Meet Penguins' 2016 draft class
Filip Gustavsson
Selection: Second round, No. 55
Position: Goalie
Amateur team: Lulea Jr. (Sweden Junior)
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
Born: June 7, 1998 (Skelleftea, Sweden)
2015-16 stats: 19-17, 2.72 goals-against average, .915 save percentage
Scouting report: Ranked as the No. 1 European goalie in the draft, Gustavsson was named top goalie at the 2016 World U18 championships. Scouts have called him the Swedish Carey Price. “He has tremendous rebound control and tremendous poise and mental toughness,” Penguins director of amateur scouting Randy Sexton said. “He's not as tall as Matt (Murray), but they move in a very similar fashion.”
Kasper Bjorkqvist
Selection: Second round, No. 61
Position: Forward
Amateur team: Blues Jr. (Finland Junior)
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 198 pounds
Born: July 10, 1997 (Espoo, Finland)
2015-16 stats: 45 games, 28 goals, 38 assists, 32 penalty minutes
Scouting report: Projected to develop into a punishing two-way forward in the next couple years, Bjorkqvist offers the promise of versatility and energy. He is committed to Providence. Sexton said he believes Bjorkqvist will be ready to turn pro in a year or two. “He compares his game to Leo Komarov in Toronto,” Penguins head European scout Patrik Allvin said.
Connor Hall
Selection: Third round, No. 77
Position: Defenseman
Amateur team: Kitchener (Ontario Hockey League)
Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
Born: Feb. 21, 1998 (Cambridge, Ontario)
2015-16 stats: 39 games, 2 goals, 7 assists, 49 penalty minutes
Scouting report: He described Chicago bruiser Brent Seabrook as an NHL player with a comparable playing style. Hall missed part of last season with a broken jaw he suffered in a fight. He also served a 10-game suspension from the OHL for a headshot. “He plays with a lot of aggression,” Sexton said. “Very, very physically aggressive defenseman.”
Ryan Jones
Selection: Fourth round, No. 121
Position: Defenseman
Amateur team: Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 186 pounds
Born: May 26, 1996 (Munster, Ind.)
2015-16 stats: 60 games, 3 goals, 27 assists, 112 penalty minutes
Scouting report: Although he's best known for his physical play, Jones finished ninth in the USHL last season in defenseman assists. Passed over in the draft as an 18-year-old, Jones has committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. “A little bit of a late bloomer,” Sexton said. “Extremely mobile, like Hall, and he plays with a real edge.”
Niclas Almari
Selection: Fifth round, No. 151
Position: Defenseman
Amateur team: Jokerit Jr. (Finland Junior)
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 167 pounds
Born: May 11, 1998 (Espoo, Finland)
2015-16 stats: 39 games, 2 goals, 5 assists, 10 penalty minutes
Scouting report: Adding muscle is a must for Almari, the Penguins' top scouts said. But they believe with more bulk, Almari can provide strong transition play. Allvin said he suspects Almari might spend the next three years developing in Finland before he begins competing as a professional in North American leagues. NHL Central Scouting ranked him the 62nd best skater among European prospects in the draft.
Joe Masonius
Selection: Sixth round, No. 181
Position: Defenseman
Amateur team: UConn (Hockey East)
Height, weight: 6-foot, 190 pounds
Born: Feb. 17, 1997 (Spring Lake, N.J.)
2015-16 stats: 34 games, 6 goals, 15 assists, 40 penalty minutes
Scouting report: An alumnus of the U.S. National Team Development Program, Masonius has five sisters and four brothers.
“Extremely mobile,” Sexton said. “Was buried a bit behind some of the higher-end guys two years ago, but when he got to the Hockey East and UConn this year, he had the opportunity to play a more prominent role and play with a lot of confidence and was really their go-to guy on the back end as a freshman.”
