While the Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs this season, they are still retooling. Because of this, it is very important for them to hit with their first-round pick this year. In his latest 2026 NHL mock draft for The Athletic [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7333541/2026/06/09/nhl-draft-mock-prospects-list-2026/], Scott Wheeler predicted that the Penguins would select center Ilia Morozov with their first-round pick later this month. With the Penguins' centers getting older, it would make sense if the Penguins took a chance on a big center like Morozov with their first-round pick this year. The potential for him to emerge as a solid NHL forward is there, and he could be a nice part of Pittsburgh's top six later down the road. Morozov just completed his freshman year with Miami University, and it was a solid campaign for the 6-foot-3 center. In 36 games this season, he posted eight goals, 12 assists, and 20 points. This is after he had 11 goals and 22 points in 59 games for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL during the 2024-25 season. Overall, Morozov has been showing clear signs of improvement with his development. Due to this, it would be understandable if the Penguins added him to their prospect pool if he is still available for the taking when they are on the clock.
