The One Player Kyle Dubas and the Penguins Can't Afford to Pass Up in the NHL Draft

Kyle Dubas has not intentionally been trying to give his team the best odds to win the 2025 NHL draft lottery, but the Penguins are heading in that direction anyways.

It is unlikely that the team can catch the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks in the race to the bottom, but they currently hold the 6th best odds of landing the next 1st overall pick, and those chances could continue to improve after the trade deadline.

That begs the question of what does the team need, and who might they be looking at in a draft class without a consensus 1st overall talent.

Assuming the Penguins end up drafting somewhere between three and six, there should be many big names still available, but one prospect stands out as a must-draft for the team.

That would be Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa. Misa came into this season with a ton of hype around him after putting up 75 points in 67 OHL games lase year, and he has not disappointed.

The 18-year-old has put up exactly 53 goals in 53 games so far this season and has added 59 helpers for 112 points, more than a 2 points-per-game pace, leading the OHL in scoring by 13 points.

His 112 points also gives him a new team record for the Spirit, as he eclipsed Jets forward Cole Pefetti's record.

Misa is currently ranked anywhere from 1 to 5 depending on which organization's rankings you look at, and the opinions of NHL clubs are likely going to be just as varied.

This gives the Penguins a legit chance to draft him especially as some of the teams above them in the draft order are expected to select other players.

The Sharks for example, are in desperate need of a defenseman with their first pick, and are thus expected to take Matthew Schaefer if he is available, even at 1st overall.

With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin both nearing the end of their careers, the Penguins will be in need of a new franchise star down the middle, and Misa could provide them with just that.