Penguins will wing it at the draft

PITTSBURGH, PA – For the first time since 1992, the Pittsburgh Penguins can finally call themselves Stanley Cup champions. It also means it is the first time since then that the Penguins will have the last pick in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. The Penguins, like their Cup finals counterparts, the Detroit Red Wings, have built the core of their team through the draft. The only major difference between the two teams is the fact that one team did it by drafting very high in the draft where the other drafted very low in the draft. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Marc-Andre Fleury were all taken either first or second overall in the draft. Brooks Orpik was taken in the first round in 2000, 18^th overall. The Penguins have also done well in the lower rounds as well. Dustin Jeffrey however was taken in the sixth round (2007), Tyler Kennedy was taken in the fourth round (2004), Maxim Talbot in the eighth (2002), Alex Goligoski in the second (2004), Kris Letang in the third (2005), Rob Scuderi in the fifth (1998). That’s 11 players, half the team’s roster, all home grown, all having an impact on the teams Stanley Cup run. For those teams that have religiously spent money to win a Stanley Cup, take heed. To ignore the draft as though it were a virus is something that every team, regardless of how much money they spend, would be folly in this day and age, especially with the salary cap expected to slowly go down over the next couple of years. Still, the draft will be here soon enough and the Penguins will look to draft a player that will also make an impact on the team. Since they are drafting 30^th, they wont be drafting someone that will step into the Penguins locker room next season, but perhaps 3-4 years from now. The Penguins are more than solid down the middle of the ice with Crosby, Malkin, and Staal. The wingers are not stellar but they have at least contributed. Still, adding a winger at the draft who has the potential for scoring will be a must. Eric Tangradi, a former second round pick of Anaheim, is a left winger that could fit the bill. He had his best season ever with the Bellville Bulls scoring 38 goals and 50 assists so if the Pens go for a winger it will most likely be at right wing. Bill Guerin, Petr Sykora and Miroslav Satan all had an impact on the team but are up in age. The Penguins blueline are getting a little long in the tooth. They have five players age 30 or over. Sergei Gonchar is 35 and the key to the power play. Goligoski and Letang are the future on the blueline. Alex Grant is waiting in the wings and could earn a roster spot next season. He has already spent enough time in the QMJHL to earn a spot but a year in the AHL would do him good. Outside of Fleury the Pens don’t have a goaltender that could make an impact should Fleury leave Pitt for big bucks down the road. The Pens could go for a goaltender at 30 but this is not a good year for goaltenders so look for the Pens to add a goaltender in the later rounds.

In our mock draft, most of the top right wingers are off the board but Kyle Palmieri is still there for the taking. A New Jersey native joins Bobby Ryan and James Van Riemsdyk as players from the Garden State. He is listed at 5′ 11″, but he tested very well at the recent draft combine. If they Pens go for defense they could have the pick of the litter of PHN’s mock draft is any indication. Swedish defenseman Tim Erixson is still sitting there as is Nick Leddy, Calvin De Haan, and Ryan Button. Erixon would be a great choice as would Da Haan. Our gut feeling is in real life Erixson would be gone. Still, our mock draft is what counts here. The pens have built there team down the middle of the ice from the forward position back. Palmieri’s talent might be too good to pass up in this case, despite the Pens need to go younger on defense. Just as the Red Wings have found out over the years, there is no need to move up or down in the draft, just sit back and allow the rest of the league to fumble over themselves since good players always have a way of falling into a quality teams lap. If its between Erixson and Palmieri it would be a tough call for the Pens but we think Pittsburgh will buy American. “With the last pick in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins select, from the USA Under 18 program, Kyle Palmieri.” Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com