Penguins forward prospect Tanner Howe out 9 months following knee surgery

Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Tanner Howe underwent ACL reconstruction surgery on his right knee on Wednesday.

The expected recovery time is nine months.

His status was announced by the team on Thursday.

Howe, 19, was a second-round draft pick (No. 46 overall) in 2024. Splitting the 2024-25 season with the Regina Pats and Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Howe appeared in 47 games and scored 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists).

This postseason, he appeared in six games and scored nine points (two goals, seven assists) for the Hitmen before injuring his knee.

Earlier in the season, Howe, a left-handed shot, missed much of October due to a broken wrist.

On the internatonal stage, Howe skated for Canada in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Junior Championship tournament throughout December and January. Appearing in five games, he had one goal.

In recent weeks, Howe (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) had been spotted at the Penguins’ facility in Cranberry wearing a heavy brace on his right knee.

Howe signed a three-year entry-level contract with the team on July 10 but that deal can “slide” - i.e. begin - to whenever he begins his professional career. As a 19-year-old, he still has one year of eligibility remaining at the junior level.