The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (and Pittsburgh Penguins) reminded the hockey world on opening night that they have prospects on top of prospects. One of the standouts in their 2-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack was Owen Pickering, the 21-year-old defenseman who scored the go-ahead goal.
It was a shot from the point that zipped through traffic and became the dagger in the third period to seal the victory. “Obviously, Pick’s goal was huge,” head coach Kirk MacDonald noted after the game. Sergei Murashov was the star of the night with 23 saves on 24 shots but the top defenseman stole the show with his play.
The Penguins won a game that they would have lost last season. This is a fast-paced team that relies on its offense, not a team known for winning low-scoring games. Yet, that’s what they did on opening night. “It was a good, well-rounded win. Everyone did their job,” Pickering added after the game.
They won their first game of the 2025-26 season with their defense and goaltending leading the way, notably with their top defense prospect stepping up. It’s not just the goal from Pickering either. He was great across the board and showed why he’s a top prospect in the Penguins’ system.
Pickering Emerging As A Stay-At-Home Defenseman
Pickering blocked multiple shots and limited the shooting lanes for the Wolf Pack skaters. After a slow first period, the Penguins collectively stepped up and shut down the Wolf Pack. Pickering set the tone in the defensive zone, not just with his ability to create turnovers but move the puck out of the defensive zone as well.
Last season was Pickering’s first at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, and it showed. In 47 games, he only had two goals and played a depth role on a deep defense. “For sure, there’s some value to having a year under my belt,” Pickering noted after the 2-1 win as he enters the season ready to kick off the ground running. He showed flashes in his AHL rookie season, and now, he’s emerging as a well-rounded defenseman who can take over games.
The question is what type of role Pickering will take on this season and in general as a prospect. The assumption is that he should operate the point on the power play. MacDonald never mentioned it after the game. Instead, “It’s to continue to defend really well. He’s got to kill penalties, kill the rush, moves pucks quick,” the head coach stated. Pickering remaining a shutdown option will go a long way for his future, and his ability to move the puck up the ice will make him an NHLer soon enough.
Pickering Finding Chemistry At The AHL Level
It’s hard to ignore the character that Pickering has. During the postgame interview, a loud passing cart disrupted one of his answers. He couldn’t help but laugh, become himself, only to answer the question again. In the locker room, the Penguins gave him the ax (every team has some trophy or belt or prop to give to the player of the game) and Pickering embraced it.
There isn’t much of a takeaway from a player’s character (some of the best players are jerks of the ice). However, it’s worth noting that Pickering can connect with his teammates and work alongside any type of player.“Communication is the biggest thing,” he noted after the latest game. The Penguins defense went through plenty of turnovers this summer, and he’s one of the few mainstays. In his first game of the season, he formed a reliable duo with Phil Kemp to lead the unit and the team as a whole.
There’s a chance Pickering joins the NHL roster at some point this season. The Penguins are in the middle of a rebuild and are looking for young high-impact players. Pickering will likely have a different defenseman paired with him at the NHL level every night, and he’s well-equipped for it.
Where Pickering Must Improve
“I think it’s just keeping consistency in my game,” Pickering stated when asked about what he’s working on. It’s one thing to be a shutdown defenseman on opening night against a questionable Wolf Pack offense. It’s another thing to shut down teams every night. He’s the stay-at-home defenseman on this roster and must lean into that role.
“The better Pick defends, the more offense he’s going to get,” MacDonald added. If Pickering can create turnovers and move the puck out of the zone, the offense will also be there for him. It’s a theme early on for this version of the Penguins defense. If they can control the puck, they’ll also set up the offense, even if they lack the playmakers from last season.
Pickering will lead the way. The NHL roster needs a shutdown defenseman, something the recent 6-1 loss was a case in point for. Pickering can become that while also helping out on the offensive end when needed. He has a goal in his first game of the season and is only getting warmed up.
