Pittsburgh Penguins 3-Round 2026 NHL Mock Draft

Bleyl made his way to Moncton after finishing up his high school career last season, alongside three games in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He instantly made an impact for the Wildcats this season and became one of the QMJHL’s top defensemen, winning the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the league’s top defenseman, while also winning the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) Rookie of the Year honors. He has a great mix of defensive and offensive skill sets, making him a true threat at both ends of the ice, and would be a great addition to the Penguins’ pipeline of defensemen, which includes Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke. Both of the aforementioned players play more of a defensive game, with some offense, but nothing like Bleyl. Having a puck-moving defenseman who can run a power play unit, along with the other intangibles in his game, would make it hard for Dubas and the Penguins to pass him by if he is available at #22.

Round 2, Pick 39: Simas Ignatavicius, RW, Genève Servette HC (NL)

With the first of two second-round picks, the Penguins could end up looking at a prospect who has flown under the radar this season, Simas Ignatavicius. Ignatavicius played his first professional season in Switzerland this season and put his full game on display, with a non-stop work ethic and all-around game that stood out in the pro ranks as a youngster. He may not be a flashy pick, but given what he has shown in Swiss pro hockey and at the international level for Lithuania, he could end up catching Dubas’s eye.

Ignatavicius plays a style of game that makes him a great teammate and a supporter in all three zones, and he could feed off his teammates’ play to become an even bigger offensive threat. Throwing him into a system with the likes of Rutger McGroarty, Tanner Howe, and Zonnon (among others) could end up helping take his offensive production to another level. He would also add another level of all-around play to the pipeline.

Round 2, Pick 54: Victor Plante, LW, USNTDP (USHL)

A last name that Penguins fans should know well, with Zam Plante already in the organization’s pipeline, Dubas should look to add his younger brother, Victor, if he is available in the third round. He has all of the tools to become an impact player in a third-line role at the NHL level. The youngest Plante brother has the speed and vision on offense to be a threat to score, and the defensive game to be a difference-maker at both ends of the ice.

While Plante’s size (5-foot-10, 163 pounds) raises some concern about his long-term outlook, there have been plenty of players who have put that to rest by playing at a high level in the NHL. Adding him to their system while also letting him develop at Minnesota-Duluth (alongside his older brothers Max and Zam) could prove to be a great pick for Dubas and the Penguins.

Round 3, Pick 86: LHD Ethan MacKenzie, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

In the third round, the Penguins could go a few different ways. They could decide to take another goaltender to add to their system, with Sergei Murashov or Joel Blomqvist likely heading to the NHL full-time next season, or they could continue to add elsewhere. With the organization having a bit of depth at the goaltending position, I would lean towards continuing to add elsewhere and adding another defenseman to the mix. Dubas could look to pluck a prospect from a team he has history with (Soo Greyhounds) and take defenseman Callum Croskey if he thinks the organization can tap into his potential and develop him more, but if Ethan MacKenzie is available at pick 86, that should be the pick.

MacKenzie was passed over in the 2025 Draft, but in a fully healthy season, he showed he will hear his name called at the 2026 Draft. Not only is he a reliable defensive defenseman, but he also has the offensive game to contribute to the lineup. He may only project to be a third-pair NHL defenseman, but at 19 years old and heading to North Dakota to play college hockey this season, he could end up closer to NHL-ready than most prospects available in the mid-rounds.