The Pittsburgh Penguins 'reached' for the 11th pick, then they pawned off the 12th pick. That may not sit well with some fans who may've been looking for back-to-back picks. And I get it. Still, I really, really like this pick. And who cares where Kindel sat in the rankings?
Earlier in the month, or it may've even have been back in May, I took one look at Kindel's numbers and his overall game, and I said to myself, "How is he not ranked higher?" Per Tankathon, he was ranked 24th, so again, I see the concern here from fans.
He's also somewhat undersized, standing at just 5'10, and clocking in at 181 lbs. But remember, it'll be a minute before he's playing in the NHL, and he may or may not even play alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby, depending on how long he spends developing in the lower leagues. But Kindel is a playmaking machine.
Penguins fans should have zero concerns with the Benjamin Kindel pick
Kindel's nearly an assist per game player. And yes, you read that right: Nearly an assist per game. This past season, he landed 64 helpers in 65 contests. That's about as close to epic as one can get, despite his lack of size - for now, at least.
And I'll say this - smaller players are usually slick. That's what makes them so dangerous with the puck. They're either creating space and and biding linemates time, or they're calling their own number and taking it themselves down the ice. And that's what Kindel will give the Penguins.
I'd like to see him put on a good 15 pounds without losing any speed or agility. If he can do that, he'll withstand the demands that the NHL brings.
I'm not saying he'll be the successor to Crosby that the Penguins will be looking for. But Pittsburgh's still getting a very, very good player here. And when he's in the Steel City with the big club at some point and producing, nobody's going to remember where he was drafted.
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