PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pens finished out the first draft under President Kyle Dubas with five picks. Here is a synopsis of the pair of defensemen and three forwards selected on Thursday.
3rd round
With the 91st pick, the Pens picked 18-year-old Finnish defenseman Emil Pieniniemi. He prides himself on being a two-way defenseman, the left-handed shot was ranked as high as 76 by The Hockey News and the 31st best European skater by NHL Central Scouting. He played 17 games last year with the Finland U18 team with no goals and six assists and was a plus four.
5th round
Russian league winger Mikhail Ilyin from Cherepovets, Russia.
This past season the 6’, 181-pound 18-year-old had 26 points (four goals) in 28 games. A left-handed shot, he played 10 games with Metallurg Cherepovets in the NMHL in 2021-22 with seven points in 10 games and then another five points in six playoff games.
6th round
Two-way, left-hand shooting center Cooper Foster picked right where the experts thought. The Hockey Writers story lists the 5’11”, 172-pounders willingness to drive the net, compete level, positioning in the defensive zone and passing as his strengths while needing to work on his creativity, skating and physicality. Ranked 88th by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters, The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native has been praised for his work ethic.
7th round
A second Finnish player, left-winger Emil Jarventie is the first, seventh-round selection. He’s 5’10”, 168 pounds. His overall ranking is 100th and the 33rd best European skater by NHL Central Scouting. In total last year the lefty-shot had 29 goals, including 10 with nine assists in 21 games with Finnish U18 teams this season. In the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Jarventie played in five games with five points (two goals).
7th round
Sensing a trend, left-handed shot defenseman Kalle Kangas from Finland was the team’s final pick. The biggest of the selections at 6’4”, 205 pounds that 18 year-old ranked 165th by Draft Prospects Hockey and 135th among European Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He also played for the Finish U18 teams, playing in 22 games with a goal and three assists.