway. He’s really going to benefit from a good offseason.”

The Penguins liked the playmaking ability they saw in Lucius, so they acquired the Lawrence, Kan., native from the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev and a 2024 conditional draft pick that was eventually used to select Harrison Brunicke, for Jake Guentzel and Ty Smith on March 7, 2024.

“I think my hockey sense is one of my strongest parts of my game. I think, like, being able to find my teammates in some situations where maybe other guys don’t see it as well, and then, obviously, too, like, with that, just always trying to make my team, my teammates around me, better, my linemates,” Lucius said. “And also, I feel like I have a good shot. I can shoot off the other foot and from distance, and I feel like I have pretty good accuracy with that as well.”

Lucius recorded a career high in points during a point-per-game 2022-23 season with Wisconsin, scoring 11 goals and 23 assists in 34 games. He also earned the Mark Johnson Rookie of the Year award that year.

That's the shootout winner from Cruz Lucius!!!#75thSeason || #NextSeason pic.twitter.com/Yxy6gc5AeS

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 14, 2024

From 2020-22, Lucius was with the United States National Team Development Program. He averaged a point per game during the 2020-21 season with 14 goals and 28 assists in 42 games. The next year, he earned the silver medal with Team USA at the World Under-18 Championships.

Lucius has several connections with other development camp participants and Penguins. He joined forward Rutger McGroarty and prospects Brady Berard and Luke Devlin on the national development team. He also played with defenseman Daniel Laatsch at Wisconsin.

Lucius is not under contract, as the 21-year-old will return to Arizona State to finish his collegiate career before turning pro, but he is unsure when that will be. He will look to complete a full season and round out his game, slowly but surely.

“I think I’ve always had the opinion of just, you know, take every day as it is,” Lucius said. “I’m not really a big future person at all. Like, for right now, I’m at the camp, having a lot of fun, enjoying meeting new people and being around new guys, as well as getting better, too.”