Pittsburgh's scouting staff always looks forward to the annual NHL Draft. But this year, they're especially excited - because after two years of conducting the draft virtually, the event is being held in person again from July 7-8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Penguins Taking "Best Player Available" Approach to NHL Draft
The staff is thrilled to have a chance to actually get together and celebrate all of the hard work that will cumulate with
adding five new prospects into the Penguins organization
, including a first-round pick for the first time since 2019.
"We can't wait," said Penguins director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor. "I think I'm speaking for everybody when I say there's nothing like getting together in person and seeing each other face to face and being able to have a discussion face to face in regards to the list and stuff like that.
"And we're all so spread out, so it's a nice time for us to get together and see each other, because we don't get to see each other much during the year."
Not to mention that in addition to dealing with all of the COVID-related interruptions, the amateur scouting staff had also been dealing with changes in leadership after Penguins general manager Ron Hextall first took over in February of 2021.
This will mark the first draft under Pryor, 31, who stepped into his role at the end of last July after spending the previous eight years as an amateur scout with the Philadelphia Flyers. He's really been enjoying the process of getting to know the group and for all of them to come together onto the same page.
"It's been awesome, to be honest," Pryor said. "It's been nice to meet new people and to work with new people. I had a great time in Philly, and we had a really good staff there. Now, to change organizations and to see how other scouts operate and kind of learn from them and give my own input as well, it's been really good. A change of scenery has been good."
Pryor said their philosophy is simple when it comes to the prospects they will select, starting with that 21st overall pick: take the best player available. That's because it's so difficult to project not only where these 17 and 18-year-old kids will be in the coming years as they progress along with their development, but where the organization will be as well.
"Some people might say, well, they have a need at this position or at that position or they need this, they need that," Pryor said. "But I just think that so much changes year to year with the cap and trades and everything. So in whatever round it is, we spent so much time getting our list in order in a way we're comfortable with, that I think just taking the next best player available is always the best approach."
One player who very likely won't be available when Pittsburgh is on the clock is West Mifflin native Logan Cooley, who is listed as the No. 2-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. He is projected to become the highest-drafted Pittsburgh-area player in history, a distinction that is currently held by J.T. Miller, taken 15th overall by the New York Rangers in 2011.
"I think we're kind of dreaming where we're t to get our hands on him," Pryor said with a laugh, "but he's extremely gifted offensively. He plays the game with so much speed and pace and skill, and he's one of those players that kind of keeps you on the edge of your seat when you're watching him. I think he's got a really bright future ahead of him, and we're happy for him, excited for him."
The Penguins will also be drafting in the fourth round (118th overall); fifth round (150th overall); sixth round (182nd overall); and seventh round (214th overall). They don't have selections in the second or third rounds after multiple trades.
"We're really excited where we're picking," Pryor said. "I think we've got a group of some names that we think could be available when we're selecting. I know we all like those players in that group, and we're pretty excited to add one of those players to our organization."
