On the NHL Draft, the Penguins, the combine and Porter Martone: Yohe’s 10 observations

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Most of the NHL’s general managers had already departed Buffalo by this weekend, as the conclusion of the NHL Draft Combine isn’t required viewing. They made their visit to Buffalo, observed what needed to be observed, met the prospects they wanted to meet and then made their way home.

Kyle Dubas stayed a little longer.

Dubas is not only the Penguins’ general manager but also the president of hockey operations in Pittsburgh. While those titles illustrate Dubas’ considerable importance to the Penguins’ fortunes, the truth is he’s a scout at heart. He missed many of his team’s games last season because he wants the future in Pittsburgh to be special and was thus scouting draft prospects in every corner of Canada and the United States — and even Sweden — to see things for himself.

This is Dubas’ time to shine, so he stayed a little longer, got to know prospects a little better.

Here are 10 observations on the Penguins and the draft based on what I saw at the combine, what I’ve been told by Penguins employees and conversations I’ve had with Dubas.

• Dubas likes Porter Martone. A lot.

Martone is a power forward expected to be drafted in the top 10 — maybe even in the top five — and does not figure to be available when the Penguins pick at No. 11. While Martone has dropped a bit in draft projections during the past few months, it would be a minor miracle were he to drop to No. 11, where the Penguins would absolutely select him. Most believe he’ll go somewhere between No. 4 and No. 8. A power forward who dominated this season for the Brampton Steelheads (OHL), Martone played for Dubas and Canada at the recent World Championship in Sweden.

Dubas likes to get to know all of the top prospects during this time of year but spent additional time with Martone in Buffalo even though he had gotten to know him in Sweden.

“Porter’s different,” Dubas said with a smile.

• The Penguins possess the assets to comfortably move up in the draft, should they choose.

They have one second-round pick and three third-round picks. They have three second-round picks and two third-round picks in the mighty 2026 draft. They also possess a handful of veterans that teams around the league would love to acquire.

Will Dubas trade up to secure Martone? It’s hard to make such a prediction and I haven’t been given any indication that this is the plan. It would, however, make some sense. The Penguins have finally found themselves legitimate quantity as it pertains to their prospects. They once literally had no prospects of note.

Dubas would prefer to add some quality to all of that quantity. It’s something to very much keep in mind.

• Here’s something else to keep in mind: Dubas wants the Penguins to become bigger and more physical. He knows how brittle his team has been the past couple of seasons and what a pushover it is for teams that play a more physical brand of hockey.

I’d expect him to add some raw physicality to the organization in this draft. Martone is 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and I suspect he’ll go around 220 pounds when he fills out in a couple of years. He’s big. He’s nasty. He plays with an edge. He’s got million-dollar hands, but he’s not afraid to drop the gloves and use those hands to do damage. In short, he plays a bit like a Tkachuk. I’m not saying he’ll be that good, but who knows? He looks pretty special. His hands are what I most notice.

In theory, he would seem to be precisely what the Penguins need. He’s big and physical, but also plays like a Penguin, if you will.

Prospects such as Martone and Kashawn Aitcheson, an abrasive defenseman for the Barrie Colts (OHL), are two players who seem to fit the profile of what the Penguins need. They are, incidentally, two players the organization likes quite a bit.

• One last thought on Martone: It’s very clear that, while I’m sure he doesn’t fancy the idea of dropping in the draft, he’d love to play for the Penguins.

Like so many Canadian kids his age, Martone is very clearly a Sidney Crosby fan. He was gushing to anyone who would listen about getting to play on the same team as Crosby in Sweden last month.

Again, it’s unlikely to happen. It’s a top-heavy draft. Everyone will want those premium top-10 selections. But the Penguins have far more draft capital than other teams. Don’t be shocked if they do something bold.

• The Penguins have absolutely no clue what to expect in regard to the Rangers’ No. 12 pick. They may deal it to the Penguins. Or maybe they won’t. Absolutely nobody knows, including Dubas.

I talked with Dubas about this last month in Sweden and he brought it up again over the weekend. Put simply, he’s not losing sleep over it. It’s a win-win for the Penguins either way.

(It is a little bizarre that the Rangers have until 48 hours before the draft to make the decision. What a strange scenario.)

• In conversations I’ve had with scouts and NHL executives, I’ve come to learn that one of the most interesting players in this draft is one of our own. LJ Mooney is from West Mifflin, Pa., and Logan Cooley’s cousin. Ask Cooley, Vincent Trocheck or J.T. Miller, and they’ll tell you Mooney is going to be a standout NHL player. His skill level is off the charts. So is his competitive fire.

There is one problem, though. And it’s a big one. Or a small one, to be technical: Mooney is only 5-7.

Once upon a time, it was widely assumed that he’d be a first-round pick because of his raw talent and tenacity. Now many expect him to go in the third or fourth round. Fascinating player. Some teams won’t take a kid that size, but it takes only one.

• Everyone I’ve spoken with expects an early run on centers in the first round. This is pretty typical. The Penguins are certainly interested in centers such as Jake O’Brien and Brady Martin, both OHL standouts. Neither player is expected to be there when they pick at 11, however.

If they don’t trade up, a defenseman or winger might be the reasonable pick, especially if the run on centers goes as expected.

Given Evgeni Malkin’s age and the shortage of talent at center in the organization, the Penguins would be happy to select one in the first round. But they don’t want to reach.

• Back to Aitcheson. He’s someone to keep in mind when the Penguins pick 11th, if they don’t trade up. He’s an impressive kid, on and off the ice. There’s a nastiness and a sturdiness to his game that the Penguins love.

Let’s be honest: On paper, the Penguins are soft. Really soft. Especially on the blue line.

There is nothing soft about Aitcheson. Should the Penguins select him, they’d really have something brewing in their system, at least on their blue line. They love Harrison Brunicke, and for good reason. Finn Harding (Martone’s teammate in Brampton) looks like a seventh-round steal last season. Two years ago, they took Emil Pieniniemi in the third round, and his stock is rising quickly. Don’t forget about Owen Pickering.

Bringing in Aitcheson would really solidify the Penguins defense in their system and allow them to focus heavily on forwards in the rest of the draft, should they choose that route.

• Dubas is big on skill, of course. And he’s always lumped in with analytics. When we think analytics, we don’t think physical, tough players. We think purely of talent, right?

Well, I’m telling you, Dubas wants the Penguins to be harder to play against. Something to keep in mind in this draft.

• Dubas is kind of a rock star at the combine. The players all love him.

Why? Well, let’s count the reasons: As general managers go, he’s so young (39). I imagine this makes him more relatable. Also, as general managers go, he scouts players far more than the others. He’s always around tiny rinks in Ontario in January, and naturally players notice this. Many of these prospects are also from Toronto. You may have heard that Dubas is a pretty big name in that neck of the woods, especially for kids who grew up Maple Leafs fans.

He’s done well with limited picks in two drafts with the Penguins. In his third draft, he’s got 10 or 11 picks to use, depending on what the Rangers decide.

It’s his time to go to work. He’s certainly done his homework.

(Top photo of Kyle Dubas: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)

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