PITTSBURGH, PA – The Pittsburgh Penguins, aka, the 2009 Stanley Cup champions went into this years NHL Entry Draft with very few needs. After all, what do you get the team that virtually has it all these days. Eleven players on this roster were drafted by the team. All had an impact on the team’s Stanley Cup run. The Penguins are solid down the middle of the ice with Crosby, Malkin, and Staal. The Pens went into the draft looking for scoring wingers, defensemen, and goaltending depth. Of the seven picks they had they selected four defensemen, two right wingers, and once center. The Penguins blueline was getting a little long in the tooth. Sergei Gonchar is 35, and they did bring in Jay McKee, but they did let of Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill go via free agency. Still the team was lacking youth and size on the blueline. The Pens must have been thrilled to see 6′ 4″ Simon Despres waiting for them with the 30th overall pick. Despres’ stock fell just before the draft, especially with so many Swedish players who had their stock rising. Look for Despess to spend another two seasons in juniors or the AHL before becoming a mainstay in Pittsburgh. The Pens didn’t wait long to continue adding more size on defense, this time they went for someone with a familiar last name to Penguins fans. Philip Samuelson, who’s father Ulf helped with Pittsburgh’s other two Stanley Cups in the early 90’s. Samuelson played for the Chicago Steel in the USHL and will attend Boston College in the fall. Next, the Penguins took a pair of goal scoring right wingers: Ben Hanowski and Nick Petersen. Hanowski played high school hockey last season while Petersen played on a very good Shawinigan (QMJHL) team last season. Hanowski is a pure goal scorer and will attend St. Cloud State in the fall, while Petersen has already spent two seasons of junior hockey which gives him a leg up on Hanowski to make the team. Petersen had 37 goals in 68 games, his best of this team seasons where he only scored 11 goals the year before. The Penguins than went back to selecting defensemen when they took Alex Velischek, whos father Randy played in the NHL. Alex is an offensive minded defenseman and will attend Providence in the fall. The hockey heritage kept on coming with the selection of center Andy Bathgate, who’s grandfather has the same name and was a hockey legend that began his hockey career in Pittsburgh’s inaugural season back in 1967. Bathgate is not considered a goal scorer and will have to make the team as a two-way forward. He will most likely spend another season in juniors with the Belleville Bulls before turning pro. The Pens rarely go overseas for talent but with their last pick in the draft, sixth round, 181st overall, the Pens took defensemen Viktor Ekbom. In 136 games in his career so far Ekbom has 10 goals and 31 assists. He has good size at 6’2″ 194, and could become a sleeper in the draft if he is anything like his Swedish brethren. Overall outlook: The Pens needed defense and scoring wingers in the draft and addressed both needs very well. They didn’t address the goaltending situation but with Marc-Andre Fleury in the fold they can be excused for not doing so. Overall grade: A- Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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