Pittsburgh Penguins 2017 Draft Class: Where Are They Now? – Hockey Writers – Pittsburgh Penguins

The quiet part of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ offseason is one of reflection on the past, whether it’s the disappointment of the past few seasons or the continued curiosity of past draft classes. After revisiting their 2016 Draft, lingering questions remain about what could have been had the Penguins held on to goaltender Filip Gustavsson. Now, we’ll turn the page to take a look at their 2017 draft class and where those players are now.

Zachary Lauzon: 2nd round, 51st overall

The story behind Zachary Lauzon is the heartbreak of a man whose lifelong dream was to become an NHL player. While he was living that dream when the Penguins selected him in the second round with the 51st overall pick, he never had the opportunity to play professional hockey.

Two months before hearing his name called in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Lauzon was involved in a concussion while playing in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). It was a big loss for the team as he was one of the top defensemen, boasting a plus-66 between the 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17 seasons. On several occasions, Lauzon tried to make a full comeback in the 2017-18 season but was only able to play 25 games.

Although the Penguins waived the rights to Lauzon due to the uncertainty surrounding him, they invited him to participate in their development camp in June 2019. Just three months later, it was reported that he had headaches and dizziness again. Knowing that he needed to do the right thing with his life, he announced that he was quitting hockey. Just last season, five years after he announced his retirement from the game, he played one game with the Granby Bisons in the Ligue de Hockey Sénior AAA du Québec.

Clayton Phillips: 3rd round, 93rd overall

Looking for an easy-skating defenseman with an offensive mind, the Penguins got Clayton Phillips in the third round. Throughout high school and his first season in the United States Hockey League with the Fargo Force, he had what the Penguins were looking for. After being drafted by the Penguins, he spent the 2017-18 season playing the first half of the season with the Force and Muskegon Lumberjacks.

Ready to take the next step in his career, Phillips attended the University of Minnesota to begin his college hockey career in the spring semester of 2018. He spent a season and a half with the Golden Gophers from 2018 to 2019. His journey took him to Happy Valley to play for Penn State. After playing parts of three seasons, he signed an amateur tryout contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (WBS) of the American Hockey League (AHL). He played just one game to finish the 2021-22 season. The 2022–23 season saw Phillips play parts of the season in the ECHL with the Savannah Ghost Pirates and the Iowa Heartlanders, where his professional career would end.

Jan Drozg: 5th round, 152nd overall

After two years of suspension, Hockey Writers had Jan Drozg as the 11th point for the Penguins. With a solid shot, he was hailed as the top-scoring forward at the professional level. However, things did not go so well in North America. Playing parts of five seasons with WBS and the Grand Rapids Griffins, he scored just 14 goals and 27 points in 103 games.

Things turned around for Drozg after three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Between the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons, he played 112 games for Amur Khabarovsk and 33 games for Kunlun Red Star. He is currently playing in Austria.

Linus Olund: 5th round, 155th overall

Drafted in the fifth round, Linus Olund was a versatile player and scouts believed he could play on both the power play and penalty kill. Playing well in his home country, the native of Gavle, Sweden made the switch to play for WBS in the 2018-19 season. He played in 61 games, tallying nine assists and 15 points. Unfortunately, it would be the one season he played as he was loaned to Sweden to play for Brynas IF in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for the 2019-20 season. Playing at least one game with senior team Brynas IF since the 2014-15 season, Olund is in his 11th season in the SHL with the team.

Anti Palojarvi: Round 6, 186 Overall

Anti Palojarvi’s professional career was short. The 2016-17 season saw him loaned to KeuPa HT in Mestis, where he played just one game. Since the 2018-19 season, he has had more opportunities to play professional hockey in Finland as he has spent 16 games with Lukko in Liiga and seven games with SaPko in Mestis. His hockey career eventually ended after spending four seasons with five teams. Although he signed with Parru HT for the 2023-24 season, he never played a game and retired after the 2022-23 season.

Will Reilly: 7th round, 217th overall

Post-collegiate career, Will Reilly had some success in the AHL and ECHL. He made his WBS debut in the 2020-21 season, where he played in 26 games, scoring three goals and six points. Over the next three seasons, he hit mid-league, appearing in 71 AHL games with the WBS, Tucson Roadrunners, and Charlotte Checkers, and 58 ECHL games with the Wheeling Nailers and Florida Everblades. After winning the Kelly Cup with the Everblades in the 2023-24 season, he went to Czechia to play for Ceske Budejovice HC.

Predicting the future of NHL prospects is often not forgiving in such a competitive league. With top quality prospects, the chances of them making the NHL roster are high. Others, like Lauzon, who had a high chance of making it to the NHL, have unfortunate circumstances that force them to retire young or prevent them from reaching their potential. As we get closer to looking at the Penguins’ recent draft classes, their scouting department is hitting the nail on the head with some drafted prospects.