CRANBERRY, Pa. -- The Penguins signed a member of their 2024 draft class for the first time on Wednesday, inking 46th overall pick Tanner Howe to his three-year entry-level deal.
The contract will begin when Howe, an 18-year-old forward, turns pro. Players coming from Canadian major junior hockey are eligible for the AHL either when they're 20 or have accumulated four seasons of at least 25 games. Howe has played three full seasons for the WHL's Regina Pats, so he could become a regular for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as early as 2025-26.
The Penguins shared this video of Howe and director of hockey operations Vukie Mpofu putting pen to paper:
A dream come true for Tanner Howe.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 10, 2024
Welcome to the Penguins! pic.twitter.com/ThedoVh42v
Howe, listed at 5 foot 10 and 183 pounds, is a left-handed winger. He led Regina last season in games played (68), goals (28), assists (49) and points (77). He was the second of two second-round picks for the Penguins this summer, following defenseman Harrison Brunicke at 44th overall.
Howe had a pair of goals in one of the games of the Penguins' four-on-four tournament to close out development camp. His goals were the first and third goals in a 3-2 win in a preliminary game to send his team to the championship, where they ultimately lost 2-1.
Here's my profile on Howe from the NHL Scouting Combine, focusing on his "rat-style" play and season spent proving that he's not just a product of playing with Connor Bedard. Here's my story from the draft in Las Vegas, in which director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor praised Howe's competitiveness.
