Penguins Draft 5 Players on Day 2, Adding Twin Brothers at Picks 22 and 39

Q: Why is a top Penguins prospect taking an unusual and longer path to the NHL through college hockey?

He is taking the college route because the NCAA has newly become available to CHL players, and he believes it offers a better development runway than turning pro quickly. For Pierce Mbuyi, the path is unusual because he is coming from the OHL, where players traditionally were not eligible for NCAA hockey. A 2024 rule change opened that door, allowing him to spend one more season with Owen Sound and then head to Penn State in 2027-28 instead of moving directly into the pro system. The longer timeline is intentional. Mbuyi is a skilled but undersized winger, listed around 5-foot-10 and 163 pounds, and he has said college hockey gives him more time to add strength, spend time in the weight room, and practice more than he would in a junior-heavy schedule. He also sees value in facing older, stronger competition, which many NHL evaluators now view as a strong bridge to the pro game. Penn State also played a major role. The program recruited him early, stayed engaged after the eligibility rules changed, and built a strong relationship with coach Guy Gadowsky. Mbuyi has pointed to that fit, along with the team’s style and the chance to get an education, as reasons the school stood out. So the answer is not that he is delaying the NHL for its own sake. He is using a newly opened NCAA path to give himself more time to mature physically and round out his game before making the jump.

3 articles · Updated · NHL.com · Jun 27

Pittsburgh used day two of the 2026 NHL Draft to add five players: Markus Ruck at No. 39, Tomas Galvas at No. 54, Pierce Mbuyi at No. 86, Parker Von Richter at No. 111 and Matvei Nikonovich at No. 160.
Ruck headlined the group after posting a WHL-leading 87 assists and 108 points in 68 games, joining twin brother Liam Ruck, whom Pittsburgh had already taken 22nd overall in the first round.
Galvas brought top international credentials after a 24-point season in Czechia and a nine-point 2026 World Juniors, while Mbuyi followed his 75-point OHL season after being announced earlier as Pittsburgh's third-round pick.
Pittsburgh also traded up for two later selections, acquiring No. 111 from Boston and No. 160 from Nashville to take Von Richter and Nikonovich, whose .939 save percentage ranked third in Russia's MHL.