As the Pittsburgh Penguins are a team without a clear vision at forward, Philip Tomasino hopes to cement a permanent spot in the roster. The team has its constants like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to help anchor the group. Past that, veteran scorers like Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell have been in numerous trade rumours. All of this has led to a ton of questions and interest in younger talent. One of Kyle Dubas’ earliest targets in following this mantra was winger Phillip Tomasino. Tomasino was acquired from the Nashville Predators during the 2024-25 season. The 23-year-old had a solid start and will now get room to grow in Pittsburgh.
Early Years with Nashville and the Trade to Pittsburgh
Tomasino is a product of the Ontario Hockey League, having played with the Niagara IceDogs and Oshawa Generals. Tomasino was a prolific scorer in the minors. In 190 regular-season games, he scored 79 goals and 196 points. In 2019, Tomasino was drafted 24th overall in the NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators. The Predators remained competitive at the time. They had reached the 2017 Stanley Cup Final just two years earlier.
After being drafted, Tomasino spent a few years bouncing around from the AHL to the NHL and back. He showed his scoring touch right away, scoring 32 points in 29 games during his rookie AHL season. Additionally, Tomasino scored 11 goals and 32 points in 76 games through his rookie season as a 20-year-old forward. Tomasino would continue to prove his point-producing prowess over the next few seasons, acting as a significant contributor at the AHL level and secondary contributor at the NHL level from 2020-2024. Amidst a sell-off of young talent by new general manager Barry Trotz, Tomasino was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on November 26th, 2024. The Penguins paid just a fourth-round pick in 2027 to acquire the young forward.
First Season in Pittsburgh
On paper, the acquisition of Tomasino makes perfect sense for the Penguins. General manager Kyle Dubas has stated his intent to get younger. Dubas may have found a bargain, trading a fourth-round pick for a 23-year-old former first-rounder. Tomasino joined the NHL lineup right away, as the Penguins lacked forward depth. There was significant emphasis on giving young players time to develop, this was evident with Tomasino’s 2024-25 season with Pittsburgh. He appeared in 50 games, scoring 11 goals and 23 points. However, a knock against Tomasino’s time with the Penguins has been his hot and cold spells. Through 50 games, he had three instances of going six or more games without a point. This kind of streaky play is difficult for a team to work around and will likely be a point of focus for the winger in the 2025-26 season.
Looking Forward and Where Tomasino Fits
Finding a place where Tomasino fits in the lineup heavily depends on potential moves that could still be made. As a scoring winger, the ideal place for the scorer would be a middle-six scoring role, if not top-line time with Sidney Crosby. This is also where the Penguins as a whole have a lot of bloat. In addition to Rust and Rakell, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Anthony Mantha, and Thomas Novak are all contenders for coveted spots on the wings alongside Crosby or Malkin. Even if Rust and/or Rakell are moved, Tomasino will need to put his best foot forward to earn time playing with either Pittsburgh legend on the top two lines.
Long-term, there are a lot of questions for Tomasino and his fit with the team. As a restricted free agent, he signed a one-year deal to stay in Pittsburgh for a $1.75m average annual value. The Penguins are a rebuilding team that will quickly acquire more competition for Tomasino. In addition to McGroarty and Koivunen, the organization selected three forwards in the first round of the 2025 draft. With at least 17 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, it’s feasible that Tomasino faces even more competition for a spot in the Penguins lineup a few years down the line. The 23-year-old forward will need to rapidly evolve his game, whether it be through consistent scoring or adding dimensions to his game. For this upcoming season, expect Tomasino to get notable time with Crosby or Malkin, hopefully allowing the forward to accelerate his development and make a permanent name for himself in the Penguins organization.
Main Photo: Charles LeClaire- Imagn Images
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