Penguins' Emil Bemstrom faces uphill battle to crack roster out of training camp

Pittsburgh Penguins management was succinct when sitting down last spring with winger Emil Bemstrom for an end-of-season interview.

“They saw some flashes, (but) I’ve just got to stay consistent enough to be a full-time NHL player,” he said.

That assessment could probably apply to the entirety of Bemstrom’s NHL career.

Over parts of five seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets dating to 2019, Bemstrom displayed modest scoring touch along with speed and a solid shot.

But he fell short of securing any place of prominence within the club’s lineup.

Bemstrom also endured several stints at the American Hockey League level, spending time with the Cleveland Monsters in the final three years he spent with Columbus.

The Penguins brought Bemstrom aboard in late February, shipping winger Alex Nylander and a sixth-round 2026 draft pick to the Blue Jackets in exchange.

By season’s end, Bemstrom skated 24 games for the Penguins, scoring three goals with two assists and averaging a career-low 8 minutes, 47 seconds of ice time.

While his time with the Penguins included a handful of healthy scratches, Bemstrom looked back fondly on his initial few months in Pittsburgh.

“It’s been awhile since I’d played meaningful hockey at that time of the year, so it was awesome to be in that push with Pittsburgh,” Bemstrom said. “I think I had some ups and downs during that period, but in the end, I think I started to show my game a little bit more. Just have to take that with me into camp and go from there.”

Presently, nothing is guaranteed for Bemstrom, who turned 25 in June.

Signed to a one-year deal by the Penguins in July worth $775,000, Bemstrom accepted a modest pay cut after completing a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Blue Jackets.

Coach Mike Sullivan wants to see Bemstrom display a firmer grasp of how he can help the Penguins up and down the ice.

“I think the biggest thing for his overall growth, if he’s going to make an impact on our team, is just figuring out what his game is and what his role is going to be in this group,” Sullivan said. “We’re working with (Bemstrom) right now to try to clarify that and what the expectations are.”

Bemstrom suited up in the Penguins’ preseason-opening game Saturday vs. the Buffalo Sabres, skating with Vasily Ponomarev and Ville Koivunen in a 7-3 loss.

In 11:58 of ice time, he posted one shot with a hit.

Despite the loss against an NHL-heavy Sabres lineup, Bemstrom thought he crafted some individual momentum.

“I’m feeling pretty confident right now,” Bemstrom said. “Just got to keep going from here. It’s always nice to get the first game and get going a little bit.

“I think I bring a 200-foot game. I can skate hard, can forecheck, can score — a little bit of everything.”

Plenty of additional cuts to the training camp roster loom for the Penguins, and Bemstrom is a strong candidate to be placed on waivers.

In addition to the likes of prospects such as Ponomarev, Sam Poulin and Rutger McGroarty, the Penguins also brought in additional help to bolster the bottom six in forwards Cody Glass and Blake Lizotte.

Jesse Puljujarvi also impressed coaches with a hat trick Saturday, and Valtteri Puustinen also seeks a role after an encouraging 2023-24 campaign.

Bemstrom has avoided worrying about all that competition.

“I try to not think about it too much — just focus on myself and try to be better every day,” Bemstrom said.

As camp progresses, Sullivan has split his remaining players into two daily practice groups that are distinct in their composition.

One group, headlined by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and a host of other regulars from last year’s club, is made up of primarily of NHLers.

The other is heavier with recent draft picks, prospects and reserve players battling for roster spots.

Bemstrom’s recent place within the latter group could be suggestive of an uphill climb in cracking the Penguins lineup out of camp.

“As I see it, I think the most important thing for (Bemstrom) is a lot of the thankless jobs that add up to winning,” Sullivan said. “It’s understanding what your responsibilities are when you don’t have the puck, playing within structure whether it be on the forecheck, defensive-zone coverage or off of the neutral zone faceoff loss — what your role and responsibility is in helping us get the puck back. I think he needs to gain a better understanding in those departments.”

Notes: Defenseman Erik Karlsson, after a scheduled off-day Wednesday, did not skate Thursday. Karlsson, who has not partaken in any team practices this preseason because of an undisclosed upper-body injury, continues to work with the Penguins medical staff to get in position so that “he can literally hit the ice running, so to speak.” Responding to an inquiry about Karlsson’s availability for the Penguins’ Oct. 9 season-opener vs. the New York Rangers, Sullivan expressed confidence that he’ll be ready to go by then. … After missing Wednesday’s practices with unspecified injuries suffered Sept. 24 vs. the Buffalo Sabres, forward Jonathan Gruden and defenseman Filip Kral practiced Thursday in Cranberry. Gruden participated in a non-contact capacity. … The Penguins play back-to-back preseason games Saturday at the Detroit Red Wings and Sunday vs. the Ottawa Senators in Sudbury, Ontario, as part of the Kraft Hockeyville promotion. With regards to travel and personnel logistics, Sullivan indicated that the Penguins will utilize the same coaching staff but different teams for the two contests.