The Penguins have been actively trying to strengthen their prospect pool ahead of the NHL Draft, with the first round set for this Friday night. They were in the mix to land promising KHL forward but ended up losing out to their rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Flyers came out on top in the race for Him, effectively ending Pittsburgh’s hopes of adding him to their growing group of prospects. His close friendship with current Flyers forward Matvei Michkov also made Philadelphia a natural fit.
Having Shabanov would have been nice but Penguins attention shifts to the draft
Landing Shabanov would’ve been a great boost for the team’s future, but with that opportunity gone, the focus now shifts to Friday night’s first round of the draft.
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On Wednesday night, the team will find out whether they’re getting the No. 12 pick from the New York Rangers, depending on if Rangers GM Chris Drury decides to keep it or send Kyle Dubas a 2026 first-round pick instead.
While they wait for that decision, the Penguins still hold the 11th overall pick and must determine whether to use it as is or try to package it in a deal to move into the top 10.
Shabanov would have been a nice complement for Malkin’s final season
It would’ve been great to see Shabanov skating alongside Evgeni Malkin on the second line, especially since Malkin has been in need of strong linemates for a while now.
Given that both are Russian, there was potential for strong chemistry that could’ve sparked some much-needed offense for the Penguins.
Instead, Shabanov is expected to line up with Matvei Michkov in Philadelphia, likely forming an exciting duo there. Oh well — now the Penguins will turn their attention to the draft.
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