They haven't hit a home run on draft day since Jaromir Jagr in 1990, and they've swung and missed badly on a couple of occasions since then, but this year, even the Penguins ought to be able to connect today in Nashville, Tenn.
They'll knock the ball out of the park if they select left winger Thomas Vanek third overall.
Vanek has the size and the skill necessary for a 19-year-old to step directly from the University of Minnesota into the NHL. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound native of Graz, Austria, was not only the Golden Gophers' rookie of the year but also Minnesota's MVP and playoff MVP during a season in which a national championship was successfully defended. The Gophers repeated in no small part thanks to Vanek's 31 goals and 31 assists in 45 games, and his penchant for finding the net when the biggest games of all were hanging in the balance.
To see him play in person is to understand that Vanek is a breathtaking player, one capable of taking over a game, as he did in this year's NCAA championship game.
Fortunately for the Penguins, the presence of Peterborough (OHL) center Eric Staal and Cape Breton (QMJHL) goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury as fellow draft-eligibles suggests that even if the order changes ahead of them via a trade or two, Vanek will still be there for the taking for the Penguins at No. 3.
Should things play out that way at the Gaylord Entertainment Center, the Penguins should jump at the chance to grab their first prospect who should start his professional career in the NHL since Jagr.
They'll likely be tempted at that point by the presence of Nikolai Zherdev (Central Army, Russia), but would be wise to pass lest they end up with another Aleksey Morozov (enigmatic and not as far along as initially perceived).
The Penguins would also no doubt think long and hard under such a scenario about 18-year-old Ryan Suter, the nephew of Gary Suter and perhaps the best defenseman available, before realizing they've paid enough attention to rebuilding the defense in recent years through the acquisitions of Brooks Orpik, Ryan Whitney, Noah Welch, Ross Lupaschuk and Drew Fata, among others.
There's also the need factor, which should be considered by teams as desperate for goal-scorers as the Penguins.
Vanek would help immensely along those lines.
Who better to help usher in the era of rookie head coach Eddie Olczyk, who broke into the NHL as an 18-year-old phenom in 1984-85, than a 19-year-old goal-scorer crafted in Edzo's image, a go-to guy with upside?
So, it has to be Vanek, but it doesn't have to only be Vanek.
With three picks in the top 55 selections in what many consider to be one of the deepest draft pools in recent memory, the Penguins are finally in an enviable position now that their miserable season is behind them. They'll pick third, 32nd and 55th overall, and might be able to glean an additional high-round pick and at the same time, dump a contract by trading Martin Straka. The Penguins probably can't expect a first-round selection in exchange for Straka, but they ought to be able to demand a round 2 pick. And an additional second-round choice in a draft that purportedly contains as many as 45 or so coveted players can only accelerate the Penguins' rebuilding.
To continue restoring the faith of the paying customers and convincing them that such a process is actually taking place, it's imperative that the Penguins draft a player who actually plays for them next season.
Vanek can be such a player.
All the Penguins need do is call his name.
