Scouts Take on five Penguins draft picks playing in the Men’s Hockey NCAA Tournament

Five Penguins draft picks, Teddy Blueger, Minnesota State, Kenny Agostino, Yale, Scott Wilson, UMass-Lowell, Ben Hanowski, St. Cloud State, and Bryan Rust, Notre Dame, will be participating in the NCAA Tournament this week.

The Men’s Frozen Four is April 11 and 13 at the Consol Energy Center. UMass-Lowell is in the Northeast Regional, Yale in the West Regional and Notre Dame, St. Cloud State are in the Mid-West Regional. UMass-Lowell and Notre Dame are No. 1 seeds and considered favorites to get to the Frozen Four.

No. 1 Notre Dame (25-12-3) vs. No. 4 St. Cloud State (23-15-1), Saturday, March 30
1:30 p.m. ET

No. 1 Massachusetts-Lowell (26-10-2) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (22-12-7), Friday, March 29
4:30 p.m. ET

No. 1 Minnesota (26-8-5) vs. No. 4 Yale (18-12-3), Friday, March 29, 2 p.m. ET

LW Kenny Agostino, Yale, Junior

2012-2013 Stats: 33 GP – 15 Goals – 22 Assists – 37 Pts – +6

Drafted: 2010 5th round pick

TIOPS Prospect Ranking: No. 7

Scouting Report: A consistent performer recording back to back 30+ point seasons and also put up good numbers his freshman year with 11 goals and 25 points. One of the rising prospects in the Penguins system and while Agostino won’t wow you with his skill set, scouts contend he has NHL qualities.

Scouts Take: “The more I see him, the more I like him. High hockey IQ and gets to the right spots {offensive zone}. Well rounded player, thinks the game at a high level.”

RW Scott Wilson, Umass-Lowell, Sophomore

2012-2013 Stats: 37 GP – 16 Goals – 22 Assists – 38 Pts – +12

Drafted: 2011 seventh round pick

TIOPS Prospect Ranking: No. 9

Scouting Report: Wilson has showed his impressive freshman campaign in 2011-2012 was no fluke with 38 points in 37 games, matching his production from last year. His offensive emergence caught the Penguins by surprise last year and Wilson being able to follow that up is a very good sign. He’s emerged as a legitimate prospect in the Penguins system and what the Penguins really like about him is his two-way game. He can impact a game in all facets from even strength to the power play to the penalty kill. At 6-foot-0, 180-pounds, he’s a very good hitter for a player his size and he gets on pucks quick.

Scouts Take: “Tenacious, plays the Penguins way.”

RW Ben Hanowski, St. Cloud State, Senior

2012-2013 Stats: 34 GP – 16 Goals – 13 Assists – 29 Pts – +1

Drafted: 2009 3rd round pick

TIOPS Prospect Ranking: No. 14

Scouting Report: Hanowski has been a productive four year member for St. Cloud State and has excellent leadership qualities. Good size at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds and has shown glimpses of having a knack for scoring goals. Hanowski, though, has not lived up to the Thomas Vanek comparable from NHL Central Scouting’s Jack Barzee prior to the 2009 draft. “Ben needs to improve his overall skating, but his unselfishness, his hands and above all his ability to score goals sets him apart. His knack for scoring goals is similar to Thomas Vanek – his extra dimension is scoring goals,” Barzee said at the time.

Scouts Take: “Feet remain a question mark…. chance to be a tweener {NHL/AHL player}.

RW Bryan Rust, Notre Dame, Junior

2012-2013 Stats: 37 GP – 15 Goals – 17 Assists – 32 Pts – +22

Drafted: 2010 3rd round pick

Scouting Report: The junior forward has had a breakout season with 15 goals and 32 points, including a team-best +22 rating. Rust is second on the team in goals and points. Rust had just 5 goals and 11 points in 40 games last season for Notre Dame. His numbers have increased with a bigger offensive role but his game is centered around responsible two-way play and being hard on the forecheck. Last season he butted heads with his head coach because of his lack of consistency to compete hard every night. That hasn’t been an issue this season.

Scouts Take: “A hard nosed player when the compete level is there”