We are just two weeks out from the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft and mock drafts are starting to pour in from different outlets from across the hockey media sphere.
Across the board on these mocks, the consensus has emerged that defenseman Matthew Schaefer will be going first overall to the New York Islanders followed by Michael Misa at No. 2 to the San Jose Sharks. After that, the selections become mixed with various players being chose from the third pick onwards.
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What this means for the Pittsburgh Penguins is who is available for them to select when they are are up No. 11 will depend on how they first ten picks play out and which rout they choose to go once they are on the clock is anyone’s guess.
One quick note before we dive into the mocks. All have the Penguins picking at their assigned No. 11 slot, but all have the New York Rangers holding onto the No. 12 pick, meaning the Penguins will only get one selection in the first round.
The Rangers have until 48 hours before the draft to make its final decision on whether to transfer the No. 12 pick this season or hand over their 2026 pick to the Penguins.
Now, let’s get into the selections.
Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler, NHL Staff; The Athletic
The Selection: Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Barrie (OHL)
All three of the most recent mock drafts from The Athletic are being grouped together as one since all three have the Penguins selecting OHL defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson with the No. 11 pick. Aitcheson is a name many readers may be familiar with already since he was highlighted here on Pensburgh last week.
Aitcheson profiles as a physical defenseman who possess the skills to be a top four defenseman in the NHL. Pronman has him listed right at No. 11 in his latest prospect rankings and he came in at No. 14 on Bob McKenzie’s consensus big board.
From Pronman:
Aitcheson adds significant physicality to Pittsburgh’s system while also having the size, mobility and skill of a top-four NHL defenseman.
From Wheeler:
Going into the combine, Lynden Lakovic is a name I kept hearing a number of the teams in the 11-19 range liked. Then he did well in his interviews, by the sounds of it. I think he’s going to go higher than people think, and I think the Penguins are the start of where he’s in the mix. But lefties Aitcheson and Jackson Smith make a lot of sense for their pool, which has emerging righty Harrison Brunicke but little coming on the left side. The Penguins also spent time with both at the combine.
From The Athletic NHL Staff; Josh Yohe:
The Penguins’ system is improving greatly, but it’s still nothing special. Kyle Dubas is in “take the best player available” mode because the Penguins need help everywhere.
Their blue line is a particular problem, especially at the NHL level. Aitcheson can help. That he provides such a physical dimension only helps. The Penguins need size and physicality more than just about any NHL team. This is a pick that would make plenty of sense. — Josh Yohe
Adam Kimelman & Mike G. Morreale; NHL.com
The Selection(s)
Kimelman: Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Morreale: Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL)
Over at NHL.com, deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman and senior draft writer Mike Morreale teamed up on the site’s most recent mock draft with each selecting a different player for the Penguins at No. 11.
Kimelman went forward for the Penguins here, meeting the required Kyle Dubas/Soo Greyhound quota in the process with Martin. Morreale stuck with defense in line with The Athletic, but went with Smith since he had Aitcheson off the board. In our draft prospect previews, McKenzie has Martin at No. 12 on his board with Smith coming in at No. 10.
From Kimelman:
Martin doesn’t have the prototypical power-forward size but plays far bigger, and his tenacity and competitiveness are among the best in this year’s draft class. He made a strong final impression on scouts by helping Canada win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games. At his best he should be a big contributor on the power play and penalty kill.
From Morreale:
With good speed and movement through the neutral zone to lead the rush, Smith (6-3, 195) had 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) in 68 games. A fan of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski, Smith can run the first unit on the power play or penalty kill, can finish hits, and take charge in transition. Pittsburgh could use more young depth on the back end.
TheScore
The Selection: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
Not to spoil anything, but of all the selections made by the Penguins in these mock drafts, Roger McQueen is the highest ranked according to Bob McKenzie, coming in at No. 8 on his big board. McQueen was featured last month in our draft prospect preview.
If McQueen were to drop down to the Penguins at No. 11, he’s certainly a player they will take a long look at considering they want to add size according to reports. McQueen stands at a towering 6’5” and is pushing 200 pounds. He could be a force up the middle for the Penguins for years to come.
From TheScore:
Pittsburgh swings for the fences and lands McQueen, who’d be long gone if he hadn’t missed significant time to heal a spinal stress fracture. The slick 6-foot-5 center only played 70 games over the past two WHL seasons, and his draft year was almost a write-off. McQueen is forceful, gets to scoring areas, and doesn’t need much space to make creative, deceptive moves or bury the puck.
Jordan Orth; The Hockey Writers
The Selection: Carter Bear, LW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Offense rules the day for the Penguins over at The Hockey Writers with them selection Silvertips leading scorer Carter Beat at No. 11 overall. Bear was tearing up the WHL before going down with a lacerated Achilles tendon that ended his season before the WHL playoffs.
What the injury does to his draft stock remains to be seen, but Bear is expected to make a full recovery. He led the Silvertips with 82 points before going down and his absence played a big role in them missing out on winning the WHL title and a shot at the Memorial Cup. He was recently profiled here at Pensburgh, coming in at No. 13 in our rankings accoridng to Bob McKenzie.
From Jordan Orth:
The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a spot where they could add at any position, with their farm system still on the upswing. Taking a defenseman like Jackson Smith or Kashawn Aitcheson was not out of the question here, but being able to add a player of Carter Bear’s skill set offensively ultimately led to this pick. Bear has the offensive game and mindset to be either a playmaker or a goal-scoring threat, which the Penguins are in need of outside of Rutger McGroarty. He has the ability to play down the wing or at the center position, too. He may take a bit longer to get to the NHL, but the upside that he has makes him the selection at number 11.
Sam Russell; Bleacher Nation
The Selection: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
It’s a second helping of Roger McQueen for the Penguins at No. 11, this time courtesy Sam Russell at Bleacher Nation. As mentioned above, McQueen fits the mold of what the Penguins are rumored to be looking for in the draft. If he does slip down the board a bit on draft night you could very well hear his name called by Kyle Dubas.
From Russell:
Roger McQueen did miss a good chunk of the season thanks to a back injury, but he has great size (6’5″, 192) and a big shot to go with a high motor. He competed in all the combine testing and looks healthy.
Just two weeks out from the 2025 NHL Draft, and who the Penguins could land at the No. 11 pick remains up in the air which is to be expected when the consensus of who goes where ends as early as second overall. Much of the Penguins fate will be determined by who goes where ahead of them and what’s left on the board when they go on the clock.
No one knows for certain which players will slide and which will climb, but regardless of the unknown, it feels like the Penguins will be getting a good prospect that bolsters the system one way or another.
One thing to keep in mind is the New York Rangers at No. 12. No one seems to have any clue what plans they have for that pick and they have until Wednesday, June 25 to make a final decision on keeping that selection or handing it over to the Penguins. That decision could certainly change the calculus of how Dubas operates and it will certainly change some of the mock drafts we highlighted above.
