With the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them. 

With a total of 30 picks over the next three drafts, including 11 this year - which could reduce to 10 if the conditional first-round pick from the New York Rangers defers to 2026 - there will be plenty of opportunity for the Penguins to add impact players. Of their 11 picks in 2025, six of them are in the first three rounds.

After the results of Monday's draft lottery, the Penguins will officially select 11th overall, dropping down two spots from where they originally were at ninth. As such, we have compiled a list of potential draft prospects that should fall around the Penguins' selection. 

We recently profiled center Jake O'Brien and forward Victor Eklund. Next up? Defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson.

Penguins Drop Two Slots In NHL Draft, Will Pick 11th OverallIn past draft lotteries, the Pittsburgh Penguins have seen their fair share of luck.

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Kashawn Aitcheson

DOB: Sept. 21, 2006
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 198 pounds
Team: Barrie Colts (OHL)  

One of the Penguins' biggest problem areas in the last handful of years has been their backend. They have largely lacked a shutdown defenseman to pair with their high-risk offensive blueliners, and they also haven't had a bona fide two-way defenseman. 

There's no guarantee at all that "old-time" blueliner Kashawn Aitcheson would be able to fill either of those roles in any capacity for the Penguins in the future. 

But as far as blueliners go, he - by our estimation - truly is one of the best of this draft class.

Aitcheson - who hails from Toronto - is known, first and foremost, for his physical game and his "meanness." He's good in front of the net, isn't afraid to take the body, can box out opponents, and plays much bigger than his size in general. He took a whopping 126 penalty minutes in 64 games in 2023-24 but cut that down a bit to 88 last season.

The young blueliner surely isn't afraid to muck it up. He plays an in-your-face style, and he's a thorn in the side of opponents.

But, perhaps, the biggest development in Aitcheson's game has been on the offensive side. He's good in the transition game and sees the ice well, and he isn't afraid to take matters into his own hands and go 200 feet, either.

And last season's production matches the growth in his offensive game. After recording eight goals and 39 points in 64 games during the 2023-24 season, Aitcheson broke out this season, putting up 26 goals and 59 points in the same number of games. 

That goal total is hardly coincidental, too. Aitcheson has a booming shot, making him a weapon on the power play and from the point in the offensive zone. He ended up seventh overall in OHL scoring among defensemen - finishing one point behind Penguins' prospect Emil Pieniniemi - and he was third in goals among blueliners behind only Zayne Parekh and Sam Dickinson, both of whom were already drafted by the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks, respectively, in 2024.

2025 NHL Draft: You Will Love Kashawn Aitcheson – As Long As He's On Your TeamThe 2025 NHL draft prospect from OHL Barrie is a throwback defenseman who punishes the opposition and doesn't mind dropping the gloves.

Aitcheson will have to make some improvements to his first-step and decision-making if he is to make an impact at the NHL level, but he certainly has the foundational toolset to be a legitimate two-way defenseman when all is said and done. 

Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas has reiterated that he wants to improve the left side on defense organizationally. While he may look to the restricted free agent market for a serviceable left defenseman, he can also draft a pretty high-ceiling one if the Penguins land on Aitcheson.

All in all, expect Aitcheson to be taken within the top-15 after the season he had with the Colts. If he is available at 11th overall, the Penguins would be wise to strongly consider taking a chance on him, as they need as much defensive depth as possible in their farm system.

Penguins Draft Prospect Profile: Victor EklundWith the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them. 

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The Vegas Golden Knights held a full-team practice this morning, but were not accompanied by forward Pavel Dorofeyev and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

Dorofeyev has been considered day-to-day since suffering an undisclosed injury in Game 5 of the Golden Knights' first-round series against the Minnesota Wild. It's been eight days since he last skated, but the team insists on labelling him day-to-day.

For Pietrangelo, the 35-year-old, was forced to miss Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers with an illness and was also absent from this morning's practice. He, too, is considered day-to-day.

With Pietrangelo out, Kaedan Korczak stepped into the lineup, playing alongside Nicolas Hague. Like every Golden Knight, Korczak was shelled, losing the battle in shot attempts, shots on goal and expected goals when he was on the ice.

HC Bruce Cassidy did decide to change his lines once again, returning to a familiar setup. 

Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Saad-Hertl-Olofsson
Howden-Karlsson-Smith
Pearson-Roy-Kolesar

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Whitecloud
Hague-Korczak

The Golden Knights are back in action on Thursday for Game 2.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

The Winnipeg Jets continue their quest for the Stanley Cup with a heavyweight second-round matchup against the Dallas Stars as they host Game 1 tonight at the Canada Life Centre. 

The Jets and Stars will receive reinforcements tonight by way of their top scorers. Mark Scheifele and Jason Robertson seem in line to return tonight. For Scheifele, it'll be his sixth appearance in the playoffs, missing the previous two games for the Jets. For Robertson, he'll be making his 2024-25 playoff debut, likely skating alongside Wyatt Johnston and Mason Marchment.

Unfortunately for both the Jets and Stars, their top defenseman will be out. Josh Morrissey is still considered a game-time decision, but this morning's line rushes indicate that he'll be out. For the Stars, HC Pete DeBoer has confirmed that Miro Heiskanen will remain out of the lineup. 

The Jets and Stars met four times this season, with the Jets winning the regular season series 3-1. Although they got the better of the Stars, the playoffs are a different beast, and anything can happen. 

Connor Hellebuyck, for example, was dynamite throughout the regular season but set an NHL record for the worst save percentage by a series-winning goaltender. Jake Oettinger, on the other hand, was terrific against a potent Colorado Avalanche team, posting a .911 SV% and 2.86 GAA. 

The winner of the series could be decided by which goaltender can step up more frequently.

Puck drop is set for 8:30 PM Central time at the Canada Life Centre.

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Line Combinations: Game 1 - Dallas Stars at Winnipeg JetsThe Winnipeg Jets will host the Dallas Stars in a Central Division showdown from Canada Life Centre in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It Took Some Time, But Jets' Cole Perfetti's Shooting Luck Has Finally ArrivedThrough the first five games of the opening round series against the St. Louis Blues, Cole Perfetti could not buy a goal, robbed by Jordan Binnington on multiple occasions, but as things tend to balance out, the Winnipeg Jets forward was finally rewarded for his hard work. 

If the Philadelphia Flyers are still assessing the trade market for their highly coveted top-six center, they will be privy to the fact that Marco Rossi is increasingly likely to be traded by the Minnesota Wild this summer.

But how has this dream scenario become a reality for the Flyers?

Rossi, 23, is a pending restricted free agent this summer, likely to command a big raise on the three-year entry-level contract that carried a total value of $2.59 million.

And despite his breakout 24-goal, 60-point campaign, the Wild eventually demoted Rossi to fourth line in the six-game first-round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup playoffs, then publicly declared a search to find help for their No. 1 center, Joel Eriksson-Ek.

“We’ll see what happens. There’s contract talks. There’s player movement — not just for Marco; for anybody," Wild GM Bill Guerin was quoted as saying of Rossi by The Athletic. "I’m not going to try to predict the future where I see this, I see that. I have to go through the process and see where it goes.”

As for Rossi? He's steadfast in his belief in himself, even if he knows he can't fully push back on Guerin or head coach John Hynes. That can be a slippery slope, even for the most even-keeled.

“As a player, you don’t always have to understand some decisions, but it’s important to respect those decisions," Rossi was quoted as saying by The Athletic. "I’ve showed all year long how good I am (...) And anyone who knows me, it’s always going up and I always improve, and especially with my work ethic. So I’ve no doubt, I’m for sure a top-six guy.”

And a top-six guy, like Rossi, is exactly what the Flyers need.

Jett Luchanko, the Flyers' 2024 first-round pick, is still just 18 years old. The Flyers could also use one of their 2025 first-round picks, sixth overall, to add another blue-chip center prospect.

At the same time, though, it is not realistic to expect Luchanko or any other prospects to play savior, jump into an NHL lineup in their teenage years, and begin producing at a high level.

Rossi, in his first year in the NHL in 2022-23, had an assist in 19 games. That was it.

And that leaves the Flyers in the predicament they're in.

They have Luchanko and they added the enigmatic 22-year-old college standout Karsen Dorwart, but the NHL center depth is currently constituted by Sean Couturier, Ryan Poehling, and Noah Cates. Beyond them is a total mystery, be it Luchanko, Dorwart, or someone else.

Completing a highly anticipated trade for a young player of Rossi's caliber instantly supercharges this motley crew of centers and gives the Flyers and immediate running mate down the middle for Matvei Michkov--someone who can genuinely think and creatively play the game on Michkov's level.

But, to get, you have to give. The Wild won't be giving Rossi away for free, even if their trade leverage seems frayed in the public sphere.

The Flyers have an overabundance of wingers and draft picks they can offer the Wild in exchange for the 5-foot-9 pivot.

One of three Flyers first-round picks in 2025 originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche, who were dispatched in the first round of the playoffs by the Dallas Stars. A draft pick in the low 20s is  good starting place.

Beyond that, Cates and Tyson Foerster are two top-nine caliber players who are pending restricted free agents this summer, like Rossi. Cates, 26, is a center and a Minnesota native, but plays a different style and has a different skillset than Rossi.

Another name to consider is the uber-talented Owen Tippett, who just had the least productive season (43 points, 20 goals) of his full-time NHL career while playing on the first year of the eight-year, $49.6 million contract he signed with the Flyers on Jan. 26, 2024.

Tippett, 26, will have a 10-team no-trade list kick in ahead of the 2026-27 season, so the Flyers will be hard-pressed to trade him then if things don't start to trend upwards. It is something they will have to consider.

Veteran Wild wingers Gustav Nyquist, Marcus Johansson, and Justin Brazeau will all be free agents this summer, and the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyout charges will drop from $7.371 million each to just $833k each.

In short, Minnesota is going to be in the hunt for younger, talented wingers, and they will finally have the funds to support their ambitions.

A trade between the Flyers and the Wild seems like a dream scenario for both sides, but only time will tell if the price is right for Marco Rossi.

The San Jose Sharks lost out on the first overall selection in the recent draft lottery for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, but they didn't slip any more than that, and have earned the right to select second overall after the New York Islanders won the prize of winning of selecting before anyone else.

However, it seems as though Mike Grier, Sharks' general manager, remains open to moving the selection for the right price.

Grier is still open to moving the 2nd overall pick. Same thing he said at exit interviews. Says the package has to make sense for the #SJSharks to move 2nd overall.

— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) May 5, 2025

Moving out the second overall pick would cost a lot from any team looking to move up in the draft, but the Sharks could benefit either way. On one hand, moving the pick could bring them assets that help them immediately improve, but on the other, they could add another elite prospect that could help them become a contender in the future.

Time will tell what ends up happening, but it's good to know the Sharks are considering all options in hopes of climbing their way out of the bottom of the standings sooner rather than later.

San Jose Sharks Secure Second Overall Pick In 2025 NHL Draft LotteryIt is unbelievable but the San Jose Sharks didn't win the Draft Lottery Celebrini Gets Incredible Opportunity To Play With Crosby & MacKinnon At WorldsSan Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini has an incredible opportunity ahead of him at the IIHF World Championships. Former Sharks Ceci, Granlund Move On To Second Round With Dallas StarsAs the first round of the playoffs comes to a close, the San Jose Sharks are more focused on the offseason and the upcoming draft lottery in hopes of earning the first overall selection in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. However, two former Sharks have moved on to the second round.

The Buffalo Sabres were expected to make some changes to their coaching and management staff in the wake of their 14th straight season missing the playoffs, and on Wednesday, the club announced the hiring of former Sabre Eric Staal as a special assistant to GM Kevyn Adams. 

The 18-year NHL veteran played the majority of his NHL career with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2006. He also played with the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, and 32 games with the Sabres in 2020-21.

 “As I looked for ways to enhance our existing staff, I wanted to add somebody to our group that has a fresh perspective and the direct experience of winning at all levels of hockey,” Adams said in a press release. "Eric was one of the first people I thought of when I originally became general manager, so it is fitting that he is the first addition to our organization this offseason. He has done it all as a player, and I know his experience and knowledge will be invaluable to our team as we look to take the next step."

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The move marks the first made by the Sabres since the end of the regular season, but signifies that Adams position as the club’s GM is safe, since they are bringing in his teammate from the 2006 Cup-winning Hurricanes as an advisor. It is possible that Staal, with his long history and many connections in the league, is being brought in to help recruit players to Buffalo.  

“I loved my time in Buffalo, and as a player, I was lucky to get a small glimpse of what makes the city such a special place and a terrific sports town,” Staal said. “Throughout my career, I was fortunate to be on so many successful teams and I hope I can lean on some of those experiences to help the organization moving forward. I’m thankful to Kevyn for giving me this opportunity, and I’m eager to lend my experience to help in any way that I can."

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with a pick in each round. Leading up to the draft day, we at The Hockey News will be profiling a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Brampton Steelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic, who Vancouver could select 47th overall.

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Ivankovic is one of the top goaltenders available in this draft. Listed at 5'11", 170lbs, the 17-year-old had another strong season in the OHL, posting a record of 25-12-5 with the Steelheads. Ivankovic was also one of two goaltenders selected to participate in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, making 10 saves for the victory.

Despite only being 17, Ivankovic already has a long track record with Team Canada. He has won back-to-back U18 Gold Medals and was named the tournament's top goaltender this past year after posting a 6-0 record with a .961 save percentage. Ivankovic was also part of Canada's World Junior team in 2025, stopping 24 of 26 shots in his only game of the tournament. 

One of Ivankovic's biggest strengths is his composure in net. He is positionally sound and doesn't fold under pressure. Ivankovic can also read how situations develop and understands when he needs to hold onto pucks for whistles.

Another area where Ivankovic thrives is athleticism. His side-to-side movement is an asset, allowing him to make cross-crease saves. Ivankovic also has good net presence, which means he understands where he is in relation to the net and how he needs to adjust his positioning to block any openings. 

While Ivankovic is a high-end prospect, there will always be concerns due to his size. Since he is on the shorter side, he does get beat up high on occasion, which is something he needs to work on. That being said, he is bigger than Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, which shows that a path to the NHL is possible at his size.

After not drafting a goaltender for the last two drafts, 2025 is the perfect opportunity for the Canucks to add another keeper to the organization. With the right development path, Ivankovic could have a bright future, as he possesses a lot of the traits needed to succeed in the NHL. If he is still available at 47, he would be a smart selection by Vancouver.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.