Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Right-Shot Defense Prospect; Third-Last Player Drafted In 2024

Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Right-Shot Defense Prospect; Third-Last Player Drafted In 2024

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Several NHL prospects playing in the Ontario Hockey League signed entry-level contracts within the last week, and the third-last player to go in the 2024 NHL draft was one of them.

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced the signing of Brampton Steelheads defenseman Finn Harding to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26.

Harding, a 6-foot-1, 206-pound right-shot defenseman, has been Brampton's best defenseman all year long. The team has experienced many ups and downs this season, but Harding has had an excellent campaign.

The 2005-born defender from Toronto, Ontario played 63 games in 2022-23, recording 10 points. He wasn't picked in the 2023 NHL draft in large part due to playing in a sheltered role that season and not getting a lot of exposure.

Harding was drafted 151st overall in the eighth round in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, after losing out on a full year of development playing in Ontario due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last season, Harding flew under the radar for the Steelheads, and was voted the 2023-24 CHL Shutdown Defenseman of the Year by Sportlogiq.

Finn Harding was a major disruptor to opposition offences this season. The reliable blue-liner ranked extremely high in key defensive metrics that stopped forwards in their tracks and regained possession for his squad. Logging big minutes for a Steelheads team that finished 3rd in the OHL in goals against, Harding's sound positioning & great defensive stick also led him to the highest plus/minus in Steelheads history at +38.