NHL Mock Draft Pick #23 – Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team on a roll, and even without their two best players for half a season or more, they still managed to finish with the 4th most points around the league. This team is young, deep and scary good. The player they select with this pick will be going to a great situation, and will benefit from the players around him. The Penguins have no glaring weaknesses, so it will be interesting to see what direction they take.
Picking for the Penguins is Bill, Lead Writer of Pens Labyrinth.
Tomas Jurco – Right Wing (Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL)
Superior Slovak
Jared’s Analysis – Tomas Jurco is a very talented player, but one who seems to be very streaky. He can score goals in bunches, but then disappear for large periods of time. Actually I would liken him to a younger Alexei Kovalev, with a little less skill. Kovalev made a living off his talent, not his heart, and Jurco can do the same but must combine more desire on a regular basis than Kovalev put out over the past few years. The pickup of a finishing winger who may eventually skate alongside Crosby, Malkin or Staal is a good pickup at the #23 spot.
Bill from Pens Labyrinth sent along a brief comment on this selection:
Jurco, a native of Slovakia, had 31 goals in 60 games for Saint John of the QMJHL this past season. He has skill and size (6’2″, 190 pounds), and the Penguins need as much depth at wing as they can get.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Here are the Mock Draft results so far (click on the team name to go to the post about that pick):
| Pick | TEAM | PLAYER |
| 1 | EDMONTON | Adam Larsson |
| 2 | COLORADO | Gabriel Landeskog |
| 3 | FLORIDA | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins |
| 4 | NEW JERSEY | Jonathan Huberdeau |
| 5 | NY ISLANDERS | Sean Couturier |
| 6 | OTTAWA | Ryan Strome |
| 7 | ATLANTA | Ryan Murphy |
| 8 | COLUMBUS | Dougie Hamilton |
| 9 | BOSTON (FR TOR) | Duncan Siemens |
| 10 | MINNESOTA | Sven Bartschi |
| 11 | COLORADO | Jamie Oleksiak |
| 12 | CAROLINA | Joel Armia |
| 13 | CALGARY | Mika Zibanejad |
| 14 | DALLAS | Nathan Beaulieu |
| 15 | NY RANGERS | Mark McNeill |
| 16 | BUFFALO | Brandon Saad |
| 17 | MONTREAL | Joseph Morrow |
| 18 | CHICAGO | Zack Phillips |
| 19 | EDMONTON | Mark Schiefele |
| 20 | PHOENIX | Rocco Grimaldi |
| 21 | OTTAWA | Nicklas Jensen |
| 22 | ANAHEIM | Oscar Klefbom |
| 23 | PITTSBURGH | Tomas Jurco |
Now on the clock for the #24 selection, is the Detroit Red Wings.
PREVIEWING THE RED WINGS
2010-2011 Record: 47-25-10 (6th Overall)
League Rankings:
Goals for: 2nd
Goals Against: 23rd
Power Play: 5th
Penalty Kill: 17th
TOP 5 Prospects in the system: Brendan Smith (D), Tomas Tatar (C), Jan Mursak (LW), Gustav Nyquist (C), Teemu Pulkkinen (LW)
NEEDS: The Red Wings are an aging group that could find themselves in previously unexplored territory. Brian Rafalski retired last week, and Nicklas Lidstrom can’t play forever (although he could easily play another 5 years if he so desired). Add that to Mike Modano and Todd Bertuzzi getting up there in age, and the Red Wings are facing a changing of the guard. With this pick, I would think defence, as their system is pretty thin on the back end. Jonas Brodin would be a nice fit with fellow Swede Nicklas Kronwall in a few years.
TOP 5 PLAYERS ON THE BOARD (per ISS):
1. JT Miller, LW, USA Under-18 (USHL)
2. Connor Murphy, D, USA Under-18 (USHL)
3. Jonas Brodin, D, Farjestad (SWE ELITE)
4. Alexandr Khokhlachev, F, Windsor (OHL)
5. Victor Rask, C, Leksands (SWE ELITE)
Check back on TOO MANY MEN ON THE SITE Tuesday evening to see the Penguins’ selection, as the Fansided mock draft continues!