When Dave Molinari spoke to Jim Rutherford on Monday, Rutherford divulged some information on a college free agent the Penguins are targeting.
"We are working on another college defenseman that we really like," Rutherford said. "We thought he was going back to school for another year. With the uncertainty of college hockey now, he's decided not to. This is a player we've followed for the last couple of years, and we like him."
Who could it be?
The player is someone leaving school early, so he isn't one of the 21 drafted players who hit free agency on Saturday after not signing with their teams. He's not anyone who was a senior this year.
Looking at the Penguins' past three development camp rosters, he's not anyone who attended a development camp either, since no defenseman invited to a past camp still has college eligibility next season.
Who fits the bill? There are two defensemen who stand out.
JOSH MANISCALCO
Position: Defenseman
Team (year): Arizona State (Sophomore)
Age (birthday): 21 (Feb. 17)
Size: 6-2, 205
Shoots: Right
Maniscalco would certainly fit the bill. First of all, he's a right-handed defenseman, and if the Penguins' prospect pool needs depth at any one position, it's right-handed defensemen. There are only two right-handed blueliners in the whole system.
Prior to joining Arizona State, Maniscalco captained the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL for a year, where he ranked No. 10 in the league in scoring by defensemen. He also spent two years in the U.S. National Team Development Program, and played bantam and USHS prep at Shattuck St. Mary's. He's a native of Perkiomenville, Pa.
Last summer, after his freshman season, Maniscalco attended the Bruins' development camp.
Maniscalco was a sophomore this season, where he finished No. 4 in team scoring and No. 2 among defensemen with 11 goals and 21 assists in 36 games. Of the Sun Devils' 94 goals scored this season, Maniscalco was on the ice for 46, nearly half, and seven more than any other teammate.
“He’s a stud,” Sun Devils head coach Greg Powers said of Maniscalco this season. “We knew what we were getting when we got him. He had a great freshman year, and he has just continued to evolve to the point where now, I think he’s one of the top defenseman in college hockey just as a sophomore.”
“He’s got everything you want,” Powers added. “He’s got poise and he can break it out better than anybody you will see, and now he’s starting to produce offensively.”
MATT KIERSTED
Position: Defenseman
Team (year): North Dakota (Junior)
Age (birthday): 22 (April 14)
Size: 6-0, 181
Shoots: Left
Back on April 2 Kiersted said that he would return to North Dakota for his senior season, but since Rutherford said he initially thought the unnamed player was going back to school for another year and given the developments in college sports in the last four months, I'm not ruling Kiersted out as an option.
Kiersted was a junior and an alternate captain at North Dakota this season, and finished No. 2 on the team in scoring with six goals and 23 assists in 33 games, the third-most points of any defenseman in college hockey this season. He's a puck-moving defenseman and quarterbacked the top power play unit.
"I think the focus going into this year was to just make the right plays, not trying to do too much," Kiersted said of his game. "Just focus on the first pass, moving pucks north, and following up the play and adding offense when I can."
"He can shoot the puck," said his teammate Jacob Bernard-Docker. "One thing I've noticed is more of his passing ability. I think he's really good with being deceptive with the puck and wicking guys off and feeding other guys. He's really fun to watch."
North Dakota finished as the NCHC regular season champions before coronavirus halted the season, and Kiersted was named to the NCHC second all-star team.
Kiersted attended the Jets' development camp last summer, and has had several other teams scouting his college games over the last year.
Before joining North Dakota, Kiersted spent two seasons and parts of a third with the Chicago Steel in the USHL and played for Elk River High School in Minnesota.
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