With veteran Kris Letang down with an illness, the Penguins have called up rangy defenseman Owen Pickering from their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm club ahead of tonight’s Metro clash with the Blue Jackets in Columbus.
Drafted 21st overall in 2022 as a defenseman with offensive pedigree, Pickering has undergone a rather stunning metamorphosis, stylistically as well as physically.
Since he was drafted, the 20-year-old blueliner has sprouted two inches in height and packed on 23 pounds. He now stands 6’5” and tips the scales at an even 200 pounds.
The offensive bent Pickering flashed as a junior hasn’t been evident at the pro level (a lone point…a goal…in a dozen AHL games). But the St. Adolphe, Manitoba, native’s been surprisingly solid in his own end according to his coach Kirk MacDonald.
“He’s been outstanding,” noted the Baby Pens’ skipper.
The move continues a string of recent kid call-ups. Forwards Sam Poulin and Vasily Ponomarev joined the Pens earlier in the week.
Unless a club happens to be in the throes of a tear-it-down-to-the-floorboards rebuild, as a…
Inspired by an article on Pensburgh by Jim Rixner titled, “Mario Lemieux killing penalties,” I…
Back when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009 and went to consecutive Finals,…
It’s been a couple of days since the bombshell Ville Koivunen extension ($32 million over…
As the refrain from the old children’s marching song goes, “With a knick-knack paddywhack, give…
That was pretty much my reaction when PP colleagues Other Rick and Caleb DiNatale informed…