Peyton Kettles’ spot in PensBurgh’s 2026 Top 25 Under 25 comes with a clear theme: patience.
The 18-year-old defense prospect checks in at No. 22 after ranking No. 13 a year ago, a slide tied directly to the shoulder injury that interrupted his 2025-26 season. Kettles, who was born on September 1, 2007, was selected by the Penguins in the 2025 NHL Draft with the 39th overall pick in the second round. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 194 pounds.
A shoulder surgery knocked him off course early in the year, but he did make it back late enough to get into the Memorial Cup playoffs and return to game action. Kettles explained how the injury built over time: “It just built up over time,” Kettles said of the wear and tear on his shoulder.
“I had dislocated my shoulder a couple of years ago. It was just stress on the labrum.
I tore it twice, and I decided to get the surgery on it.”
Even with the setback, Pittsburgh kept investing in him. The Penguins re-signed Kettles to an entry-level contract and helped guide his rehab, and now the focus shifts to getting stronger.
Pittsburgh director of player development Tom Kostopolous said, “He’ll have the summer to really build his strength. It was hard stepping into the Memorial Cup when you’ve been out that long.
But credit to him, he put the work in and jumped in there. Now, he’s got the whole summer to build his strength so he can play more physical and aggressive.
That will come as the summer goes along.”
That physical growth matters because Kettles’ game is built around defense first. He’s a rangy blue-liner who wins with gap control, closes space on attackers, and uses his size and edge to make life miserable for forwards trying to come at him with speed. The organization wants more strength to go with that style as he moves up the ladder.
For now, Kettles is staying in the CHL. His pro contract shuts off the NCAA path, and he’ll be back in the WHL for 2026-27 before likely getting an assignment to AHL Wilkes-Barre near the end of the season. The new NHL CBA rules about teenaged CHL players being eligible for the AHL only apply to first-round picks, and Kettles was not one of those.
The injury is a big reason he dropped in the rankings, and shoulder surgery is never a great sign for a defenseman. He also no longer has the fresh shine that came with being a high second-round pick last year.
Still, the Penguins clearly see something worth developing. Kettles remains a distinctive prospect, one that will need time, strength gains and a strong junior season to keep moving forward.
There’s also a bigger runway ahead. If things go well, Kettles could put himself on Hockey Canada’s radar for the upcoming World Juniors tournament while he finishes out his junior career and takes the next steps in his development.
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