WHL
Winnipegger to meet his heroes after being drafted by Penguins
8 minute read Saturday, Jun. 28, 2025Peyton Kettles remembers the Evgeni Malkin jersey he rocked as a youngster.
So you can imagine his delight when the Winnipegger pulled on a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey on Saturday after being chosen in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft with the 39th overall pick.
“It was definitely a huge relief and I’m definitely happy to hear my name called by the Penguins. To have their history, with me growing up around that time, is really cool and really special,” Kettles said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles, where he attended the event at Peacock Theater with his parents and his brother. “I owned a Malkin jersey and all of the stuff like that. It’s a full circle moment for me.”
Kettles, listed at 6-5 and 194 pounds, is a hard-hitting defenceman who had five goals and 14 points in 53 games in the Western Hockey League with the Swift Current Broncos.
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Kettles, a 16-year-old defenceman who recently completed his rookie season with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. He had two goals, 13 points and 44 penalty minutes in 61 regular-season games and added two assists in eight playoff games with the Broncos.
The 6-5, 190-pound Rink Hockey Academy grad is one of seven blue-liners hoping to help Canada’s U18 squad win its third straight gold medal and its 25th win in tournament.
The team will be led by head coach Kris Mallette and assistant coaches Gordie Dwyer and Ryan Oulahen.
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