With the draft getting closer, it’s time to start looking at some of the players who should realistically be available when the Penguins are on the clock.
In my previous article, I talked about two players I most want Pittsburgh to target: twin brothers Liam and Markus Ruck. I also went over how the Penguins could potentially land both of them without even needing to trade up, considering Markus may still be available in the early second round.
I’m very high on both prospects, and honestly, I think they are the best possible path forward for the franchise in this draft. If you haven’t read that article yet, I’d recommend reading it before this one — “Click Here” to check it out.
1. Ilya Morozov (Center)
Let’s start with probably the most commonly projected pick for the Penguins. Really interesting player here. Morozov is one of the youngest players in college hockey. He’s already a big, strong player at just 17 years old, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing around 200 pounds.
At Miami University, he put up 8 goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 36 games. Those are definitely solid numbers for a 17-year-old playing college hockey.
He has an absolutely wicked one-timer, but there are also moments where he whiffs on shots more than I’d like, or looks a little sloppy receiving passes or controlling pucks. Usually, that can be an indication a player is struggling with the speed of the game, which isn’t something I love seeing because it can translate poorly at the NHL level. But I’m willing to cut him some slack here considering he’s only 17 and already playing against college competition, which is impressive in itself.
His one timer also lacks accuracy, kind of goes everywhere, so it looks more deadly than it actually the on target. Another negative for me, because at this point that should be going in the back of the net or at least on the net more than it is. Another sign of not translating well, I think that’s an area of the game that’s harder to grow, a kind of “you got it or you don’t”, sort of deal. That’s not to say it can’t improve — of course anything can — but more often than not, these things don’t dramatically change.
He plays hard and fast, which I’m always a fan of, and he’s definitely capable of driving the puck to the net. His skating is solid, though nothing that completely blows you away. There’s no “buttery smooth” skating here, but honestly that’s a fairly minor gripe when projecting him to the pros. I think it’ll improve just fine as he develops.
His stickhandling is also pretty solid, though he tends to rely on one or two moves rather than being overly creative with the puck.
Overall, he looks decent. Playing college hockey at such a young age is definitely intriguing, and there’s clearly a lot of room for growth here in a positive way.
That said, I don’t necessarily see a future star at this point. He’s the kind of prospect where it’s still hard to tell exactly what direction he’s headed in. There’s upside there, but also a lot that still needs to come together.
2. J.P. Hurlbert (Left Wing)
Hurlbert is probably considered the Penguins’ second most likely projected pick behind Morozov. Honestly, depending on the rankings or mock drafts you look at, the two might even be viewed as a coin flip.
He’s a fairly smooth skater, but to me, he just doesn’t have the level of speed I’d want, and that’s a pretty big issue in my eyes. He’s great at dancing through traffic or skating around the perimeter in the offensive zone, almost like a budget Lane Hutson at times, and he works the boards really well on his edges, a little Crosby esque in that regard.
He’s definitely capable of making plays happen, whether it’s by working the boards or simply holding onto the puck until a lane opens up or a defenseman overcommits. He has really good vision and can find difficult passing lanes consistently. His confidence with the puck and belief in his playmaking ability really stand out when you watch him.
The issue for me is that I don’t currently see most of his game translating cleanly to the pro level. Everything he does looks great at the junior level. He has very high hockey IQ, opens up lanes well, makes impressive plays, gets himself into quality shooting areas, and has the hands to deke through defenders and control the offensive zone. But frankly, none of it feels fast enough.
4. Mathis Preston (Right Wing)
I’m not entirely sure if Preston shows up in most mock drafts for the Penguins, and honestly, he seems to be all over the place in terms of projection. Some have him going in the mid-twenties, while others push him into the early-to-mid second round. A lot of that variance comes from a strong start to the season, followed by being stuck on a awful team — and then later getting traded to an even worse team.
Despite that, he still put up strong numbers in my eyes considering the circumstances. In 46 games, he recorded 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points. Being just shy of a point per game on two struggling teams with weak supporting talent says a lot to me.
I’m including Mathis Preston here because, first of all, he’s one of the players I’d target if the Penguins don’t end up acquiring Liam and Markus Ruck. Second, he just feels like the type of player this organization would take a swing on — similar to the way they approached a pick like Ben Kindel.
The main reason I like him is the offensive upside. I see real high-end potential there. He plays with a motor, competes hard, and can hit effectively. In terms of playmaking, he looks miles ahead of the junior level at times — so much so that his teammates don’t always anticipate or finish his plays, sometimes they’re not even in the correct position. That ties back into the situation he’s been in, playing on some very terrible teams.
He’s also a fantastic skater: smooth, agile, and confident on the puck. Unlike some of the other players mentioned earlier, he can absolutely undress defenders when he wants to. He drives play, dictates pace, and can move the puck up ice with ease. When he’s on, he’s extremely difficult to separate from the puck.
His hockey IQ and vision are also very high. He sees everything developing around him and processes the game quickly, which is a major positive — a lot of players at this age simply don’t have that.
On the downside, while he reads the game well, he tends to overcommit at times, leading to turnovers or forced plays. There’s also a consistency issue in his compete level. It’s almost like it takes him time to get going, or he’ll start hot and then fade in and out of games. Along the boards, he can be inconsistent as well — one shift he’ll throw a big hit, the next he’ll shy away from a battle. He leans heavily on his skating, puck skills, and playmaking to drive his game.
He’s also an elite shooter, but the issue is that he doesn’t always choose optimal shooting lanes or situations. He’ll shoot from just about anywhere. I’m not going to over-criticize that, though, because it’s something that can be refined at the AHL or NHL level with proper coaching, and I do expect improvement there.
Overall, outside of Liam and Markus Ruck, Preston is one of the more intriguing swing picks for the Penguins. We’re talking about a player with legitimate superstar potential — someone who, in a different development path, might be considered a top-three type talent. But circumstances have pushed him down boards: bad teams, constant system changes, and inconsistency in his compete level.
I think scouts are underrating way too heavily because of that. Yes, the inconsistency is real, but the upside is also very real. He’s a true boom-or-bust type player, no question. But in the Penguins’ position, I think that’s exactly the kind of swing they should be taking — when you’re in the Penguins position, you take your shot, punch your lottery ticket.
I’m going to keep this list at four players. I may follow this up with a part two or three, but for now, these are my top options — three players who are commonly projected to be taken by the Penguins, and one I think they might target specifically, and one I would personally hope they take.