Owen Pickering Bio
Owen Pickering (born January 27, 2004) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Pickering in the first round, 21st overall, at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 206 pounds, he shoots left and has been described as a mobile, two-way rearguard with a strong first pass.
Early Life and Background
Pickering was born and raised in St. Adolphe, Manitoba, Canada, a small community south of Winnipeg. He grew up in an athletic household and, alongside hockey, played baseball, volleyball, and basketball as a child. He also began playing the violin at the age of six, reflecting a family environment that valued both sport and music.
Prior to being drafted into the NHL, Pickering followed the Winnipeg Jets as his favourite team and cited Dallas Stars defenceman Miro Heiskanen as the player he most admired. That combination of Manitoba roots and admiration for a skilled, defence-first star helped shape his early approach to the game.
Path to Hockey
Pickering progressed through the standard Western Canadian junior pathway, skating in youth hockey in Manitoba before joining the Western Hockey League (WHL) system. The Swift Current Broncos of the WHL selected him in the ninth round, 177th overall, in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft, a relatively late pick for a player who would later develop into a first-round NHL prospect.
His frame and skating quickly stood out at the major-junior level, and on October 14, 2022, he was named captain of the Broncos, an unusually young age to receive the C for a WHL franchise. Internationally, Pickering represented the Canada under-18 team at the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships, further establishing his résumé as a top defenceman in his age group.
Owen Pickering Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
Pickering spent his formative major-junior seasons with the Swift Current Broncos from 2019 through 2022, gradually adding size and refining his defensive game. The 2022 NHL Entry Draft marked the turning point of his junior career, as the Pittsburgh Penguins called his name 21st overall, validating the long-term projection scouts had placed on the young Manitoban.
On July 16, 2022, Pittsburgh signed Pickering to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract, locking in his professional pathway before he had even finished his WHL eligibility. That fall he was named Broncos captain, signalling his standing within one of the CHL’s most competitive organizations.
Western Hockey League (WHL) Breakthrough (2022–2024)
During the 2022–23 WHL season, Pickering delivered the type of all-around performance that justified his first-round selection. He was named to the WHL Central Division All-Star First Team, a recognition that placed him among the conference’s top defencemen. On March 30, 2023, Pittsburgh reassigned him to the AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and he made his AHL debut on March 31, 2023, in a 4–2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, getting his first taste of professional hockey.
Pittsburgh returned Pickering to Swift Current for the 2023–24 WHL season, where he once again earned WHL Central Division All-Star First Team honours. The back-to-back selections reinforced his identity as a steady, offensively capable defender capable of quarterbacking a power play and shutting down opposing top lines.
Pittsburgh Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Era (2024–Present)
Pickering received his first NHL call-up on November 16, 2024, after veteran defenceman Ryan Graves was scratched, and he made his NHL debut that night against the San Jose Sharks. Playing on the third defensive pairing, he recorded an assist on Jesse Puljujarvi’s goal for his first NHL point, a composed performance under bright-league lights.
On December 3, 2024, Pickering scored his first career NHL goal in a 5–4 overtime victory against the Florida Panthers. He appeared in 25 total games with Pittsburgh before being reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on January 15, 2025. With the AHL club he finished the 2024–25 season with 13 points (2 goals, 11 assists) in 47 games, and he played both games of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s first-round 2025 Calder Cup playoff series, a best-of-three loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pickering is widely viewed as a smooth-skating, left-shot defenceman whose 6-foot-5 frame allows him to win battles along the boards and in front of the net. His strengths include a clean first pass out of the defensive zone, poise under pressure, and the ability to contribute offensively from the blue line, traits that mirror the playing style of his childhood favourite, Miro Heiskanen.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Pickering’s signature moments are his 2022 NHL Draft selection at 21st overall, his appointment as Broncos captain in October 2022, back-to-back WHL Central Division All-Star First Team honours in 2022–23 and 2023–24, his NHL debut on November 16, 2024, and his first NHL goal on December 3, 2024, against the Florida Panthers.
Owen Pickering Career Wins
Across his major-junior and professional career, Owen Pickering has accumulated a series of honours and milestones rather than single-event victories. His most prominent distinctions are two WHL Central Division All-Star First Team selections, his captaincy of the Swift Current Broncos, and his progression from a late ninth-round WHL Bantam pick to a first-round NHL selection.
WHL Highlights
Pickering’s WHL tenure with the Swift Current Broncos spanned the 2019 to 2024 seasons and produced his highest-profile accomplishments. He was named a WHL Central Division All-Star First Team member in both 2022–23 and 2023–24, served as team captain beginning in October 2022, and was a fixture on the Broncos’ top defensive pairing and power play.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his WHL résumé, Pickering represented Canada at the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships and posted a 13-point AHL season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2024–25, adding two goals and 11 assists in 47 games while appearing in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs.
Owen Pickering Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Pickering comes from an athletic family rooted in Manitoba. He and fellow NHL defenceman Denton Mateychuk are second cousins, and both were selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. His younger sister, Avery, has represented Canada at the IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship, underscoring a household in which high-level hockey is a shared pursuit.
Personal Life
Outside of hockey, Pickering continued playing the violin, a hobby he began at age six, well into his junior career. His pre-draft preferences, including a fondness for the Winnipeg Jets and admiration for Miro Heiskanen, reflected a grounded upbringing that has accompanied him from St. Adolphe through the NHL.
2025 Season Performance
Owen Pickering’s 2025 calendar year bridged the end of his first NHL stint and a full AHL campaign with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He opened the year with Pittsburgh before a January 15, 2025, reassignment to the AHL affiliate, where he settled into a top-four defenceman role and produced 13 points in 47 regular-season games.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were eliminated 2–0 by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a best-of-three first-round series of the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, with Pickering suiting up for both contests. His ability to play meaningful minutes in a short playoff series signalled organizational trust in his two-way game.
Looking ahead, Pickering remains under contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and is expected to push for a more permanent NHL role, drawing on his blend of size, skating, and offensive upside developed across junior and professional levels.