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[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins add forward and defenseman in Round 5 of 2025 NHL Draft

Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images

Recapping the fifth round picks of the Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins made two draft picks in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL Entry draft. With their first pick of the round (130th) overall the Pens added forward Ryan Miller out of Portland of the WHL. On their next turn (148th) Pittsburgh selected defender Quinn Beauchesne from Guelph of the OH.

Miller projects as a hard-working center/left wing.

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Ryan Miller! pic.twitter.com/PiYOlqxz7A

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 28, 2025​

Ryan Miller is the newest member of the Pittsburgh Penguins! pic.twitter.com/ojS7yS56Pv

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) June 28, 2025​

Miller was ranked 60th by Central Scouting among North American skaters

EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide

Along the walls, Miller is one of the best. He gets low to absorb contact, throws reverse hits, and intercepts opponents with his back. Never deterred, he sticks with every play and completes some incredible moves to pull the puck off the wall while fighting an opponent or two. After that, he goes hard to the net, wins positioning, and creates traffic, and he’s always involved defensively.

Dobber Hockey really liked Miller, they ranked him as their 66th best overall prospect. (Ironically one of Pittsburgh’s first round picks, Will Horcoff checked in at 67). That’s one of those funny quirks unique to the NHL draft process where one source’s 66th overall prospect gets taken 130th overall in the real draft and their 67th prospect gets picked 24th overall. That type of discrepancy happens all the time in hockey where players are drafted so long and observers have different ideas of upside and value certain attributes more or less than others.

An industrious forward who skates and handles the puck very well, Miller’s shift-to-shift consistency demonstrated that he can be a dependable playoff performer.—Luke Sweeney

Beauchesne was highly thought of by Dobber too, checking in at 68. NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 75th among North American skaters and the Pens stepped up and took him off the board at 148th overall to put yet another right shot defender in their organization.

Beauchesne is an elite skater with aggressive, high-tempo play who excels at closing gaps, disrupting rushes, and setting the game’s pace. While he needs physical growth and could use some polish in his shift-to-shift execution, his mindset, mobility, and two-way upside make him a potential late steal with breakout potential.—David Saad

The Pittsburgh Penguins draft Quinn Beauchesne 148th overall! pic.twitter.com/c56FuKBEW8

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) June 28, 2025​

EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide

A high-end skater, Beauchesne jumps from spot to spot in the offensive zone. He catches passes at the point, rifles them on net, pinches on loose pucks on the walls, prevents breakouts, moves passes to teammates in the slot, reclaims space across the ice, goes down for a backdoor play, and climbs back up. His feet never stop moving.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/6/28...f-2025-nhl-draft-quinn-beauchesne-ryan-miller

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

2025 NHL Draft: Penguins add two forwards in last two rounds

Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images

Wrapping up the tail end of the draft

The Penguins closed out a very active 2025 NHL draft with one pick in each of the sixth and seventh rounds to make up the 12th and 13th players that they selected over the weekend.

The choices ended up being a pair of forwards, Pittsburgh drafted Carter Sanderson out of the USHL at 169th overall and then grabbed Kale Dach out of the BCHL with their final pick at 201.

Sanderson made history as the first person from South Dakota to be drafted in the NHL. He’ll go across state lines to play at the University of North Dakota for the 2026-27 season.

F Carter Sanderson, 6th round (169th overall):

"Our area scout Brandon Dennis was super passionate about him. Super, super competitive. Type of kid that may not show up on the stat sheet just yet. Extremely young, too, for the draft class. First year in the USHL, wins the…

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) June 28, 2025​

Dach is also a NCAA commit at nearby Penn State for 2026-27. Dach was very productive in the BCHL, which gives him a fairly nice profile for a seventh round pick. Pittsburgh will sure to be keeping a close eye on Dach next season he’s set to join first round pick Ben Kindel with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL before Dach makes it over to Happy Valley in 2026.

Pittsburgh selected Kale Dach 201st overall. I ranked him 61st.

The BCHL is not a very good hcokey league, but even still, scoring over 1.5 points per game is decent. For a player drafted in the 7th round, you could do a whole lot worse. https://t.co/asD26S0oC6 pic.twitter.com/i8HtCU2eWD

— Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) June 28, 2025​

The Pittsburgh Penguins have selected Kale Dach at 201st overall. I ranked him #28.

Out of the BCHL guys who produced crazy this year, Dach was the one that scouts liked the most. I really like this pick for the Pens.#LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/YbF2eUn2pf

— Nick (@nickiacoban) June 28, 2025​

F Kale Dach, 7th round (201st overall):

"He played in Sherwood Park, BCHL. He's actually going to join Calgary, we believe, next year. Play with Ben (Kindel), and then go to Penn State. Area scouts had a lot of time for him where he was. I think he had 87 points this past year.…

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) June 28, 2025​

Despite hailing from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta — just like Kirby Dach and Colton Dach, they are of no relation to Kale Dach, believe it or not. But Kale hopes to join them in the NHL one day just the same.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/6/28...-penguins-add-two-forwards-in-last-two-rounds

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

2025 NHL Draft: Reactions to the Penguins stocking up the cabinets in a big way

Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images

How did the Penguins do?

The 2025 NHL draft is done, and what a 24 hours it was for the Penguins! Pittsburgh ended up making three first round picks, a handful of trades and 13 selections. It was a flurry of activity for the team and stocks them up for the future.

Some Sunday thoughts on the event, in fast-paced bullet form.

• The sheer number of picks was a doozy for the Pens. Pittsburgh had only made between 4-6 picks each year from 2013-24. Taking 13 players this year more than doubles the typical yield. The Pens hadn’t drafted 10+ players since 1994.
• The quality was high too, the Pens had four picks in the top-40 and seven in the top-100. Pittsburgh made four top-40 picks in 2013-24 - combined! Matching the quality (via pick area, at least) of the last 12 drafts in totality is mind boggling. That’s a crazy swing towards building through draft picks once again.
• Dubas definitely did things his way with this draft. All three first round picks in Ben Kindel, Bill Zonnon and Will Horcoff were picked by the Pens at least a few spots earlier than expected. Time will tell if the Pens’ were right in valuing the players that they went with.
• The “what could have been” factor will be highly-tracked in the years to come, being as the New York Islanders ended up with both Kashawn Aitcheson and Victor Eklund. Not many would have blinked if the Pens had made those two their own first round picks. The fact those two players ended up on the same team — and a division rival at that — is going to be fascinating to monitor how it goes. That could have been the Pens!
• But it wasn’t them, since Dubas decided to trade out of pick No. 12 and get two late first round picks. It was a curious move being as the conventional wisdom coming into this draft was that there was a very real talent shelf in the middle of the first round. Again, these are the things that only time will tell — the conventional wisdom doesn’t always hold up in the long run.
• Still an interesting idea to trade there, and not just trade but trade to the FLYERS! Did we mention crazy times?
• Much like the NYI situation with Aitcheson/Eklund, the unavoidable comparisons with Philadelphia will be a juicy story to follow. As mentioned, it’s even better since the player the Flyers drafted with the Pens’ pick at 12 (Jack Nesbitt) is a very similar prospect to the one that the Pens got later on in William Horcoff. Both are very big centers that have work to do. Which one pans out, or how both pan out will be incredibly fascinating. (Of course, Pittsburgh also got Bill Zonnon out of that trade, so all their eggs aren’t in this basket...But for the Flyers, they are more committed with Nesbitt, at least for the purposes of this trade).
• Dubas has shared a vision for the Pens being bigger and harder to play against in the future. Every GM is going to say something to that effect, but Dubas wasn’t just paying lip service. Zonnon (6’2”, 185 pounds) and Horcoff (6’5”, 203 pounds) fit that bill. Peyton Kettles (6’6”, 194 pounds) and Brady Peddle (6’3”, 203) are monstrous defenders with an edge that aren’t around for their puck skills. Charlie Trethewey (6’2”, 201) isn’t far behind. Even the goalie (Gabriel D’Aigle) checks in at 6’4” and 211 pounds. That’s a lot of beef.
• But is it odd to be more enamored with some of the later picks? Fourth rounder Travis Hayes and fifth rounder Quinn Beauchesne could well have higher upside and more skills/quality than many of the team’s second/third round picks. A lot of defenders in the Kettles/Peddle/Trethewey range on draft day look like third pair NHL guys. Maybe they can develop further and exceed expectations, but more toolsy prospects like Hayes and Beauchesne arguably have that “lower floor but possibly higher ceiling if they hit” type of quality.
• It’s also interesting the split went three forwards in the first round, then the next four picks across Rounds 2-3 included three defensemen (and a goalie). That might have been somewhat circumstantial for how the draft broke but stood out that Dubas was able to address the forward group early and often at the top of the draft and then ended up switching gears to focus on the blueline.
• As far as Dubas draft tendencies go, will dig in more on this later but there were no major surprises. WHL, OHL and American players dominated, with multiple connections to the Soo. There were some alterations from past plans, it wasn’t a great year for Finns and that was reflected. In fact, Pittsburgh didn’t take any Europeans at all. No overage players either, surprisingly enough.
• On that last point though, it’s been reported the Pens were close to drafting Penn State center Charlie Cerrato, an overage player high on their list. They got outmanuevered by Carolina in this instance, who draft Cerrato 49th overall. There’s gotta be a million stories like that of teams angling for certain players and watching them get plucked ahead of them, but so it happens.
• On those lines. the Pens had four real chances from pick 73 - 105 to step up and take LJ Mooney, and went different directions. That’s not completely shocking since going with a 5’7” all skill player doesn’t exactly fit the mold or tone of this year’s draft in Pittsburgh but it makes you wonder how or when Pittsburgh would have ever had Mooney on their list.
• The thing about the NHL draft is whether it looks good or not the day after it’s over doesn’t really matter, unless a team walks out with like Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid or something. That wasn’t the case so patience and time is the only thing that will truly tell just how well or poorly the Penguins did. From the surface, if they can turn their 13 picks into a handful of decent NHL players then they will have done their part to stock the organization. This draft looks like a “building block” type of compilation for the Pens. They didn’t get any surefire All-Stars or high-end talent — maybe that will come next year. They might have started on a good foundation for that future stars with a healthy amount of a supporting cast, if all goes well.

The only thing sure and certain for now is that the upcoming development camp on July 3-7 is going to be as important and interesting of a summer week of hockey that the UPMC Lemieux building has ever hosted. There sure will be a ton of new faces as the Pens shift gears into starting to develop the players that they just brought into the organization.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/6/29...enguins-stocking-up-the-cabinets-in-a-big-way

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Shifting Focus

Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images

With the draft now in the rearview, Kyle Dubas and his staff can shift their focus to the NHL free agency period.

After a long two days that saw the Pittsburgh Penguins add 13 new players to the organization, the front office will shift its focus from the NHL Draft right to free agency which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, July 1st at noon ET.

There was a time, not all that long ago, where the beginning of the NHL free agency period was almost a high holiday for Penguins fans. Everyone waited anxiously to see who the Penguins were going to add from the free agent market in an attempt to build the roster from another run at a Stanley Cup.

Now those times are in the past as the Penguins enter a new rebuilding era that will see them employ a new strategy in free agency, one that sees them forgo offering big contracts to big name players, instead, focusing on the future by acquiring assets to hopefully reopen the competitive window in a few years rather than this upcoming season.

Although the Penguins will not be in the running for any of the big fish set to hit the market on Tuesday, there is still plenty for Penguins fans to keep their eyes on in the coming week.

Kyle Dubas will still be working the phones and poking around the market to see what’s out there in terms of moves to be made because even though they might not be reeling in a big name come Tuesday, additions will still need to be made to fill out the roster.

Two big names to keep in mind for Penguins fans entering this week are Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. Going back to the trade deadline, Rakell was thought to be highly sought after but no trade materialized. That could all change now with teams looking to build for next season and a weak free agent market could drive up his price.

As for Rust, the no movement clause that came with the first three seasons of his current deal expires on Tuesday, meaning the Penguins can move him without needing his preapproval. His name already circulated in trade talks prior to the first round of the NHL Draft on Friday night, so don’t be surprised if that happens again once the NMC is gone.

One more name to watch is Erik Karlsson. It makes sense for the Penguins to try an move Karlsson, but his contract may throw a wrench into those plans. Even with a rising salary cap, teams may balk at taking on an additional $10 million over the next two seasons. While it’s very possible that the Penguins do move Karlsson, it may require salary retention on the Penguins part and it may even be a deal that gets done further into the summer rather than early July.

With the draft now in the rearview mirror and free agency just a day away, the Penguins rebuild is officially underway. Friday and Saturday saw over a dozen new faces added to the Penguins organization that will help make up the future. Free agency and the coming weeks will be another step in the process, though how it all plays out and what it does to the overall rebuild remains to be seen.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/6/30...nguins-dubas-stanley-cup-rakell-rust-karlsson

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Pens opt to not qualify Tomasino, Dewar, Joseph, Bemstrom, Gauthier

Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Changes ahead on the brink of free agency

Kyle Dubas spoke today at an introductory press conference with members of the Penguins’ 2025 draft class today.

The Penguins are holding an introductory press conference with the 2025 Draft Class beginning at 12 PM.

Stream: https://t.co/sl8AnlqxqC

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 30, 2025​

In addition to the platitudes and introduction of the newest, youngest Penguins, Dubas mentioned that Pittsburgh chose to not qualify three players ahead of today’s 5:00pm deadline. Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Emil Bemstrom and Taylor Gauthier will become unrestricted free agents tomorrow after not getting a QO from the Pens.

Dubas indicated the team is still in talks with Phil Tomasino and Connor Dewar. The Pens will qualify Russian-signed Vasily Ponomarev to retain his NHL rights.

#Pens PoHO/GM Kyle Dubas: Still having conversations with Tomasino & Dewar. The rest of our RFAs will not be qualified. pic.twitter.com/iCfLZRnFBS

— Josh Getzoff (@JG_PxP) June 30, 2025​

This will mark the second year in a row that Joseph was not qualified by Pittsburgh. Last summer he signed with St. Louis, only to be traded back to the Pens by mid-season.

Bemstrom, acquired from Columbus in 2024 for Alex Nylander, split time between the AHL and NHL last season, recording no goals and only one assist in 14 games in Pittsburgh.

Gauthier, 24, was an undrafted free agent that mostly toiled in the ECHL due to the organization’s depth at the goalie position.

Dubas also indicated that the Pens would turn loose their unrestricted free agents that included Matt Grzelcyk, Matt Nieto and several minor leaguers to at least venture into the open market tomorrow when their contracts expire.

Will the pending UFAs be free to hit the market on Tuesday?

Kyle Dubas: “Yeah. With our current strategy, we’re going to see what’s out there and see where we’re at.”

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) June 30, 2025​

The NHL’s free agency period opens tomorrow at 12 noon eastern time. The Pens have upwards of $20 million in cap space (once dropping Joona Koppanen and Boko Imama from the Puck Pedia NHL roster outlook) but are not expected to be aggressive in signing players toward long-term or big money contracts in the free agent market.

Update: Looks like talks did not go well with Tomasino and Dewar, the team did not like the salary number both were seeking and opted to not qualify either. The door is still open for either or both to be signed by Pittsburgh at any time, however they both are set to become unrestricted free agents at 12 noon tomorrow.

The Penguins have extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent forward Vasily Ponomarev.

The following players will not receive qualifying offers:
Raivis Ansons
Emil Bemstrom
Connor Dewar
Taylor Gauthier
P.O Joseph
Philip Tomasino

Details: https://t.co/micP5WalpS pic.twitter.com/3PMO9Q1sO2

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 30, 2025​

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/6/30...-bemstrom-gauthier-phil-tomasino-connor-dewar

 

[Pittsburgh Penguins]

Penguins sign forward Justin Brazeau to two-year deal

Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images

Big forward has ties to Kyle Dubas

The Penguins announced a few more depth signings on Tuesday night.

Triples is best...

The Penguins have signed forward Justin Brazeau as well as defensemen Parker Wotherspoon and Caleb Jones to two-year contracts.

Details: https://t.co/LF5UvmxyUQ pic.twitter.com/Z4mdxVhBHl

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 1, 2025​

The Wotherspoon news was out of the bag, and similarly the team added fellow depth defenseman Caleb Jones to a two-year deal worth a $900,000 cap hit to the club.

The big surprise might be adding a 6’6” physical, right-handed winger known for his net-front presence and ability to hold onto pucks, Justin Brazeau.

From the Pens:

Brazeau, 27, is signed through the 2026-27 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $1.5 million. Wotherspoon, 27, is signed through the 2026-27 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $1 million. Jones, 28, is signed through the 2026-27 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $900,000.

The 6-foot-6, 227-pound Brazeau split the 2024-25 season between the Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins. In 76 games last season, Brazeau recorded 11 goals, 11 assists and 22 points. The forward has played in parts of two NHL seasons with Minnesota and Boston, tallying 16 goals, 13 assists and 29 points in 95 career games.

Brazeau began his professional career by playing in parts of five seasons in the American Hockey League from 2019-24 with Toronto and Providence, recording 118 points (53G-65A) in 189 career AHL games.

Prior to turning professional, Brazeau skated in four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the North Bay Battalion from 2015-19. In 268 career junior games, the forward registered 128 goals, 110 assists and 238 points. As captain during the 2018-19 season, the forward led all OHL players with 61 goals and was named to the First All-Star Team while being recognized as the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year.

As mentioned in the blurb above, there is a Kyle Dubas connection from the past since Dubas signed Brazeau as an undrafted free agent in 2019 when both were with Toronto. It would take several years of minor league action before Brazeau, since moved onto the Boston organization, made it to the NHL.

Brazeau has 16 goals and 13 assists over 95 career NHL games, including 11G+11A over 76 games with the Bruins and Minnesota Wild last season. Boston was able to flip the impending free agent to the Wild in exchange for Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko, and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick near the trade deadline.

Brazau, at a $1.5 million cap hit, is an interesting addition. The Penguins are flush with middle-six and bottom-six forwards, given that the team was also able to sign Philip Tomasino and Connor Dewar today. Those three FA additions join a crowded depth chart that includes Kevin Hayes, Danton Heinen, Noel Acciari, Blake Lizotte that will be competing for limited spaces within the NHL lineup.

It’s always possible, and perhaps likely, that more roster movement is to come with future trades sending out some players previously with the team out to clear room for these signings.

Source: https://www.pensburgh.com/2025/7/1/24460091/penguins-sign-forward-justin-brazeau-to-two-year-deal