Ever since he was hired in February of 2021, Penguins general manager Ron Hextall has had a stated goal of replenishing the Penguins’ shallow pool of prospects.

It might be a bit too early to be doing cannonballs into that pool. After all, it’s only about ankle-deep. But it’s starting to fill up a bit after Hextall turned the water on.

Blessed with a first-round pick in this summer’s draft — something that was more of a fanciful concept than an actual tangible asset for the past 15 years with this franchise — as well as an aggressive approach to undrafted free agents, the Penguins have some — not many — prospects who offer legitimate intrigue.

Hextall and company will get a closer look at those prospects over the next handful of days as they stage a rookie camp in advance of the club’s training camp.

Here’s a look at the 13 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders scheduled to participate in the rookie camp that begins Thursday.

Forwards

Corey Andonovski, right winger (6-foot-1, 194 pounds)

Scouting report: The undrafted Andonovski is in the first year of a two-year entry-level contract. … Led Princeton in scoring last season with 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 31 games. … After signing with the Penguins in March, the 23-year-old appeared in five American Hockey League (AHL) games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an amateur tryout (ATO) contract and did not record a point.

Raivis Ansons, left winger (6-foot-1, 191 pounds)

Scouting report: A fifth-round pick (No. 149 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft, Ansons signed a three-year entry-level contract in May. … The 20-year-old defensive forward helped lead the Saint John Sea Dogs to the Memorial Cup championship last season as Canada’s top junior team. … In 56 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) games last season, the left-handed Latvian had 60 points (18 goals, 42 assists).

Jordan Frasca, center (6-foot-2, 183 pounds)

Scouting report: Undrafted, Frasca is entering the first year of a three-year entry-level contract he signed in March. … A left-handed shot, the 21-year-old Frasca put up career numbers with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season, posting 87 points (42 goals, 45 assists) in 61 games as an overage player.

Ty Glover, left winger (6-foot-3, 201 pounds)

Scouting reported: Entering the first year of a three-year entry-level contract, the undrafted Glover signed with the Penguins in March. … A native of the United Kingdom, Glover, 21, appeared in 39 NCAA games with Western Michigan last season and scored 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists). … The left-hander also joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an ATO contract last season and played in two games with no points.

Jonathan Gruden, left winger (6-foot, 172 pounds)

Scouting report: The son of Boston Bruins assistant coach John Gruden, Jonathan Gruden is entering the final year of a three-year entry-level contract. … Acquired in a 2020 trade that sent goaltender Matt Murray to the Ottawa Senators, Gruden, 22, appeared in a team-leading 75 games (of a possible 76) for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season and scored 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists).

Filip Hallander, left winger (6-foot-1, 190 pounds)

Scouting report: A second-round pick (No 58 overall) in 2018, the 22-year-old Hallander is considered one of the organization’s top prospects, albeit in a shallow pool of candidates. … A native of Sweden, Hallander made his North American debut last season. … Primarily situated with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2021-22, Hallander appeared in 61 AHL games last season and had 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists). … The 22-year-old also appeared in one NHL game and did not record a point.

Sam Houde, center (6-foot, 172 pounds)

Scouting report: Signed to an AHL contract, Houde, 22, split the 2021-22 campaign between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. … In 19 AHL games, the left-hander had six points (one goal, five assists). … With Wheeling, Houde played in 31 games and posted 43 points (13 goals, 30 assists).

Brooklyn Kalmikov, left winger (6-foot, 174 pounds)

Scouting report: A native of St. John’s Newfoundland, the 21-year-old Kalmikov is entering his first professional season after signing an AHL contract in May. … After helping the Victoriaville Tigres claim the Presidents’ Trophy as QMJHL champions in 2020-21, Kalmikov split the 2021-22 campaign between Victoriaville and the Moncton Wildcats. … As an overager last season, the left-hander posted 76 points (38 goals, 38 assists) in 62 games.

Nathan Legare, right winger (6-foot, 205 pounds)

Scouting report: A third-round pick (No. 74 overall) in 2019, Legare made his professional debut last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. … Appearing in 57 AHL games, the 21-year-old scored 16 points (seven goals, nine assists). … After being a healthy scratch in 14 of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s final 38 regular season games, Legare was scratched for four of the team’s six postseason contests. … A right-handed shot, Legare is entering the second year of a three-year entry-level contract.

Kyle Olson, right winger (5-foot-11, 179 pounds)

Scouting report: A fourth-round pick (No. 122 overall) by the Anaheim Ducks in 2017, Olson never signed with that franchise and joined the Penguins by signing an AHL contract in 2020. … The 23-year-old re-signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in July. … Last season, the right-hander appeared in 71 AHL games and scored 21 points (12 goals, nine assists).

Sam Poulin, left winger (6-foot-1, 208 pounds)

Scouting report: The 21st overall selection in the 2019 draft, the left-handed Poulin is one of only two first-round picks in this camp. … Making his professional debut last season, the 22-year-old appeared in 72 AHL games and scored 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists). … The son of former NHL forward Patrick Poulin, Sam Poulin is in the second year of a three-year entry-level contract.

Valtteri Puustinen, right winger (5-foot-9, 183 pounds)

Scouting report: A seventh-round pick (No. 203 overall) in 2019, the Finn made his North American debut last season. … Primarily situated with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Puustinen, 23, appeared in 73 AHL games and scored a team-best 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists). … The right-handed shot also appeared in one NHL game last season and recorded one assist. … Entering the final year of a two-year entry-level contract.

Lukas Svejkovsky, right winger (5-foot-10, 165 pounds)

Scouting report: The son of former NHL forward Jaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovsky, Lukas Svejkovsky was a fourth-round pick (No. 108 overall) in 2020 and is entering the first year of a three-year entry-level contract that he signed in April. … The 20-year-old split the 2021-22 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers and Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL). … In 57 WHL games, the right-hander had 76 points (35 goals, 41 assists).

Defensemen

Isaac Belliveau (6-foot-2, 185 pounds)

Scouting report: A left-handed shot, the 19-year-old Belliveau was a fifth-round pick (No. 154 overall) in 2021. … In 67 QMJHL games last season with Gatineau Olympiques, Belliveau had 38 points (10 goals, 28 assists).

Nolan Collins (6-foot-3, 194 pounds)

Scouting report: A sixth-round pick (No. 167 overall) in this year’s draft, the 18-year-old Collins made his OHL debut last season with the Sudbury Wolves. … In 65 OHL games, the right-handed shot posted 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) and 56 penalty minutes.

Clay Hanus (5-foot-10, 168 pounds)

Scouting report: Signing an AHL contract in July, the 21-year-old is scheduled to make his professional debut next season. … A left-handed shot, Hanus played for former Penguins head coach Mike Johnston with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks for most of the past five seasons. … Serving as Portland’s captain last season, Hanus appeared in 68 games and scored a career-best 74 points (18 goals, 56 assists).

Josh Maniscalco (6-foot-2, 205 pounds)

Scouting report: Undrafted out of Arizona State, Maniscalco is entering the final year of a three-year entry-level contract he signed in 2020. … A native of Perkiomenville in Eastern Pennsylvania, the 23-year-old spent most of the 2021-22 season with the Nailers. … In 64 ECHL games, the right-hander posted 53 points (17 goals, 36 assists). … Also appeared in two AHL contests with no points.

Ryan McCleary (6-foot-2, 180 pounds)

Scouting report: A seventh-round pick (No. 194 overall) in 2021, the right-handed McCleary is the son of former NHL forward Trent McCleary. … In 2021-22, the 19-year-old McCleary appeared in 63 games for Portland and scored 30 points (six goals, 24 assists).

Chris Ortiz (5-foot-11, 172 pounds)

Scouting report: Signed to an AHL contract, the undrafted Ortiz made his professional debut last season and spent most of the campaign with the Nailers. … In 54 ECHL games, Ortiz, 21, had 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists). … The left-hander also appeared in eight games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and recorded two points (one goal, one assist).

Owen Pickering (6-foot-4, 180 pounds)

Scouting report: The franchise’s first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in this year’s draft, Pickering, 18, signed a three-year entry-level contract in July. … Still eligible to return to the junior level, Pickering’s contract can slide for two more seasons. … With the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL last season, the left-hander appeared in 62 games and scored 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists).

Jack St. Ivany (6-foot-3, 201 pounds)

Scouting report: A fourth-round pick (No. 112 overall) of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018 — then, under the direction of current Penguins general manager Ron Hextall — St. Ivany never signed with that franchise and agreed to a two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins after becoming an unrestricted free agent in August. … A right-handed shot, the 23-year-old appeared in 34 NCAA games with Boston College last season and scored 24 points (four goals, 20 assists).

Colin Swoyer (6-foot, 185 pounds)

Scouting report: Undrafted, Swoyer is entering a one-year entry-level contract that he signed in March. … As a senior last season with Michigan Tech, the right-hander appeared in 36 NCAA games and scored 23 points (five goals, 18 assists). … The 24-year-old joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton late last season on an ATO contract and appeared in five games with no points.

Goaltenders

Taylor Gauthier (6-foot-2, 207 pounds)

Scouting report: A “silly sider” (i.e. a right-catching goaltender), the undrafted Gauthier is entering the first year of a three-year entry-level contract that he signed in March. … Splitting the 2021-22 season between the Prince George Cougars and Portland, Gauthier, 21, appeared in 42 WHL games and had a 31-9-1 record, a 2.34 goals against average, a .928 save percentage and four shutouts.

Filip Lindberg (6-foot, 180 pounds)

Scouting report: Entering the final year of a two-year entry-level contract, Lindberg is trying to rebound from an ankle injury that wiped out most of his first professional season during the 2021-22 campaign. … After appearing in seven AHL games and posting a 4-2-0 record, a 2.76 goals against average and a .915 save percentage, the Finnish-born Lindberg’s season came to an end in November due to his injury. … A seventh-round pick (No. 197 overall) by the Minnesota Wild in 2019, the left-catching Lindberg never signed with that franchise before agreeing to a contract with the Penguins in 2021.

Tommy Nappier (6-foot-3, 220 pounds)

Scouting report: Undrafted out of Ohio State, Nappier has spent parts of the past two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. … The 24-year-old was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s most regularly-used goaltender in 2021-22. … Appearing in 25 AHL games, the left-catching Nappier had a 13-10-2 record, a 2.87 goals against average, an .897 save percentage and one shutout. … The St. Louis native also played in seven ECHL games with the Nailers last season, posting a 3-4-0 record, a 3.39 goals against average and an .893 save percentage. … Signed to an AHL contract.

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