NHL Draft preview: Who'll Penguins pick with two first-rounders?
The Penguins on Friday are set to make a pair of massive additions to the organization, scheduled to pick 11th and 12th overall during Day 1 of the draft. It'll be the first time they've had multiple picks within the first round since 2012, and only the first time they've had multiple picks within the top-12 selections since 1984.
That is, of course, assuming they use both of those picks.
The Penguins could conceivably still move at least one of those first-round selections, either to bolster the system with a young NHL-ready player, or packaging picks in order to move up in the order. But for a team that still needs prospects, especially high-end prospects, actually using both picks would seem to be the wise move.
Teams generally don't draft by positional needs in the NHL. Outside of the top few picks, it's rare to find a player who is ready to make the jump straight to the NHL. It could be a couple of years before either of these picks make it to the AHL, let alone the NHL.
Taking the best player available is always the best bet. But if the Penguins' prospect pool has any glaring needs, high-end centers and left-handed defensemen in general would be atop that list.
The Penguins have some high-end wings, like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivnen. They have good center prospects, like Tristan Broz. But it's hard to look at any forward currently in the pool and picture them as someone that could conceivably be a long-term option at top-six center once Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby no longer occupy those spots. If the Penguins could come out of this draft with a future top-six center, that would be a win.
They aren't completely devoid of left-handed defense prospects -- Owen Pickering is one of their top prospects overall. But after him, there's a pretty steep drop off in quality on the left side, a void that isn't so pronounced on the right side after the Penguins bolstered their right-handed defense pool significantly in last year's draft, notably with the addition of Harrison Brunicke. So if the Penguins could use their other first-round pick on a left-handed defenseman? Another win.
It's hard to make projections as to who exactly that may be, because predicting the top-10 selections isn't an easy job. Rankings are all over the place when it comes to the early- and mid-first round picks, and there's no telling what teams' own boards look like.
To take a stab at some names who could realistically be available when the Penguins are on the clock: I'll go left-handed defenseman Kashawn Aitchesonfrom the OHL's Barrie Colts, and center Roger McQueen from the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. But Swedish winger Victor Eklund from Djurgardens IF, and Czech right-handed defenseman Radim Mrtka from the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds would be hard to pass up if available too, even if they don't fit the aforementioned biggest positional needs. The Penguins showed concerted interest in all four players at the scouting combine or over the course of the season.
In the interest of being as thorough as possible, I spoke with 13 players at the scouting combine earlier this month, and wrote profiles on all of them. Some were done knowing that they'll surely be off the board before No. 11, but also knowing that the Penguins showed interest in the player regardless and could be an option if they manage to trade up.
Here are links to all 13 features, ordered by their position on Bob McKenzie's final draft rankings:
Here's where the Penguins are slotted to pick over the course of both days:
• Round 1, Pick 11
• Round 1, Pick 12 – Acquired from Canucks in Marcus Pettersson/Drew O'Connor trade
• Round 2, Pick 59 – Acquired from Capitals in Anthony Beauvillier trade
• Round 3, Pick 73
• Round 3, Pick 84 – Acquired from Predators to take on Cody Glass
• Round 3, Pick 85 – Acquired from Blues as part of two-team trade to take on Kevin Hayes
• Round 4, Pick 105
• Round 5, Pick 130 – Acquired from Capitals in Lars Eller trade
• Round 5, Pick 148 – Acquired from the Rangers in Reilly Smith trade
• Round 6, Pick 169
• Round 7, Pick 201
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
1:38 am - 06.27.2025DowntownNHL Draft preview: Who'll Penguins pick with two first-rounders?
The Penguins on Friday are set to make a pair of massive additions to the organization, scheduled to pick 11th and 12th overall during Day 1 of the draft. It'll be the first time they've had multiple picks within the first round since 2012, and only the first time they've had multiple picks within the top-12 selections since 1984.
That is, of course, assuming they use both of those picks.
The Penguins could conceivably still move at least one of those first-round selections, either to bolster the system with a young NHL-ready player, or packaging picks in order to move up in the order. But for a team that still needs prospects, especially high-end prospects, actually using both picks would seem to be the wise move.
Teams generally don't draft by positional needs in the NHL. Outside of the top few picks, it's rare to find a player who is ready to make the jump straight to the NHL. It could be a couple of years before either of these picks make it to the AHL, let alone the NHL.
Taking the best player available is always the best bet. But if the Penguins' prospect pool has any glaring needs, high-end centers and left-handed defensemen in general would be atop that list.
The Penguins have some high-end wings, like Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivnen. They have good center prospects, like Tristan Broz. But it's hard to look at any forward currently in the pool and picture them as someone that could conceivably be a long-term option at top-six center once Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby no longer occupy those spots. If the Penguins could come out of this draft with a future top-six center, that would be a win.
They aren't completely devoid of left-handed defense prospects -- Owen Pickering is one of their top prospects overall. But after him, there's a pretty steep drop off in quality on the left side, a void that isn't so pronounced on the right side after the Penguins bolstered their right-handed defense pool significantly in last year's draft, notably with the addition of Harrison Brunicke. So if the Penguins could use their other first-round pick on a left-handed defenseman? Another win.
It's hard to make projections as to who exactly that may be, because predicting the top-10 selections isn't an easy job. Rankings are all over the place when it comes to the early- and mid-first round picks, and there's no telling what teams' own boards look like.
To take a stab at some names who could realistically be available when the Penguins are on the clock: I'll go left-handed defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson from the OHL's Barrie Colts, and center Roger McQueen from the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. But Swedish winger Victor Eklund from Djurgardens IF, and Czech right-handed defenseman Radim Mrtka from the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds would be hard to pass up if available too, even if they don't fit the aforementioned biggest positional needs. The Penguins showed concerted interest in all four players at the scouting combine or over the course of the season.
In the interest of being as thorough as possible, I spoke with 13 players at the scouting combine earlier this month, and wrote profiles on all of them. Some were done knowing that they'll surely be off the board before No. 11, but also knowing that the Penguins showed interest in the player regardless and could be an option if they manage to trade up.
Here are links to all 13 features, ordered by their position on Bob McKenzie's final draft rankings:
• Anton Frondell, forward, Djurgardens IF (SHL)
• Caleb Desnoyers, forward, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
• Jake O'Brien, forward, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
• Brady Martin, forward, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
• Roger McQueen, forward, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
• Victor Eklund, forward, Djurgardens IF (SHL)
• Radim Mrtka, defenseman, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
• Jackson Smith, defenseman, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
• Kashawn Aitcheson, defenseman, Barrie Colts (OHL)
• Carter Bear, forward, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
• Justin Carbonneau, forward, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)
• Lynden Lakovic, forward, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
• Malcolm Spence, forward, Erie Otters (OHL)
Here's where the Penguins are slotted to pick over the course of both days:
• Round 1, Pick 11
• Round 1, Pick 12 – Acquired from Canucks in Marcus Pettersson/Drew O'Connor trade
• Round 2, Pick 59 – Acquired from Capitals in Anthony Beauvillier trade
• Round 3, Pick 73
• Round 3, Pick 84 – Acquired from Predators to take on Cody Glass
• Round 3, Pick 85 – Acquired from Blues as part of two-team trade to take on Kevin Hayes
• Round 4, Pick 105
• Round 5, Pick 130 – Acquired from Capitals in Lars Eller trade
• Round 5, Pick 148 – Acquired from the Rangers in Reilly Smith trade
• Round 6, Pick 169
• Round 7, Pick 201
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
We’d love to have you!