Penguins Might Hold First Round Pick Down To The Wire
Which side of the Pittsburgh Penguins "two-pronged approach" will Kyle Dubas address at the NHL Draft?
It has been a busy start to Kyle Dubas' Pittsburgh Penguins' tenure as President of Hockey Operations. Dubas spent a good portion of last week at the annual NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo and is still getting up to speed with the Penguins' offseason plans as the NHL Draft draws near.
Chief among his early decisions is what to do with the Penguins' first-round pick. The Penguins are in line to draft 14th overall, which would be the highest selection for the organization since 2012 when they selected defenseman Derrick Pouliot eighth overall.
In his introductory press conference, Dubas detailed the "two-pronged approach" the Penguins will employ moving forward. As Dubas explained, the plan is to ensure that the team's aging core has the best chance to win another Stanley Cup while closing the gap between the end of their careers and the next era of winning hockey in Pittsburgh.
In just over two weeks, Dubas must decide which prong to address at the NHL Draft. You can expect Dubas to take as much time to make that decision as possible.
The Penguins are desperate for youth and talent in their prospect system. However, with the number of holes in their NHL roster, specifically at goaltender, trading the team's first-round pick could be their best chance at making a massive impact on the success of next year's team.
It's a difficult way to begin a tenure as the President of Hockey Operations but made even more difficult due to rumors of several top-tier goaltenders being on the trade block ahead of the draft.
Kyle Dubas has 16 days until the NHL Draft and his decision about his first round pick could set the tone for the Penguins' summer.
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