Ben Kindel may soon become part of a select group of players making their NHL debut in the same regular season as when they were drafted.
Ben Kindel’s potential debut this season
He stands out among draft+1 players, especially those picked early. In the last season, five players from the 2024 draft participated in 95 NHL games, mostly driven by first overall pick Macklin Celebrini.
Besides Celebrini, second overall pick Artyom Levshunov also made a significant impact. Other notable players include Jett Luchanko, Ivan Demidov, and Zayne Parekh, showing how rare NHL participation is for draft+1 forwards outside of top picks.
Comparative players in the NHL
When looking at Penguins history, Daniel Sprong, drafted 46th overall in 2015-16, played 18 games in that season. Other recent young players like Jordan Staal and Sidney Crosby don’t meet the draft criteria, although they were also notable 18-year-olds.
Notably, Olli Maatta was not drafted at 18 but made the team shortly after turning 19. Kindel’s journey could resemble Jett Luchanko’s, who debuted early but was sent back to juniors.
Challenges and expectations for Kindel
While some players like Zach Benson and Cole Sillinger have successfully made their mark in the NHL, the majority of forwards drafted outside the top-5 don’t secure full seasons.
Despite the uncertainty, Kindel has consistently surprised observers with his performance. Achieving a spot on an NHL roster without being a top-5 pick is a rare achievement, and he could join recent successes in this endeavor.
