From the looks of it, the Penguins have a seriously good chance of winning the NHL Draft Lottery for this upcoming year and selecting anywhere from pick 1 to pick 5 or 6. No matter where they end up in the draft order in the top 5 or 6, they should be happy with any player that they can take with this pick.
It has been known for a while that the Penguins need somebody that can really help them move the needle quite a bit, especially with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang getting ready to retire within the next few years. There are a few prospects in the top 5 that would definitely get an A+ grade from Penguins fans.
Defenseman Matthew Schaefer
Schaefer has been up and down draft boards in the top 5 for months now as he is quite the defenseman and it will be interesting to see who takes him.
He does a lot of things right and is a really good skater and can play both sides of special teams and is just a really special player.
The Penguins have been focusing some of their recent drafts on defensemen which it seems that they might be set at that position. But if the Penguins can somehow win the lottery, or if Schaefer gets passed on and gets to the Penguins wherever they are in the top 5, i really do not think they can pass on him.
Left winger Michael Misa
Another really big prospect and projected to go anywhere in the top 5, have it be number one or number five, is Michael Misa.
He is absolutely tearing it up in the OHL as well, for the Saginaw Spirit. At the moment he has 53 goals and 57 assists in 52 games for his club. He does pretty much everything right from skating to his shot to driving offense.
He is the total package and again is not someone that the Penguins can pass up if he is still on the board whenever the Penguins pick comes.
Michael Misa has tied Cole Perfetti in most points in a single season 🔥🔥 Both scored 111. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/dATlU8jkKj
— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) February 23, 2025
Center James Hagens
Around the time when the offseason started, Hagens name was thrown out there as the consensus number one pick in this year's NHL Draft. But that has fluctuated as he like MIsa and Schaefer can go anywhere in the top 5.
He is playing in college right now for the Boston College Eagles but he has been a consensus top prospect in this draft for quite some time now.
He like Misa has a great shot and can really drive offense and any team in the top 5 would be lucky to be able to select him with their pick.
James Hagens tallies his ninth goal of the campaign!
— BC Men's Hockey (@BC_MHockey) February 22, 2025
Watch on @ESPNPlus | https://t.co/10ZmpvLJr1 pic.twitter.com/77N8pEnGRA
The Penguins would have their hands full of choices if they can finish in the top 5, but they also do not have a wrong answer no matter who they go with.