The Pittsburgh Penguins may look to move on from 6-foot-5 defenseman Owen Pickering, their first-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Pickering, a Manitoba native, was taken 21st overall out of the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. He has yet to establish himself as a regular in the NHL.
Through 29 career NHL games with Pittsburgh, Pickering has one goal and two assists. Those totals came in a 25-game stint during the 2024-25 season, with another four games played in 2025-26.
The bulk of his professional time has come in the American Hockey League with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Last season, he recorded seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 68 games.
In the early stages of the 2026-27 campaign, Pickering has one goal in a handful of AHL contests. He remains under contract with the Penguins.
A recent report from The Athletic listed Pickering among under-the-radar trade candidates around the league. The piece noted his limited NHL impact to this point.
“Pickering, a 2022 first-round pick, has never made a dent in the NHL and appears to be buried in the AHL,” wrote The Athletic’s Josh Yohe. “The 6-foot-5 defender had a good training camp and could be available for a certain price.”
Any return for Pickering would likely be modest. The Penguins could seek a future asset or another player in need of a fresh start.
Pittsburgh has not found a clear path for the big blueliner into its NHL lineup on a consistent basis. Trading him would represent a shift in the organization’s view of his long-term outlook there.
Pickering’s junior career showed offensive flashes. In his draft year with Swift Current, he posted nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points in 62 games, though he finished with a minus-29 rating.
He followed that with 45 points the next season and 46 points in his final WHL campaign before turning pro full time. Those numbers helped fuel the high draft selection.
At the NHL level, the production has not translated. His average ice time in limited appearances stayed in the low teens of minutes per game.
The Penguins have made other moves to manage defensive depth at both the NHL and minor-league levels in recent weeks. Clearing space or adding flexibility remains part of the broader picture.
Pickering is 22 and still has time to develop. A change of scenery is one option if Pittsburgh decides his best path lies elsewhere.
For now, he continues to play in the AHL as the organization weighs its options. The report from The Athletic is the latest signal that his future in Pittsburgh is not guaranteed.
