Winnipegger to meet his heroes after being drafted by Penguins
Peyon 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.'
DAMIAN DOVARGANES / ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Carter Bear, left, stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by Detroit Red Wings during the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 27, 2025, in Los Angeles.
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.
'I'm a big defensive guy who likes to play physical,' said Kettles. 'I'm a really good skater. A guy that is not afraid or is going to back down from anyone.
'I thought I had a pretty good season. I was out with some injuries, but that happens. Overall, I thought I had a really good season and I proved myself to Pittsburgh and a lot of other teams. I'm really happy to be part of their organization.'
Kettles spoke with 21 different teams at the NHL Combine in Buffalo earlier this month and he's looking forward to heading to development camp in Pittsburgh during the coming days.
'I thought I had a really good interview with everyone, but my interview with Pittsburgh was really good. I thought they really liked me. It's cool to see them trade up and pick me,' said Kettles, noting he enjoyed watching the Penguins win multiple Stanley Cups while he was growing up. 'I've dreamed of this moment my whole life, so it's cool to see it come true. For me to meet my heroes and my idols is going to be really cool in this next week or two.'
Kettles was in attendance on Friday night, since some mock drafts had him going late in the first round.
JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Hayden Paupanekis, then a Winnipeg Wild forward poses outside his home in 2022.
That was a stressful situation to navigate, but Kettles made the most of it and didn't need to wait long on Day 2.
'I went (Friday) night and saw a lot of buddies go,' said Kettles. 'To hear my name called this morning was a big relief and I'm excited to get going.'
It was a solid day for the Keystone province as seven Manitobans had their names called on Friday and Saturday.
The seven selections is one short of the record, set three times (2017, 2018, 2022).
That it comes one year after Brandon product Clarke Caswell was the only local kid drafted (in the fifth round, by the Seattle Kraken) represents a strong rebound for Manitoba.
Carter Bear of West St. Paul went 13th overall to the Detroit Red Wings and the high-scoring winger from the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League was the only Manitoban to go in the first round.
Burke Hood
Later in the second round, Winnipegger Matthew Gard of the Red Deer Rebels went 57th overall to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The left-handed shooting centre had 19 goals, 36 points in 66 WHL games this season.
Gard also suited up for Canada at the U18 championship in Texas this year, collecting a goal and four points in seven games, capturing a gold medal.
In the third round, Winnipegger Hayden Paupanekis was chosen 69th overall by the Monteal Canadiens.
Paupanekis split last season between the Kelowna Rockets and Chiefs of the WHL, collecting 22 goals and 43 points in 71 games.
Later in the third round, the Winnipeg Jets used the 93rd overall pick on Oakbank product Owen Martin, who had a strong season with the Spokane Chiefs.
ROB WILTON/VANCOUVER GIANTS FILES
Vancouver Giants goalie Burke Hood, shown staring down Wenatchee Wild forward Maddix McCagherty.
Martin dealt with a foot injury that limited him to 39 games, but he produced at nearly a point-per-game rate (13 goals, 34 points).
Seeing a bunch of fellow Manitobans hear their names called was special for Martin.
'I've been texting them, congratulating them. And then, once I got taken, they all congratulated me,' Martin said during a Zoom call on Saturday. 'It's a good group of Manitobans. We all know each other pretty well so yeah, it's been super cool seeing that success for all of us.'
The sixth Manitoba chosen came in the sixth round when goalie Burke Hood went 170th overall to the New York Islanders.
Hood, who hails from Brandon, is coming off a solid season in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants, posting three shutouts a .910 save percentage and 3.10 goals-against average in 42 appearances.
The final Manitoba chosen on Day 2 was McCreary product Brady Turko, a right-winger with the Brandon Wheat Kings who had seven goals and 26 points in 68 games this season.
TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES
Brady Turko of the Brandon Wheat Kings tries to keep the puck out of reach of Brayden Klimpke of the Saskatoon Blades during WHL action.
Turko's teammate and fellow forward Roger McQueen was chosen 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca
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Ken WiebeReporter
Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken.
Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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