After an eventful first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, where the Pittsburgh Penguins made three picks for the first time in over 40 years, Day 2 proved equally busy. The Penguins traded up to re-enter the second round and selected Peyton Kettles. They also had three third-round picks: Charlie Trethewey, Gabriel D’Aigle, and Brady Peddle; one fourth-round pick: Travis Hayes; three fifth-round picks: Ryan Miller, Quinn Beauchesne, and Jordan Charron; one sixth-round pick: Carter Sanderson; and one seventh-round pick: Kale Dach.
Vice President of Player Personnel Wes Clark expressed satisfaction with this year’s draft. “This year was great,” he said. “It’s a great organization, great ownership. Thirteen picks this year, we’ve got a number of picks next year, a number of picks the year after that.” He added that they would do their best to execute on those picks to improve the club.
The Penguins focused on competitiveness, intelligence, and hockey sense with their selections.
Peyton Kettles found it special to be drafted by Pittsburgh since his first jersey was Evgeni Malkin’s. “Definitely a cool full circle moment,” Kettles commented. He has familiarity within the organization through Owen Pickering, with whom he played junior hockey for the Swift Current Broncos.
Kettles is noted for his height at 6-6 and weighs 195 pounds. Despite a recent growth spurt from being 5-5 in eighth grade, he is still adjusting to his new frame. Kettles emphasized his skating ability as crucial for his physical style of play.
Clark evaluated Kettles as “extremely young for the draft class” with an “elite defensive stick” and described him as super competitive and tough.
Charlie Trethewey felt honored to be drafted by Pittsburgh due to personal connections; his father grew up in Mt. Lebanon. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to go to kind of a hometown team,” Trethewey said. He moved from Maryland to western Pennsylvania at age 13 to play for DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Trethewey plans to attend Boston University this fall and describes himself as a two-way defenseman with strong gaps and puck-moving skills. Clark appreciated Trethewey’s development path through the Penguins Elite program.
Travis Hayes joined his brother Avery in Pittsburgh after being drafted in the fourth round (105th overall). Avery Hayes signed his first NHL contract with Pittsburgh earlier this year. The Hayes family includes four brothers who all play hockey.
Clark noted similarities between Travis and Avery Hayes: “Travis is super competitive,” he said, highlighting Travis’s shooting skills and underdog mindset.
