Penguins Draft Three Forwards in First Round

The Pittsburgh Penguins selected three forwards in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, achieving this for the first time since 1984. With the 11th pick, they chose Benjamin Kindel from the Calgary Hitmen, followed by Bill Zonnon at 22nd overall, who posted 83 points last season for Rouyn-Noranda. The Penguins traded their 31st and 59th picks to the Los Angeles Kings to move up to 24th and selected Will Horcoff, a 6'5" center from the University of Michigan and son of former NHL player Shawn Horcoff. Horcoff recorded 10 points in 18 college games as the league's youngest player and impressed scouts at the NHL combine. The multi-pick maneuvering was enabled by an earlier trade with Philadelphia, where Pittsburgh exchanged the 12th pick for the 22nd and 31st selections. Under GM Kyle Dubas, the Penguins' draft strategy signals a strong commitment to rebuilding with young talent after recent playoff misses.