Penguins prospect development camp continues today at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. The four-day camp opened up Saturday with 48 players in attendance and practices consisted of a one-hour goalie session at 9 AM, then three on-ice sessions from 10 to noon.
2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering is among the 48 players at camp and is looking to turn heads after a big year last year. Pickering played 59 games for the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL last season and scored seven goals with 39 assists, but he told reporters that he’s taking the offseason to bulk up before playing in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next season.
The now-200-pound Pickering says he’s learned a lot since being drafted in 2022, and he’s ready to take a big step forward this year.
Also at Penguins camp is last year’s first-round pick Brayden Yager, who collected 35 goals and 60 assists with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL last season, as well as two goals and three assists with Canada in the World Junior Championship.
Like Pickering, Yager said he took the offseason to improve his physique.
Development camp continues today with four sessions. Tomorrow’s schedule contains two sessions: one for goalies and the other for the remaining players. Things wrap up Wednesday with a tournament at noon.
Over the weekend, the Penguins re-signed forward Corey Andonovski to a one-year contract. He spent all last year in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and tallied a career-high 23 assists in 63 games. The two-way contract is worth $775,000.
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