Penguins Swing for the Fences at 2023 NHL Draft
The Pittsburgh Penguins are hopeful Kyle Dubas' first draft class with the organization makes a splash impact.
After months of speculation, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally made a selection in the first round of the NHL Draft. As out of the ordinary as it is for the Penguins to pick so high in the draft, the team had a golden chance to add to their limited prospect pool. With the 14th pick of the draft, they did just that by selecting center Brayden Yager. They followed that up with five selections on day two of the draft to round out Kyle Dubas' first draft in charge.
For weeks, the Penguins have been tied to Yager. Between their time spent with him during the combine, the obvious organizational fit, and the variety of local and national media tying the two together, this pick is anything but a surprise. The Penguins coveted Yager highly, shown by how they selected him over several higher ranked prospects with their first pick.
Why? It’s simple: Yager possesses an incredibly high ceiling for offense and he already has leadership qualities. He’s the perfect match for a team retooling, rather than rebuilding.
“He is going to be a guy that can play in all situations,” said Penguins director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor. They envision a future with Yager being a go to, if not the top, guy on their team in the near future.
Including the selection of Yager, the theme of the Penguins’ 2023 draft class is high risk/high reward. While some of these players may feel like they have a scratch off tickets’ chance of contributing, they each possess something special that could propel them to the NHL one day.
Emil Pieniniemi, selected in the third round, is a versatile, mobile defenseman with a 6-foot-2 build and strong defensive tendencies. He also adds a gritty and fiery style of play all over the ice and could be a top four defenseman if he pans out.
Similarly, the Penguins took a flyer on seventh round selection Kalle Kangas. Standing at 6-foot-4, he’s a project that may be worth the risk. He's already a stout defender with impressive mobility, and could become a value pick if properly developed.
Then there are the buy low, sell high options taken at forward. Fifth round selection Mikhail Ilyin is a playmaking center who quietly put up nearly a point per game in the top Russian junior league. While he plays out his contract in Russia, he will hopefully round out his game and improve his shot, which could help catapult him to the NHL.
Following Ilyin was sixth round selection Cooper Foster from the OHL. Speedy and with tons of room for growth, he's a player that could eventually develop into a middle six winger.
Lastly, the Pens plucked an undersized, shot first forward from the Finnish junior league in Emil Jarventie. He may never make it overseas, but if he does, he could be a diamond in the rough for the depth forward needy Penguins.
Overall, the Penguins are desperate for an influx of young talent. Yager was the first domino, and immediately becomes the team's best prospect. Add in the rest of the draft class, and there is a buzz around the team's young players that hasn't existed in years. It may not pay off fully, but there's no doubting the Penguins swung for the fences at the 2023 draft.
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