PITTSBURGH, PA – Despite not winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Pittsburgh Penguins head into this Fridays NHL Entry Draft with an eye on the future. Filling needs ahead of time is always a tricky thing considering the salary cap, but cap or not cap, the Penguins must decide on best player available or best player at the biggest position of need.
The Penguins have built the core of their team through the draft. While most hockey observers feel the key to the Pens success was by drafting very high in the first round but the Pens have drafted very well with lower round draft picks. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and Marc-Andre Fleury were all taken either first or second overall in the draft. 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), and Kris Letang in the third (2005).
The Penguins will look to draft a player that will also make an impact on the team but they will also go into it knowing that it might take 3-4 before a player will make the roster much less make an impact on the team.
The Pens were 5TH in offense, 20th in defense, 19th in face-offs, 19th on the power play, and 9th on the PK. Crosby arguably had his best season ever with 51 goals and 58 assists. Only three other players had more than 20 goals, with seven players had more than 10. The Penguins strength was at center and left wing. One defense, all six starting defensemen were a positive in the plus/minus category. The Penguins could use more depth on defense despite having Simon Despres and Brian Strait in the system.
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 especially with Calvin Pickard still left on PHN’s mock draft board. If not the Pens should add a goaltender or two in the later rounds.
As you can see right wing and goaltending are the Pens biggest needs heading into Friday’s draft. If we are going off of the best player available, Pickard would be the choice, but as long as Fluery is considered the team’s future, the Pens will pass on a goaltender at the top of the draft. In our mock draft, that leaves center Ryan Johnson the highest rated player on the board. He might be too good to pass up, especially with the future clouded with future contract offers with Malkin and Staal. If one or both move Johnson should be the pick hear.
If the Pens are looking for help on the right wing, Johnson could be moved to wing since he is a right handed shot. Stanislav Galiev is on the board as is Charlie Coyle, who also play can center if need be. Galiev’s stock went up as the year went along but Coyle’s went down. The Pens have a tough choice to make but in the end we expect the following words to be made by the Pens brass come draft day.
“With the 20th pick in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins select, from the Saint John Sea Dogs, Stanislav Galiev.”
To learn more about Stanislav Galiev click on his name.
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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