The Pittsburgh Penguins need to add to their shallow prospect pool, and a first round selection should be a huge boost.
With the No. 14 overall pick, the Pittsburgh Penguins select… Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Skelleftea AIK (Sweden)
Why Pick Him?
The Penguins have one of the weakest prospect pools in the entire NHL and a skilled defender like Sandin-Pellikka would bring an immediate push. Sandin-Pellikka is a defenseman but puts up forward-like numbers with 36 points (16G-20A) in 31 games with Skelleftea AIK Jr. Sandin-Pellikka has a chance to be the best defender in the entire 2023 Draft class and would be a perfect land for the Penguins.
With an offensive specialist like Kris Letang nearing the end of the road, the Penguins could use a young talent to step right in when called upon. President of hockey operations Kyle Dubas doesn’t expect any draft options to crack an NHL roster right away, but Sandin-Pellikka could make an impact right as the skill of Letang starts to deteriorate.
Who are the other options?
Considering the lack of depth to the Penguins’ prospect pool, anyone taken 14th overall would make a huge difference. There are plenty of other options if the Penguins miss out on, or go in a different direction than Sandin-Pellikka. Brayden Yager continues to be brought up as a solid choice. Yager had a huge playmaking season in the WHL putting up 78 points in 67 games with 50 assists.
Yager has gained a lot of buzz in this year’s draft, and rightfully so. He has a scoring touch but has completed his offensive game by adding to his passing ability. With a real scoring threat like that, the Penguins would see a major jump in their weak group of prospects.
Other options floating around the 14th pick include Nate Danielson, Matthew Wood, or Colby Barlow.
What else is on the agenda?
There is a laundry list of duties Dubas needs to cover before the start of the 2023-24 season if the Penguins have any hope to crawling back into the postseason. The goaltending situation needs to take shape, the defense needs revamped, and the depth at forward could use an overhaul. Dubas seems ready to take on the task of building a team that can win now, but also remain competitive after the careers of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Letang come to an end.
Maintaining the first round pick and looking for free agent options that aren’t super flashy is exactly the course Dubas plans on taking this summer.
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