The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with a clear mission: inject youth and skill into their prospect pool. With a whopping 13 picks, their highest number since 1994, the Penguins aimed to increase their chances of finding future stars. Led by President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas and Vice President of Player Personnel Wes Clark, the Penguins executed a draft strategy that prioritized high-upside forwards and addressed defensive needs.
The first round saw the Penguins make history, selecting three forwards for the first time since the 1984 draft that featured Mario Lemieux. At No. 11, they selected Benjamin Kindel from the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. Kindel, a 5-foot-10 winger, impressed with his speed, creativity, and scoring touch, racking up 35 goals, 64 assists, and 99 points in the 2024-25 season. Clark lauded Kindel's "elite" hockey sense and impact on both sides of the puck. While some analysts considered the pick aggressive due to Kindel's size, the Penguins are betting on his high-end potential.
Dubas traded the No. 12 overall pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 22nd and 31st overall picks. With the 22nd pick, the Penguins chose Bill Zonnon, a 6-foot-2 winger from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL. Zonnon brings size, skating ability, and two-way potential to the table. The Penguins then traded the 31st and 59th overall picks to the Los Angeles Kings to move up to No. 24 and select Will Horcoff, a center who split the season between the U.S. National Team Development Program and the University of Michigan. Horcoff's combination of size and offensive IQ intrigued the Penguins, though his skating will need improvement.
In the second round, with the 39th overall pick acquired in a trade with Buffalo that sent Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau to the Sabres, the Penguins selected Peyton Kettles, a towering 6-foot-6 defenseman from the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. Kettles is a defensive-minded player with a long reach and a physical presence.
The Penguins continued to address their defensive depth in the third round, selecting Charlie Trethewey at No. 73 overall. Trethewey, who has roots in Pittsburgh hockey, played with the USNTDP and is committed to Boston University. Goaltending was also addressed with the selection of Gabriel D'Aigle. D'Aigle, who has a relationship with Marc-Andre Fleury, plays for Victoriaville of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League. The Penguins rounded out their third-round picks with Brady Peddle.
The later rounds saw the Penguins take a variety of players, including Travis Hayes, Ryan Miller, Quinn Beauchesne, Jordan Charron, Carter Sanderson, and Kale Dach. Dach is committed to Penn State University.
All 13 of the Penguins' 2025 draft picks will be attending development camp from July 3-7 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. This camp provides an opportunity for the prospects to showcase their skills and learn from the Penguins' coaching staff.
