Hitmen product Kindel continues to impress with NHL’s Penguins

Ben Kindel just keeps making things happen with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 18-year-old product of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen has been a steady and reliable presence for a Penguins squad that isn’t exactly short on experience or talent. Playing in the 12th NHL game of his young career, the 5-foot-11, 182-pound centre recorded the first multi-goal outing of his NHL career Monday night, scoring twice as the Penguins fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 4-3.

“I’m grateful to be drafted by this organization, it’s an unbelievable place and I can’t be more happy,” Kindel said post-game Monday night.

“Some lessons learned tonight – you learn that you can’t take the foot off the gas pedal, especially against a team like that with all their fire power. It’s still early in the season, but we’re learning a lot.”

Late in the first period, Kindel redirected a shot from defenceman Ryan Shea to give the Pens a 2-0 lead, collecting his fourth goal of the season in the process.

Midway through the second period with the Penguins on a power play, Kindel took a seam pass from veteran forward and future Hall of Famer Evgeni Malkin before taking a couple steps towards the net and wiring a wrist shot past Maple Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz to put Pittsburgh in front 3-0. The goal was Kindel’s fifth of the season and launched him into a tie with defenceman Matthew Schaefer, atop the NHL’s rookie goal scoring charts.

“I got eyes up and Geno made a really nice play to me,” Kindel said. “I just kind of shot it, maybe saw an opening in the moment, but I just kind of shot it, got lucky, and it went in.”

It's the first multi-goal game of Ben Kindel's career! ✌️#NHLStats: https://t.co/Y8B5ydczED

📺: @SportsOnPrimeCA ➡️ https://t.co/93veFI9jrZ pic.twitter.com/8AB9p4emm9

— NHL (@NHL) November 4, 2025

A total of 11 goals have been scored by members of the 2025 NHL Draft class, with Kindel accounting for 45.5 per cent of them. Schaefer, who hails from the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters, owns another 45.5 per cent. Former Saginaw Spirit (OHL) forward Michael Misa has collected one goal, rounding out the remaining 9.1 per cent of goals scored by the 2025 NHL Draft class.

Selected by the Penguins in the first round (11th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Kindel has averaged 14:03 of time on ice to start his NHL career. With 26 shots on goal, his shooting percentage is an impressive 19.2 per cent.

For those who were watching Kindel’s performance with the Calgary Hitmen last season, none of this comes as a surprise. The product of Coquitlam, B.C., was a force in the Central Division, collecting 99 points (35G-64A) in 65 games as the Hitmen battled tooth and nail for a division crown, falling just short on the final day of the regular season. Kindel’s individual performance earned him a place on the WHL’s Eastern Conference First All-Star Team. During the 2025 WHL Playoffs, he notched another 15 points (8G-7A) in 11 games, as the Hitmen were bounced at the end of a seven-game, second-round series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Originally selected by the Hitmen in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Kindel notched 159 points (50G-109A) in 134 career WHL regular season games.

Kindel remains eligible to return to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. Despite the absence of Kindel, the Hitmen are off to a great start, going 10-3-1-0 and sitting fifth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference to start the 2025-26 campaign.

With Kindel now 12 games into his rookie season with the Pens, he has officially burnt the first year of his three-year, entry-level contract. And he doesn’t look out of place.

Kindel isn’t the only WHL developed rookie making his mark in Pittsburgh.

Defenceman Harrison Brunicke, who came up with the Kamloops Blazers, has played nine games, collecting one goal and an average of 15:43 TOI. The 19-year-old Brunicke was selected by the Penguins in the second round (44th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Joining Brunicke on the blueline is former Swift Current Broncos rearguard Owen Pickering, who has dressed in four games dating back to October 28. The product of St. Adolphe, Man., was selected by Pittsburgh in the first round (21st overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut in 2024-25, appearing in 25 games (1G-2A–3 points).

Having missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for three consecutive seasons, the youth infusion seems to be what the doctor ordered in the Steel City. Fuelled by the likes of Kindel, Brunicke, Pickering, and a resurgence from familiar veterans, the Penguins are 8-4-2 out of the gates and second in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division as of Tuesday, November 4.

Kindel and the Penguins return to action Thursday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET, when they host the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Goals from Ben Kindel: 5

Goals from the other 223 players in the 2025 NHL Draft Class: 6

Kindel's two goals tonight marks the first multi-goal game by a @penguins teenager since Olli Maatta (2G) on Mar. 6, 2014 👀 pic.twitter.com/7MqTfIeUyU

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) November 4, 2025