CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Just nine months ago, 2019 first-round pick Sam Poulin was a healthy scratch in the middle of the AHL regular season.
But following the opening practice of the Penguins' rookie camp at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Thursday, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach J.D. Forrest, the same coach who scratched Poulin, had nothing but great things to say of the 21-year-old's progression heading into his second pro season.
"He’s a totally different player, and person, I would say, too," Forrest told reporters. "When you look at his progression throughout the year, it was a tough start.