Opinion: Owen Pickering Has Earned His Way Onto This Penguins' Team — And He Needs To Be Rewarded

Not every prospect will be cut quite yet, as injuries and veteran rules for the pre-season have resulted in necessity to keep a few extra bodies for the team's final pre-season tilt against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

However, when the rest of the roster is trimmed down to 23 or less, there is one name that absolutely deserves to be left on it.

Pickering, 22, has been put through the wringer in the past 24 months. After an impressive start to the 2024-25 season, his play began to wane a little bit, and he was ultimately sent back down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins after 25 games. He was called on again after an early-season injury to Caleb Jones last season, but he only stayed for four games after a less-than-ideal showing.