Welcome to part two of my breakdown, analysis, and review of the possible first-round options for the Penguins in the 2026 NHL Draft.
For the most part, we’re going over players who are projected to be taken around the Penguins’ draft range — not necessarily who they will take. That said, I usually include at least one player I think the Penguins may actually be targeting based on the types of prospects Kyle Dubas and his scouting staff have gravitated toward in the past.
I talked more about that in part one, which you should definitely read before this article. You can “Click Here For Part 1.”
I also wrote a separate article on who I believe is the best possible option for the franchise overall, and I genuinely think there’s a very high chance Dubas and the Penguins could target based on their previous drafting tendencies. You can “Click Here” for that article as well.
Now, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of this thing.
1. Xavier Villeneuve (Left Defenseman)
Let me start this one off by saying this would be one of the best options the Penguins could possibly take outside of the aforementioned Mathis Preston, Liam and Markus Ruck. That said, I think it’s pretty doubtful they actually land Villeneuve. I just think he’s too good to fall below 15th overall. Most projections have him going somewhere in the top 12.
I’m including him here because there are still a fair number of mock drafts that have him dropping into the Penguins’ range, and a lot of hockey writers continue to connect him to Pittsburgh. Why? I’m honestly not entirely sure. I think a lot of it is hope and prayer — or maybe a little delusion (or mostly).
Some people in sports media also think the Penguins could trade up for a player like Villeneuve or someone else in the top 10. Personally, I just don’t see that happening. I also don’t really see who would be willing to give up a top-10 pick for what the Penguins currently have to offer.
Now, getting into Xavier Villeneuve as a player. He put up 6 goals, 32 assists for 38 points in 37 games, in the QMJHL, those are great numbers for a defenseman. The easiest comparison for him as a player is probably Lane Hutson. That’s very much the style of game he plays. He’s an elite skater, extremely difficult to get off the puck because of his skating and stickhandling ability, and he’s absolutely a deker and dangler with a filthy shot to go along with it.
Honestly, I think there’s a chance Villeneuve could end up even better than Hutson in terms of pure stickhandling. It’s almost like watching Pavel Datsyuk play defense at times. I don’t think he’ll quite reach Hutson’s level as a skater, but I also don’t think he’ll be very far off.
He’s a fantastic puck mover and would essentially project as the future replacement for players like Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang in terms of style and offensive impact from the back end. The offensive upside with Villeneuve is honestly off the charts.
This is a kid who can completely dominate the offensive zone, and much like Karlsson, defenders often have no clue what he’s going to do next. He can deke his way into the slot for a scoring chance, blast a shot from the point, work around the perimeter looking for passing lanes, or create something out of absolutely nothing. Watching him play feels like watching a player with endless options every time the puck is on his stick. He’s incredibly fun to watch.
The biggest weakness in Villeneuve’s game is pretty obvious, and it’s the same issue a lot of heavily offense-focused defensemen run into…… defense. Yeah, you probably guessed that already.
Most of Villeneuve’s issues come down to strength. He just doesn’t currently have the physical strength to consistently stop opposing rushes or win tougher board battles. If bigger players manage to get in close on him, he can get bullied off the puck. The key for him is avoiding those situations altogether, which, to be fair, his skating and skill set allow him to do fairly often.
His listed size is also kind of all over the place. Originally, he was listed at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, but more recent listings have him at 5-foot-11. His weight is even harder to pin down, depending on where you look it ranges anywhere from 157 to 165 pounds. I’d probably split the difference and say he’s around 160-ish right now.
By the time he reaches the NHL in a few years, I’d imagine he fills out somewhere around 170 to 175 pounds. Not exactly a physical force, but likely enough size to survive while playing the style of game he does.
Overall, Villeneuve projects as a high-end offensive puck-moving defenseman with elite upside. He definitely lacks some size and strength right now, but the skill set is absolutely there for him to develop into a top-tier NHL defenseman — potentially even more than that if everything clicks.
2. Nikita Klepov (Right Wing)
Here’s a really interesting one, and a player I know Jesse Marshall is a big fan of as well.
To start off, he put up 37 goals, 60 assists for 97 points in 67 games in the OHL. Now Klepov is probably the best pure shooter out of all the players I’ve written about so far. If you watch his release, it’ll feel very reminiscent of Egor Chinakhov. The difference, though, is that I actually think Klepov has more overall scoring ability than Chinakhov. That said, I don’t think his shot is quite as elite as Chinakhov’s at this stage — at least not yet.
He can get his shot off from anywhere, and he constantly finds his way into dangerous scoring areas no matter where they are on the ice. He can drive the net, score greasy goals in front, absolutely hammer one-timers into oblivion, or rip a laser of a snap shot from the slot.
He quite literally looks willing to do anything to score a goal. He’ll go anywhere on the ice to make it happen, and honestly, how can you not love that in a player? Especially one with a shot this dangerous already at 17 years old. That’s what makes him such an intriguing prospect. Because if the shot somehow gets even better from here, and even reaches elite levels, NHL defenders and goaltenders could eventually be dealing with a terrifying player. The sky really is the limit offensively.
But what I really like is that he’s not just a shooter. He can create offense on his own and make genuinely impressive plays as a playmaker too. The kid is an absolute hound in the offensive zone, and I love that mentality. Watching him play, it almost feels like his mindset is: “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Now, you might be thinking: if he’s this good, why would I still take Mathis Preston over him? Or Liam and Markus Ruck over him?
Well, in a perfect-world scenario, Dubas would maneuver around the draft board like he did last year and somehow walk away with a combination of Klepov and Preston, or Liam and Markus Ruck plus one of either Klepov or Preston depending on who’s available. That would honestly be the dream scenario.
But sticking specifically to Klepov versus Preston and why I’d lean Preston, the biggest difference for me is skating. Don’t get it twisted — Klepov is still a solid skater. I just don’t see that truly elite-level skating or edge work in his game. I also don’t see the same explosiveness or agility Preston has.
Preston really gives off that “future star” vibe when he skates, and I don’t quite get that same feeling with Klepov. Stickhandling also goes to Preston in my opinion. Preston has that ability to be highly creative with the puck, and while Klepov can make skilled plays, it’s just not at the same level dynamically.
Now, I will say Klepov is probably equal to Preston — if not even better — in terms of pure playmaking. He’s one of the better playmakers in this class. He consistently finds openings, draws defenders toward him, and creates easy freebies for teammates because of the pressure he puts on defenses.
Overall I just believe that star potential still goes to Mathis Preston, where as Klepov ceiling could be elite but leaning top 6.
3. Elton Hermansson (Winger)
Odd but really fun player we have here in Elton Hermansson, a fast and highly skilled offensively minded winger. He brings a strong dual-threat offensive game and is especially good at quietly sneaking into dangerous areas around the net. He posted 11 goals, 10 assists for 21 points in 38 games in the Allsvenskan Swedish league, and in the Under 20 National he put up 3 goals, 6 assists for 9 points in 13 games.
Hermansson is one of those players who is completely all over the place depending on which scout or analyst you ask. Some view him as a very underrated prospect with legitimate high-end offensive upside, while others think taking him in the top 20 would be a pretty major reach.
I probably land somewhere in the middle on Hermansson overall. I’m not sure I see the star-level offensive production that some people are projecting. I absolutely agree that the speed and skill are noticeable, and I really like the way he plays the game. He’s fast, strong on his edges, finds passing lanes well, and consistently tries to get himself into quality shooting areas.
That said, I just don’t see the same offensive ceiling that I do with some of the other players I’ve talked about previously.
Where I think Hermansson really shines is in the details of his game. He’s responsible in his own zone, good at setting up plays, effective on the forecheck, and seems to have a strong understanding of when and where he needs to be on the ice. The hockey sense and offensive-zone IQ here are definitely high-end, possibly even elite in certain aspects.
I also think he has some of the best passing ability out of most of the prospects I’ve talked about so far. He’s extremely good at threading pucks through defenders and making up-ice feeds look easy.
That said, I don’t see much physical strength in his game right now. In fact, I’d say he’s on the weaker end physically. He doesn’t get overly involved in physical battles, and honestly, I don’t really expect that part of his game to change dramatically. I’m also not going to hold that too heavily against him because, like I said earlier, he’s more of a setup player who thrives off the rush and perimeter play.
That part of his game where he sneaks into dangerous areas around the net may fade a bit at higher levels, but I do think the stronger parts of his game — his vision, passing, and offensive awareness — will continue to grow.
One thing I don’t like, though, is that he forces plays a little too often for my liking. He’ll sometimes try to make passes that just don’t need to be made, leading to turnovers or unnecessary icings. In that sense, he honestly reminds me a bit of Erik Karlsson — and that’s not necessarily one of Karlsson’s better habits.
Overall, Hermansson projects as a detail-oriented, high-offensive-IQ playmaker with great speed and strong vision, but one who can overplay the puck and lacks physical strength. I think the ceiling here is a top-six forward, while the floor could very well end up being a career minor-leaguer.
So a lot of the options in this article I would be pleased with, Hermansson probably the least. I’ve covered what are probably the most projected or players I believe the Penguins are actually interested in, I may due a part 3 with a few more options,
But for now, my hope is the Penguins go with Liam and Markus Ruck, or if not possible to acquire the two twins than Mathis Preston. Fingers crossed.
