Penguins round out 2024 draft with three late-round selections
Pittsburgh adds two more defensemen and an intriguing forward over the sixth and seventh rounds of the draft
The Pittsburgh Penguins finished up the 2024 NHL Entry draft by making three total selections over the final two rounds.
First up was defenseman Joona Vaisanen. Like the two earlier defenders the team selected earlier, Vaisanen is a right handed player.
With the 175th pick of the 2024 #NHLDraft, the Pittsburgh Penguins select defenseman, Joona Vaisanen. Welcome to Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/vBwm4tF2D0
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 29, 2024
Vaisanen, who played for Dubuque of the USHL and is going to Western Michigan as a potential diamond in the rough.
At 175 Pittsburgh takes one of my favorite "sleepers" of the draft in Joona Vaisanen out of Dubuque. Excellent stopper, but also put up 40 points for the Saints from the back end. I had him at No. 99 on my list but figured he'd go much lower as he did. Hockey sense is high end.
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) June 29, 2024
Dubuque was coached last season by newly named WBS boss Kirk MacDonald in a nice little twist.
Moving onto the seventh round, Pittsburgh made a very intriguing selection by taking forward Mac Swanson.
With the 207th pick of the 2024 #NHLDraft, the Pittsburgh Penguins select forward, Mac Swanson. Welcome to Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/npIfqq7bKt
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 29, 2024
Swanson has been getting a lot of love in the online scouting community for his ability and playing style.
Now here's a fun one. Pittsburgh selects 5-7, American winger, Mac Swanson.
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) June 29, 2024
A super creative, and fun offensive player who suffers from sizeitis.
Excellent IQ. pic.twitter.com/sp2HccVhyW
Swanson was even Patrick Bacon’s No. 21 overall prospect with some incredible potential if he can reach it.
#LetsGoPens select Mac Swanson 207th overall. I ranked him 21st overall.
— Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) June 29, 2024
Top remaining forwards:
1. Daniil Anatsky (39th)
2. Gavin Hodnett (43rd)
3. Andrei Krutov (44th)
Top remaining defensemen:
1. Anthony Cristoforo (70th)
2. Tikhon Shakalov (85th)
3. Tomas Galvas (93rd) pic.twitter.com/6xcjv4VKGc
Swanson stood out in the USHL and is headed to the University of North Dakota. With all these impressive and promising notes, now it’s time to get to the catch. You know there always has to be a catch with any player drafted in the seventh round. Swanson is 5’7” and 157 pounds.
Penguins just drafted Mac Swanson from Alaska, USA.
— Baku (@Mazursky8895) June 29, 2024
Just won the USHL championship, playoff MVP, and regular season MVP.
He put up 79 points in 43 games as a 15 year old.
What a pick. pic.twitter.com/ne4ahxNEv3
Famously, that’s about the same size that Jake Guentzel was around draft day. But Swanson will take time and some luck to fight his way up the ranks and be one of the few to have his game translate at each level. Long way to go, but a fun pick worth taking at this point in the draft.
"If the team needs a goal or a point, he finds a way to get it. If the team needs to keep the puck out of the net, he's on the ice." - @NHLNetwork
— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) June 29, 2024
High praise for Mac Swanson after his selection!#UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/a3YqODFRyw
The Pens finished out their 2024 draft class by taking — surprise, surprise — a fourth right handed defenseman, Finn Harding.
With the 223rd pick of the 2024 #NHLDraft, the Pittsburgh Penguins select defenseman, Finn Harding. Welcome to Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/1IlIu4FAVg
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 29, 2024
Harding also made the second overage defender selected by Pittsburgh this season.
Pittsburgh ends its day by taking a third right-handed defenseman, Finn Harding.
— Nick Hart (@_NickHart) June 29, 2024
Harding was passed over last year, but improved leaps and bounds to be a reliable rearguard for Mississauga this season. Moves well, defends well, and plays disciplined without being a pushover.
It will take years to figure out where these prospects end up, but now the latest camp preps to take their next steps right away with Pittsburgh’s development camp on the horizon this coming week.