Most of the news surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins lately has been about the first draft conducted by president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and the frenzy of the opening of free agency, but while all of that was happening, the Penguins were also running their development camp, getting a look at their top talent and some young free agent prospects they are keeping their eyes on.
Director of player development Tom Kostopoulos ran the camp and got to work with the team’s most recent top draft choices, including this year’s number one pick, Brayden Yager. He was impressed.
Kostopoulos says last year’s top choice, towering defenseman Owen Pickering, has put on ten pounds since the end of the season and brings a special skill set to the blue line.
Pickering and Yager roomed together during the development camp, but they already knew each other, at least from the standpoint of being on the ice together. Yager played in the Western Hockey League last year for Moose Jaw. Pickering has played the last three seasons for Swift Current in the same league.
Kostopoulos says he and his development staff have not had much of a chance to work with the new Penguins’ front office that Dubas has installed, but he is looking forward to it.
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