Penguins prospect Vasily Ponomarev is eager to compete at center or wing

Vasily Ponomarev enjoyed a new experience this offseason.

Professional go-karting.

The Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect got into the motorized sport — typically presented simply as “karting” — this summer in his native Russia and even raced in some professional events.

“I was a big fan of (simulated racing), and I just jumped to go-karting,” Ponomarev said. “I found similar things. When I came to it for the first time, regular people started asking me if I’m a pro driving in Formula (One) or the second league. I tried to go professional. I wasn’t the worst guy. I was in the middle. I think I can try to do more in the (next) offseason.”

Ponomarev may have to try something else new with regard to his primary profession.

A move to wing.

Predominantly a center, Ponomarev enters his first training camp as a member of the Penguins facing some long odds if he hopes to make the NHL roster at his listed position.

The Penguins have a surplus of established 30-something centers, and the 22-year-old Ponomarev is pragmatic about the arithmetic at the position.

“In our time, the game is changing,” Ponomarev said Thursday in Cranberry. “Center is probably the guy that can play anywhere. Center, I think it’s an important guy that can play everywhere. If I’m going to be needed to play wing, I’ll do my best.”

Part of the bundle of assets the Penguins acquired in March via the trade that sent All-Star forward Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 7, Ponomarev is seen as a significant part of the franchise’s future, perhaps fairly immediately.

“We expect him to challenge,” Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said the day after the trade. “I don’t think anything’s guaranteed, but we expect him to challenge for being on the roster going into next year.”

A second-round pick (No. 53 overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2020, Ponomarev might have been on the Penguins’ NHL roster during the late stages of the 2023-24 season, but a high ankle sprain suffered while skating with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League in late March dashed those ambitions.

“(My individual season) ended up earlier than our season ended,” Ponomarev said. “Sometimes it happens. It’s part of our job. You have to go through it.

“It’s a disappointing moment of each player’s career.”

To this point, Ponomarev’s career with the Penguins has been limited to four contests and one goal with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He’ll get a chance to put a few more miles on his odometer this weekend as the Penguins participate in Western New York as part of the Buffalo Sabres’ Prospect Challenge event.

In addition to the Penguins and Sabres, the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils are also participating.

Last season, Ponomarev suited up for a quartet of teams. Along with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he made his NHL debut by playing in a pair of games for the Hurricanes in January and also skated at times with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners and Chicago Wolves.

“I probably set a new record for playing for four different teams,” the affable Ponomarev said.

After such an unappetizing conclusion to his start with the Penguins, Ponomarev is just eager to compete once again.

“I think I’m just hungry to play,” Ponomarev said. “I’ve been missing it for a long time. I just want to come back.”

Note: Penguins forward prospect Tanner Howe, a second-round pick (No. 46 overall) in June’s NHL Draft, will not participate in the Prospect Challenge because of an unspecified facial injury. On Thursday, he was spotted missing a handful of teeth.