Defenseman Brady Peddle admitted he was a little nervous in the gym when he first arrived in Cranberry earlier this week.
Peddle, a Nova Scotia native and the Penguins' third-round pick, got into town on Monday along with the rest of this summer's draft class. He was just walking through the gym at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex when he passed Sidney Crosby, still in town and working out at the facility.
"I didn't even talk to him, I just shook his hand!" Peddle told me at development camp this week. "I was nervous. It was pretty surreal. I have a signed Crosby jersey in my basement. For a Nova Scotia kid? It's surreal. That's your role model growing up. It was crazy."
Meeting Crosby was the start of what Peddle called an "unreal, really fun" start to his time in the Penguins' system.
Peddle, who is 6 foot 3 and 203 pounds, describes himself as a "smart, physical, big, hard-to-play-against defenseman who moves pucks and skates well." He was drafted out of the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks, where he recorded three goals, seven assists and a plus-12 rating in 62 games.
Peddle is committed to Michigan State, a decision he called a "no-brainer" after touring the school. But he won't move to college until 2026-27. As far as next season goes, he's hoping to come to a conclusion in the next week -- either return to Waterloo, or move to the QMJHL and play for the Charlottetown Islanders.
"The pros of Waterloo is that they just came off a great run, and I'm familiar with everybody there," Peddle explained. "Pros of Charlottetown, it's close to home. Being an Atlantic Canadian kid, playing in the 'Q' is what every kid wants to do. It's a great organization, great coaching."
When it comes to moves like the one Peddle is considering, the Penguins can advise him but generally leave the actual decision entirely up to the prospect. Moving to the QMJHL would be a higher level of competition, but potentially in a lesser role than Peddle would likely have in the USHL. Regardless of what path Peddle takes next season, the jump to college hockey in 2026-27 seems like a good choice for someone like Peddle -- a big, physical defenseman who could benefit from the added size and physicality of opponents in college.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
10:13 pm - 07.04.2025Cranberry, Pa.Peddle still deciding on future
Defenseman Brady Peddle admitted he was a little nervous in the gym when he first arrived in Cranberry earlier this week.
Peddle, a Nova Scotia native and the Penguins' third-round pick, got into town on Monday along with the rest of this summer's draft class. He was just walking through the gym at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex when he passed Sidney Crosby, still in town and working out at the facility.
"I didn't even talk to him, I just shook his hand!" Peddle told me at development camp this week. "I was nervous. It was pretty surreal. I have a signed Crosby jersey in my basement. For a Nova Scotia kid? It's surreal. That's your role model growing up. It was crazy."
Meeting Crosby was the start of what Peddle called an "unreal, really fun" start to his time in the Penguins' system.
Peddle, who is 6 foot 3 and 203 pounds, describes himself as a "smart, physical, big, hard-to-play-against defenseman who moves pucks and skates well." He was drafted out of the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks, where he recorded three goals, seven assists and a plus-12 rating in 62 games.
Peddle is committed to Michigan State, a decision he called a "no-brainer" after touring the school. But he won't move to college until 2026-27. As far as next season goes, he's hoping to come to a conclusion in the next week -- either return to Waterloo, or move to the QMJHL and play for the Charlottetown Islanders.
"The pros of Waterloo is that they just came off a great run, and I'm familiar with everybody there," Peddle explained. "Pros of Charlottetown, it's close to home. Being an Atlantic Canadian kid, playing in the 'Q' is what every kid wants to do. It's a great organization, great coaching."
When it comes to moves like the one Peddle is considering, the Penguins can advise him but generally leave the actual decision entirely up to the prospect. Moving to the QMJHL would be a higher level of competition, but potentially in a lesser role than Peddle would likely have in the USHL. Regardless of what path Peddle takes next season, the jump to college hockey in 2026-27 seems like a good choice for someone like Peddle -- a big, physical defenseman who could benefit from the added size and physicality of opponents in college.
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