Reactions Pour In After Penguins' Kyle Dubas' Wild Off-The-Board Pick at 11th Overall

Reactions are pouring in after Penguins GM Kyle Dubas made a wild, off-the-board pick at 11th overall last night in the first round of the NHL Draft.

Instead of opting for more widely projected top prospects, Dubas chose Calgary Hitmen forward Benjamin Kindel, a highly skilled but undersized center who had a breakout 99-point season in the WHL.

Early reactions from around the hockey world have been mixed.

According to ESPN, Kindel is "a scoring machine" who "blends pace, vision and quality instincts":

'Kindel is a scoring machine. Following a 60-point rookie campaign in the WHL in 2023-24, he vaulted into elite status this season, finishing seventh in overall scoring, and was excellent at even strength.'

USA Today, on the other hand, didn't mince words on Dubas's decision:

'Another reach here, this time from the Penguins. Kindel is an undersized scoring threat who will need a bit of room to grow but can play down the middle, which is a need for this Penguins squad that is just a few shades away from rebuilding. Still, general manager Kyle Dubas left a lot of talent on the board here for a legitimate reach player.'

Meanwhile, Corey Pronman of The Athletic offered a more nuanced take:

'The Penguins deliver the first big surprise of the night, taking the highly skilled, intelligent and competitive Kindel at 11. He was one of the best forwards in the WHL this season, but he's on the smaller side, and there are mild questions on whether he's truly special enough of a talent for his frame. Some people do believe in him, but I never heard from even his biggest fans who projected him at this range of the draft, and I never saw that in my viewings either. This seems aggressive on a small winger without elite skating.'

In short, while some see Kindel as a smart, competitive forward who could blossom into a key offensive piece, others believe the Penguins may have overreached at 11th overall.

We'll have to wait a few years to find out.