2026 NHL Draft: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Preview, Predictions

Well, folks, after a long, eventful week, the 2026 NHL Draft has finally arrived.

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there is a lot of intrigue surrounding this draft, even if they currently only possess five picks in this year’s draft as opposed to the 13 they had last year. Trade chatter has been swirling around them, as they are rumored to be one of the teams interested in Dallas Stars superstar left wing Jason Robertson. There are also rumors that Pittsburgh is trying to move up in the draft from their 22nd overall selection, as they are rumored to be interested in Swedish center Viggo Bjorck.

As of now, the Penguins’ draft board looks like this:

– Round 1, Pick 22
– Round 2, Pick 39 (acquired from Winnipeg Jets)
– Round 2, Pick 54
– Round 3, Pick 86
– Round 6, Pick 170 (acquired from Nashville Predators)

Again, a whole lot can change between now and 7:00 p.m. ET, when the draft is set to begin. As of now, the Toronto Maple Leafs will select first – presumably, to select consensus first overall pick Gavin McKenna – followed by the San Jose Sharks at two, the Vancouver Canucks at three, the Buffalo Sabres at four courtesy of the Bowen Byram trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, and the New York Rangers at five.

The Penguins certainly have some tradeable assets they can use to acquire a better pick – Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, and Erik Karlsson come to mind – but there should also be some pretty good players available in their range as-is.

With that, what will they decide to do? Will they trade up to the top-10 for a more premium prospect? Trade up as needed? Will they stand pat? Will they trade down to garner more picks in the 30s and 40s, perhaps by striking a deal with a team like the Calgary Flames, who pick three times in the 30s? Will they trade their 22nd overall pick altogether for an NHL player?

Here are THN co-editor Hunter Hodies and my predictions for the Penguins – as well as the first round, courtesy of the mock draft function on CapWages – in this year’s draft.

2026 NHL Draft Tracker: Round 1 Picks, Reports, Rankings And More

2026 NHL Draft Tracker: Round 1 Picks, Reports, Rankings And More Check out expert NHL draft coverage and track the first-round picks as they’re announced. You can also catch up on NHL draft rankings, mock drafts, player profiles and more.

Hunter’s pick

With the 22nd overall pick, the Pittsburgh Penguins select… LW J.P. Hurlbert of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.

I went back and forth on this but ultimately landed on Hurlbert because of the familiarity (Penguins’ prospect Harrison Brunicke also played for Kamloops this past season), and he fits the mold of past Kyle Dubas/Wes Clark picks.

Hurlbert has excellent hockey IQ and an underrated ability to forecheck. He can also go 1-on-1 against defenders and is tough to knock the puck off of. He can really rifle the puck and knows where to pick holes in each goaltender he faces. Don’t forget about his vision, either. He can anticipate a player being in a certain spot on the ice before he’s there.

There is a lot to like about this player.

Penguins’ Draft Prospect Profiles: J.P. Hurlbert J.P. Hurlbert is a player that the Pittsburgh Penguins definitely had their eyes on this season. Does he make sense for them at pick No. 22?

Kelsey’s pick

With the 15th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Penguins select… RD Ryan Lin of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants.

THN - Pittsburgh Penguins Editor Kelsey Surmacz's First-Round Board (via CapWages) — THN – Pittsburgh Penguins Editor Kelsey Surmacz’s First-Round Board (via CapWages)

If the Penguins select at 22, my pick would be forward Adam Novotny. I quite like Novotny, as he has a pretty high floor and is the type of hybrid power forward-type player and relentless workhorse the Penguins love.

However, I do think they’re going to move up in this draft – just not the way many folks think. Moving up into the top-10 – and, even, closer to the top-five – to be in Bjorck range is simply going to cost more than the Penguins should pay for a “maybe.” They desperately need blue line talent in their system as much as they need center depth.

As discussed on our Pucks N’at Podcast with Jesse Marshall on Friday, Lin could be a sleeper to fall a few spots in the draft just depending on how much teams will value centers as well as the blueliners set to be selected ahead of him. If he falls to 15, the St. Louis Blues are set to pick at 15 and 16 and may be willing to negotiate a trade down to 22 if the Penguins offer one of their second-round picks, and perhaps, a sweetener, if necessary.

Lin is a legitimate two-way defenseman already, and he plays a mature game for his age. He has all the offensive tools to be excellent in transition at the NHL level, and he already defends well, too. According to Marshall, he’s a more complete version of a promising young Penguins’ defensive prospect in Harrison Brunicke, and there’s even more room to grow.

I think Lin would be a fantastic add for the Penguins, and it would significantly bolster their blue line prospect pool. He’s someone worth trading up for if he’s still on the board within reason.