Penguins enact development plans for rookies Harrison Brunicke, Ben Kindel

Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward Ben Kindel reached a significant milestone Thursday when he appeared in his 10th NHL game.

That meant the first year of his three-year entry-level contract was officially activated, and he potentially got one year closer to becoming an unrestricted free agent, though not for another half dozen seasons.

But the 18-year-old enjoyed a potentially far more profound achievement a few weeks ago.

He got an apartment and was able to move out of the hotel the team set up for him in the late days of summer when he was simply hoping to make the NHL roster.

He’s living with another teenager, rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke.

“Temporary apartment with ‘Bruno’ for now,” Kindel said with a small measure of pride Sunday in Cranberry. “It’s nice.”

The returns on Kindel have been nice as he takes his first steps as a professional approximately four months after the Penguins selected him No. 11 overall in the NHL Draft.

Largely deployed as a third-line center, Kindel has three goals while averaging 13 minutes, 12 seconds of ice time per contest.

His most recent goal came Thursday while operating on the top power play. He was promoted to that group after veteran forward Rickard Rakell suffered a left hand injury Saturday.

“For myself, just try to embrace those moments,” Kindel said. “I like being out there in those situations, even though it was by accident. Just try and do what I can to help the team win.”

Helping the team win is a big reason Kindel and Brunicke have been in the lineup as often as they have, though Brunicke, 19, has been a healthy scratch four of the past five games. As a result, he has seven games on his resume, three short of the first year of his entry-level contract being tolled.

Both players have been healthy scratches this season, but not every scratch has been due to unsatisfactory play.

Penguins coach Dan Muse often has labeled those occasions as part of a “development plan” for the two valued prospects.

“This goes in line with what we’ve discussed just in terms of development for two guys that are 18 and 19 years old,” Muse said last week. “There’s windows here for us to be able to have them working with (staffers) within the organization just in terms of player performance.

“A lot of factors are in play. We are going to be doing what’s best for them, not just now but also for their future.”

While voluntarily sitting Brunicke or Kindel is done to give them a breather while they adjust to the grind that is an NHL schedule, these aren’t necessarily rest days for the rookies.

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The Penguins selected defenseman Harrison Brunicke in the second round (No. 44 overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft.

They are in the gym on game days when they know they won’t be playing.

“We’ll get a good lift in,” Brunicke said Monday in Cranberry. “Usually pretty hard lower body or pretty hard upper body. You’re a little bit sore. It’s supposed to be that way. But you’re feeling good coming to the game, well rested.”

Their off days aren’t just about hitting the weights.

“Obviously, you get a few days in where you can get some heavy lifts,” Kindel said. “Then a little bit of extra development on the ice after as well, compared to other days. Then, obviously, you get to watch the game as well and analyze that. See it from a different view.”

Something both players are seeing for the first time is the furious pace the NHL schedule offers.

Starting with a 5-1 home win against the Vancouver Canucks, the Penguins have played six games in their past 10 days.

“There’s just a lot of games,” said Brunicke, who skated for the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers last season. “That’s the big things I noticed. In Kamloops, we would play twice a week or something like that. Maybe it’s like a Wednesday, then on the weekend, we’d play.

“Here, practices are short because you have to keep your rest and keep guys ready and healthy. That’s the one thing I noticed. You get no time, and you’re always back on the ice or playing a game.”

Of course, one of the many benefits of being in the NHL is the quality of travel. Every team flies charter and direct.

In junior, buses are utilized. And considering both players have skated in the WHL — Kindel previously skated for the Calgary Hitmen — those are some long days bussing all over the expanse of Western Canada.

“The bus (stinks),” Brunicke guffawed. “So, it’s nice to have a good seat on the plane, that’s for sure.”

“We would do trips to Saskatchewan and back. That takes a while. In our division, there was a couple of (United States) teams. Then within the (British Columbia) division, there’s also (Prince George), which is seven hours, I think. We used to do it the day of the game. So, you’d leave real early in the morning, play. And they were really good, too. So you’re going for a battle of a game, then you have to get on the bus, get home at like 2 a.m.”

Make no mistake, life in the NHL is far more luxurious if not decadent. But there are clear challenges to remain at this level.

“There’s a lot more games,” Kindel said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. I came from the WHL. … The travel there felt almost harder, just with the bus trips and everything. It makes it easier being on the planes and flying direct to every game.

“The overall game of grind how many games I think, will probably be the biggest key.”

The Penguins’ plan has largely been crafted by president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and director of performance Rich Rotenberg.

It will largely dictate the next time Kindel is scratched and when Brunicke may return to the lineup.

“These decisions that we’re making, this is for what’s best for them now and for the future,” Muse said. “They’re 18 and 19 years old.

“This is something everybody within the organization is fully behind.”