As a rule, giving credit to former general manager Ron Hextall in any way, shape or form isn’t the way to make friends or influence people in these parts. Nor will it win you any popularity contests among the black-and-gold faithful.
Indeed, the former Philly GM is generally regarded by Penguins Nation as a villain or worse…the man responsible for expediting the end of our glorious postseason run through a combination of bungled trades and poor personnel decisions.
Public Enemy No. 1.
Truth be told, Hextall was given an uber-challenging (and unreasonable) mandate to keep the team competitive while restocking our barren prospect pool. In hindsight, a near impossible task.
However, when all is said and done, could Hexy have done us a solid or two at the draft table?
The answer just might be yes.
Keep in mind he had very little to work with thanks to his predecessor Jim Rutherford. Indeed, GMJR peddled draft picks in a scorched-earth fashion with little apparent thought to the long-term consequences. Perhaps it was his plan all along to skedaddle when the well ran dry.
Indeed, at the 2021 Entry Draft, Hextall had but five picks. A second rounder, a fifth-rounder and three seventh-rounders.
The following draft wasn’t much better. GMRH did have a first-round pick at his disposal, followed by a fourth-rounder, a fifth-rounder and two sixth-round selections.
Ten picks in all, with only two representing prime or semi-prime spots. Here’s the haul. Current ages are shown.
| 2021 Entry Draft | |||
| Player | Pos | Ht./Wt,/Age | Rn. (Overall) |
| Tristan Broz | LW | 6’1″ 200, 21 | 2 (58) |
| Isaac Belliveau | LD | 6’2″ 179, 21 | 5 (154) |
| Ryan McCleary | LD | 6’3″ 182, 20 | 7 (194) |
| Daniel Laatsch | LD | 6’5″ 182, 22 | 7 (215) |
| Kirill Tankov | C | 6’1″ 180, 22 | 7 (218) |
| 2022 Entry Draft | |||
| Player | Pos | Ht./Wt./Age | Rn. (Overall) |
| Owen Pickering | LD | 6’5″ 200, 20 | 1 (21) |
| Sergei Murashov | G | 6’2″ 172, 20 | 4 (118) |
| Zam Plante | C | 5’9″ 170, 19 | 5 (150) |
| Nolan Collins | RD | 6’4″ 210, 20 | 6 (167) |
| Luke Devlin | C | 6’3″ 192, 20 | 6 (182) |
It’s highly unlikely we’ll ever see or hear from Devlin, Laatsch or Tankov, an intriguing pick who missed nearly all of ’22-23 recovering from a broken neck in his native Russia.
The rights to Collins and McCleary, a pair of big defensemen, were not retained by Kyle Dubas. The choice on the latter is a bit of a head-scratcher given that McCleary seemed to progress well, outscoring his high-profile Swift Current teammate, Pickering, 11 goals to seven last season while providing a physical presence.
On the flip side of the coin, several of Hextall’s selections may make the grade, including Broz, his very first pick.
Following a rough start to his collegiate career that resulted in a transfer from the University of Minnesota to the University of Denver, the speedy left wing showed steady improvement. Culminating in a 16-goal, 40-point season (in 43 games) and a National Championship with the Pioneers. One he helped mightily to attain by potting two overtime goals in the NCAA tournament.
Here’s what Elite Prospects had to say about the 200-pound left wing.
Broz is a player with an attacking mentality. He’s like a shark sniffing out blood in the water when he’s off-the-puck in the offensive zone, circling the perimeter, waiting for soft ice to emerge, or charging headlong to the net-front as low-to-high passing plays develop. He reads developing plays, creates options for his linemates, and adapts well during cycle plays.
Watching highlights of Broz, I concur. He’s shifty and creative in open ice, but doesn’t hesitate to attack the net when the opportunity presents itself. He doesn’t seem shy about venturing into the dirty areas, either.
Perhaps a solid middle-sixer with a second-line upside along the lines of Drew O’Connor.
Pickering, likewise, is turning pro. The rangy defenseman, who reportedly has sprouted to 6’5” while upping his weight to 200 pounds, reminds me a little of former NHL great Chris Pronger in the way he moves and comports himself on the ice, sans the physicality. Pickering possesses good mobility and offensive instincts, as noted by Elite Prospects.
The core of Pickering’s game is what he does with the puck. On retrievals, he deceives, cuts back, then sprints to the inside. With head fakes and changes of pace, he misdirects forecheckers and then hits a teammate up the ice. When he’s not leading the rush, he’s joining it. And that activation interacts with his projectable shot and exciting playmaking flashes.
Although his points progression in junior was a bit flat-line for management’s taste, the tools and intangibles (he served as Swift Current’s captain) are certainly there for Pickering make a splash at the NHL level. If not now, then a couple years down the road.
As for Murashov? He drew rave reviews at the Pens’ recent prospect development camp after dominating the Russian junior league for the better part of the past four seasons.
Here’s Corey Pronman’s analysis from 2023.
Murashov was a top goalie in Russia’s junior league last season. He’s a super intelligent goalie who tracks and anticipates the puck like a pro. He’s aggressive and knows when to challenge at the right times. Murashov isn’t that big, though, and while he moves fine the lack of high-end athleticism is the question I have about him at the NHL given his frame.
My impression from watching video clips of Murashov somewhat dovetails with Pronman’s observations. To my admittedly untrained eye, there’s something awkward about his style that I can’t quite put my finger on. When he crouches low into his butterfly stance there seems to be a lot of net to shoot at, and he seems to play deep in his net at times. Nor does he appear to possess the cat-quick reflexes of an Alex Nedeljkovic. Yet Murashov always seems to get there in time to make the save, as his dazzling numbers will attest.
Others who might make the grade at some point?
Plante, a water-bug forward with skill and pedigree (71 points for Fargo of the USHL), and Belliveau, an offensive-minded blueliner (38 points at Wheeling).
A final word on Hextall. Again, there’s a tendency in these parts to minimize his achievements and totally dismiss him. However, while serving as an assistant GM in LA he received a great deal of credit for helping to build the Kings’ Stanley Cup winners. And it’s worth noting that four of Philly’s top five scorers last season, Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee, Travis Sanheim and Morgan Frost, were Hextall selections. Seven of his other picks also saw action for the Flyers, including goalie Samuel Ersson, a seventh-round choice. Rather remarkable when you consider he was dismissed as their GM way back in November 2018.
By comparison? Only two of Rutherford’s picks, Sam Poulin and Valtteri Puustinen, played for the Pens last season.
Overall, a rather remarkable 28 of the 40 players Hextall drafted in Philly have played at least one game in the NHL. Ten have played in at least 100 NHL games.
Again by comparison, only 11 of the 35 players drafted by JR during his tenure in the ‘Burgh have made it to the NHL, with Kasperi Kapanen, Filip Gustavsson and Daniel Sprong the most successful. Only six have played in at least 100 NHL games.
Does any of this guarantee the likes of Broz, Pickering and Murashov will eventually pan out?
No.
But given Hextall’s decent record at the draft table, I wouldn’t bet against them.
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View Comments
Rick
I agree that Dubas plan is having a legit shot at McKenna in 2026, but IMO right now he's
walking on a slippery slope when it comes to Crosby and keeping us competitive. Is
Crosby waiting to sign his deal until he see's what else Dubas can pull off?? He could
trade our #1 pick in 2026 and make it top 10 protected. If nothing else it's an interesting dynamic.
I do believe he has to do something if for no other reason than to Keep Sid the Kid happy.
Rick on another note do you have any idea what's going on with Joshua??
Hey Mike,
Regarding Jagger Joshua, I really don't know what the Pens plans are. There's absolutely no buzz around him. The only article I saw concerning him came from a Canucks' site that suggested they acquire the younger Joshua as a replacement for his big brother Dakota in the event they couldn't sign him. Which they did.
A couple of guesses. Since the Baby Pens have Jagger under contract for the upcoming season, Dubas is allowing that to stand as a way of maximizing his own contracts. Kind of playing the float if you will.
I hate to suggest point No. 2. But the naked truth is, Joshua is decidedly not a Mike Sullivan-type player. Ergo, big and forceful with a taste for the rough stuff. Known to take an aggressive penalty or two. Probably not a speedy skater.
That's about ten strikes against him in Sully's book.
Someone, probably not us, will eventually sign the kid. Maybe even JR and the Canucks. And I think he'll develop much like Dakota...slowly at first, then coming on, much like he did last season with the Baby Pens when he notched seven goals and 16 points in his last 17 games (to go with a plus-11).
Our loss will be someone else's gain.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Sorry but I am going to jump in here.
I wouldn’t be upset if this version of the Pens signed Joshua, he would bring an element of which this team has zero, real hardnosed grit. However, I have said this ad nauseum, we need not be in this position. Significant hubris from the powers that be often doubling down on mistakes rather than acknowledging errors has rot this pitiful state.
Outside of Joshua’s grit, I have seen little else to recommend him. When I consider the players that I have mentioned I would have drafted, kept and or signed or traded for, our Pens would still be right up there with the real contenders. (Nick Hague, K’Andre Miller, Jamie Oleksiak, Quentin Musty, Nikita Zadorov, and I wouldn’t mind at all going with Mike’s Idea of finding a way to deal for Rutger McGroarty and although I like Tanner Howe, I wanted them to go for Ethan Procyszyn, Jacob Battaglia, and Javon Moore as well). The difference between the guys I wanted and Joshua is that they bring more than just a willingness to hit.
Rick and Mike,
I don't know if Dubas is actively trying to stink so bad as to get a shot at McKenna, but as you say Mike, it is a slippery slope; a very slippery slope not only with regards to Crosby but to McKenna. The only thing that would be sadder than Silent m Dubas trading away all of what little talent the team has to land McKenna, leaving McKenna with no one NHL level talent to pass to or play with would be trading all of what little talent we have and still not get McKenna.
That gamble worked in 1984 because they were guaranteed the top pick when they bottomed out, but it still took a long time to recover and cost Mario several seasons of pathetic Wingers.
Rick & The Other Rick
Time for Dubas to acquire some young talent. I saw where Rutger McGroarty could be available. He's one of the players I hoped the Pen's would draft in
the 2022 Draft - he went to Winnipeg with the 14th pick in the 1st round.
Apparently McGroarty is wanting to start his NHL career elsewhere. He's
looking to go to a team with the opportunity to play in the NHL this coming
season. Why not Pittsburgh - below is a minny scouting report.
McGroarty, known for his scoring prowess, size and vision, battles hard and can be a constant threat in the offensive zone. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound forward had 52 points in 36 games for Michigan this past season, building on a 39-point rookie year in 2022-23. He's a two-way type player that's
physical. "It's a no brainer" I look forward to your feedback.
Hey Mike,
I remember you wanted the Pens to draft McGroarty. Unfortunately, by the time the Penguins drafted he was already gone. I do like him. Outside of 4 players in the top 6, he was among the 4 other players I would have wanted, including one of the players the Pens passed on.
I would love to see the Pens get him. I just wonder what it would take to get him. I am not sure we have the Capital to get him. With Brossoit jumping in UFA, that could be serious coup, dumping Jarry for McGroarty. That kid could represent the 2nd or 3rd best Winger in the Organization the moment he gets here. Unfortunately, we are stuck with a bunch of aging retreads that are already thread bare and a handful of kids that have been hampered by a lack of coaches that could develop them,
Hey Mike,
I'd love to make a play for McGroarty. He's EXACTLY the kind of player the Pens need and lack...a power forward who can play. The fact that those guys are a dying breed makes him extra attractive.
A left wing, to boot, and we all know there's a yawning opening for one beside Sid.
Here's why I think we won't. Reason No. 1, Mike Sullivan. We all know Sully has a weird aversion to anyone who plays a physical/power game. Which, by the way, is the No. 1 reason I want him gone.
Reason No. 2? I think Dubas may be secretly angling to put us in a position to at least have a shot at drafting Gavin McKenna a couple years down the road. McGroarty might actually improve us too much in the short run for that to happen.
Personally, I'd be more than happy to part with, say Pickering and whatever else the Jets would like (maybe even our top pick from next season). As long as it's not our first-round pick in '26.
Rick
Also Rick,
For the record (about the other Picks)
Tankov looked like a steal until he took a very illegal and dangerous hit that almost broke his neck and ended his career. Last season he did come out of the gates really strong but tapered off. I wonder how much of that was from the detraining that occurred while he tried to rehab himself. I hope that was the case, I liked the way he looked before the injury. He had great hands.
Belliveau played great in the prospects tournament last season but looked very tentative in training camp. Playing against the veterans looked like it intimidated him. However, he went on to have a great season in Wheeling (Silent m Dubas overloaded WBS with useless veterans banishing true prospects to Wheeling. However, those prospects made it possible for Wheeling to have a great season last year)
If you noticed in my previous comment on Pickering, I dis think taking McCleary was a great choice by RH but the current brain trust seems bent on throwing out as many of the players that they inherited that they can get away with dumping.
Broz was below my radar until last season. He certainly made strides. I do want to see what he looks like in training camp.
As you noted in your last post, I have been looking forward to seeing Murashov. I only wish I had the opportunity to see him at development camp. As I mentioned to you the other day, in conversation, I could see this team sneaking back into the playoffs, even with the pathetic, ragtag group FAs silent m inked if the team shipped Jarry and went with a Goalie by committee (Ned, Blomqvist, Murashov). Great goaltending can expiate the many sins Sullivan and Dubas' misfits could/will commit during the coming season. (Okay, maybe the powers that be will truly commit to the kids and rid themselves of the Ruth Buzzi defense and Fossil forwards - but I doubt it).
However, if we do see Jarry gone and those 3 Goalies manning the fort, count me in as excited again.
I also find Plante intriguing.
So, all in all, outside of RH's major faux pas with his only 1st round pick, I for one will not vilify the former GM on his depth drafting. I wouldn't listen to him when it come to a number 1 pick, but certainly would give him my ear after that.
Hey Rick,
Interesting article. Several of Hex's non-first round picks do look like they have potential or more. My only problem is Pickering. Pickering was a complete waste of a number 1 pick. at best he should have been a 2nd round pick. In fact he was rated as a 3rd round pick until he made a really nice headman pass tape-to-tape. Then, I don't know who, but some body got hold of several different angle videos of that play and ingeniously turned it into a sales promo to elevate Pickering's stock. Any scout who still watched game films could only keep the kid rated as at best a 2nd but more likely a 3rd round choice.
When he was drafted, Pickering showed an absolute lack of knowledge of positional hockey in his own zone, chasing the puck around the perimeter like a 6-year old, leaving his own net completely unprotected. Although he showed okay forward speed, he turned slowly and had a tendency to stop skating, just gliding into the attacking zone with the puck, often losing the puck to back-checkers. He also jumped way up into plays hanging out in front of opposing goals long after the attack dissolved (very much like the garbage we watched this past Penguin Season - ergo a perfect Sullivan Defenseman, totally useless on defense). He also got tossed around like a giant ragdoll by opponents on those rare occasions he made physical contact.
Watching his games last season, it wasn't until the playoffs that I did see improvement in his positional defense, but even though he know seems to be more aware of what it means to be called a defenseman, it still means nothing because he still got tossed around like a strawman. If he really is 6'-5", 200lbs, he hasn't learned how to use that frame.
As I mentioned to you in person, I really would like to see the kid eventually make it in the NHL, watching his skating in last seasons games, he reminded me of a giant vulture on skates - and I think that would make for one top-notch nickname, "the Vulture". My anger of the Pens drafting of him was in the position they drafted him. He was certainly not a 1st pick. In comparison considered Ryan McCleary, a draft pick that the team has since cut ties with and who is only a couple of months older than Pickering, allowing him to be drafted the season before "the Vulture", in the 7th round, 194th overall.
McCleary WHL Career Stats - 203 GP, 32 G, 72 A, 104 Pts, 152 PIM, +52
Pickering WHL Career Stats - 205 GP, 27 G, 106 A, 133 Pts, 112 PIM, -19
McCleary scored more Gs, and was far better defensively, the only real area Pickering beats McCleary is in Assists. Yet Pickering was drafted in the 1st round and McCleary in the 7th (and the team severed ties with him).
Hey Other Rick,
It's suddenly become clear to me why we chose not to sign McCleary. He can fight.
Mike Sullivan must've realized that and advised Dubas not to sign him. (I'm only half-joking.)
The kid can throw 'em pretty fair: https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n267865
In this clip, he's going with our second-round pick Tanner Howe. Looks good on both of 'em. https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n268968
Rick
Het Rick,
I could take letting McCleary walk if the team would stop hyping Pickering and admit that they made a mistake wasting a number 1 pick in him when he could have been had in the late 2nd or 3rd rounds.