Best Fits for Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2015 NHL Draft

The Pittsburgh Penguins fizzled out in the first round of the playoffs this season and head into the draft with some uncertainty. The team has several holes, a scant number of draft choices and no direction.

Bob McKenzie of TSN broke news in early June that Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle hired Morgan Stanley to explore "selling some or all" of the Penguins. Although no sale is imminent, it is never a good sign when the owners are looking to shake things up.

It isn't surprising given the Penguins' inability to do anything in the playoffs since winning a Stanley Cup in 2009, and a lack of significant forward prospects, cap space and depth doesn't bode well for the team in 2015-16. With that in mind, here is a look at some of the best fits for Pittsburgh heading into the 2015 draft.

General Team Needs, Roster Breakdown

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Players Signed for Upcoming Season via General Fanager

Forwards

• Centers: Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Brandon Sutter and Nick Spaling
• Left wingers: Chris Kunitz and David Perron 
• Right wingers: Patric Hornqvist and Pascal Dupuis

Defensemen

• Kris Letang, Rob Scuderi, Ben Lovejoy, Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot

Goaltenders

• Marc-Andre Fleury

Biggest Needs to Address via Draft

1) Forwards: In terms of prospects upfront, there is Kasperi Kapanen, and that is it. The Penguins have been all over defensive prospects the past few years, but they have failed to draft and develop forwards. Beau Bennett is the lone exception, although he really hasn't lived up to his full potential given the success he had prior to being drafted.

2) More forwards: Simply put, the Penguins should draft as many forwards as possible because they have a number of prospects on defense and in goal. Pittsburgh can always make trades if a certain forward doesn't pan out, but it should try to compile as many offensive-minded centers and wingers as possible.

Round 1: Pick Traded to Edmonton for David Perron

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The Pittsburgh Penguins dealt their first-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers on January 2 along with Rob Klinkhammer in exchange for forward David Perron. The Penguins were never a threat to miss the playoffs, so the team was always going to pick at No. 15 or later.

Perron came to Pittsburgh with 19 points in 38 games, and he tallied 22 points in 43 games with the Penguins. That factors out to be a difference of only 0.01 points per games played, and that is concerning considering the Penguins were a much deeper team.

This is a move the Penguins could end up regretting, because having the first-rounder would have allowed them to take a good player or package it with an asset for something better than Perron.

Round 2, No. 46 Overall: Christian Fischer

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Christian Fischer is a budding power forward who could flourish in Pittsburgh alongside dynamic wingers such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The 6'1", 212-pound forward is committed to Notre Dame and spent the 2014-15 season with the U.S. national U18 team.

He was called up from the USNTDP juniors team after tallying 30 points in 25 games, and he finished with 64 points in 66 games for the U18 team. Fischer is a solid skater with a potent wrist shot, and on occasion he will wind up for a slap shot. 

He's also a decent defensive player, and his positioning and ability to be in the right spot and the right time are solid for an 18-year-old. Fischer is the No. 37 North American skater, according to NHL Central Scouting, and the Wayne, Illinois, native would be a great add for the Penguins.

Round 3: Pick Traded to Florida Panthers for Marcel Goc

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The Penguins' third-round pick would have been No. 77 overall, and they dealt it back in 2014 in a deal for Marcel Goc. They later traded Goc for Maxim Lapierre, and it was a puzzling move to say the least.

There is no telling who the Penguins would have picked in the third round, but the deal was worth it while Goc was on the team because he was a solid defensive bottom-six center. The Penguins could have ended up dealing this pick anyway, so there isn't a reason to regret losing it.

Late-Round Targets

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GM Jim Rutherford

The Penguins own a pick in the fifth and sixth rounds of the draft, but we will take a look at the fifth round here because of how scarce quality players are at this point.

Matthew Bradley: He was the No. 126 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, and he finished his first season with the Medicine Hat Tigers with 40 points in 71 games. Bradley is an energy forward who plays a gritty game, but he has good hands and some offensive potential.

Kevin Stenlund: The Penguins could opt to draft a center late in the draft, and Stenlund should draw some interest. He's a 6'3", 205-pound center from Sweden and a playmaker with some decent hands. He's more of a two-way forward than an offensive center, but Pittsburgh can afford to have a prospect mature overseas for a couple of seasons before making the jump to North America. He is a talented player with upside, but playing in a junior league this year could let him fall late in the draft with so many "major" league players from Europe who are eligible for the draft.

List of draft picks via DraftSite.com. Stats and rankings via NHL.com and Elite Prospects unless otherwise noted.