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From Mirror,wire reports
The 2023 NHL Draft is in the books, with the Penguins welcoming six new prospects to the organization on Wednesday and Thursday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
In the first round, Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas announced Pittsburgh's selection of forward Brayden Yager, who spent last season with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League.
"He was in a mix of players that we were really hoping would drop down to 14," Dubas said. "The scouting staff was very excited about him, and we were thrilled to be able to get him at our pick."
On Day 2, the Penguins added defenseman Emil Pieniniemi in the third round; forward Mikhail Ilyin in the fifth round; forward Cooper Foster in the sixth round; and forward Emil Jarventie and defenseman Kalle Kangas in the seventh round.
During last year's draft, most players drafted were North American skaters. This year, the opposite occurred, as the Penguins selected a variety of prospects from Europe.
"There was obviously a lot of players that we were interested in from Europe," Penguins director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor said. "I don't know if that was the plan, per se, going into it, to go to Europe that much, but we really like all the players that we were able to get in Europe."
Although Dubas didn't have much time to prepare for the draft after taking over in his new role at the beginning of the month, his directive to the scouting staff was to swing for the fences and try for home runs.
"But when he encourages you to take some swings, and to take some chances on some players that have high offensive ceiling, that's good advice for us," Pryor said.
And this concludes our draft
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Chicago Blackhawks acquired their latest generational talent along with a big dose of speed in one of the NHL's largest draft hauls.
They also made another big move for their future Thursday by adding veteran Corey Perry to help teach No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard how to be the leader the Blackhawks need to contend for a Stanley Cup.
The Anaheim Ducks added a big Swedish center to their young, talented offense in Leo Carlsson at No. 2 overall.
The reigning Presidents' Trophy champion Boston Bruins made the most of their five selections. They bulked up with each player at least 6 foot or taller, capped by 6-5 Swedish defenseman Kristian Kostadinski at No. 220 overall in the seventh round.
Now comes the very short wait for free agency, which starts Saturday after the two-day draft.
Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin said this was a "pretty boring" draft with a dearth of trades swapping NHL players. A year ago in Montreal, four trades swapping NHL players took place on the second day alone. On Thursday, no player-for-player trades occurred.
Chicago followed up taking Bedard and perhaps the fastest skater in this draft in Oliver Moore at No. 19 overall.
On Thursday, Chicago had three picks in the second round, and Davidson made Adam Gajan the first goaltender drafted at No. 35. This was the second straight year and third time in six drafts that the first goalie wasn't drafted until at least the second round.
Gajan is the highest Slovakian-born goalie in NFL draft history, easily topping Peter Budaj taken at No. 63 overall in 2001. The Blackhawks noticed how Gajan kept Slovakia in big games under pressure at the World Junior Championships -- even though he gave up the overtime goal to Bedard.
Five of the 26 goalies drafted went in the second round, and the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers took Carson Bjarnason. Then general manager Danny Briere added a second in the third round in Russian Egor Zavragin among his 10 draft selections.
Briere said Bjarnason was high on their list, and no NHL team can ever have too many goalies -- especially with how long it can take some to hit their peak.