Penguins 2026 Second-Round Defenseman Might Be a Diamond in the Rough
The 2026 NHL Draft concluded on June 27th, 2026, with the Penguins walking away with six rookies. The biggest news out of the Penguins' draft is that they selected both Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck, meaning they would be staying together at the professional level. After the selection of the Ruck brothers with the 22nd and 39th picks, respectively, the Penguins took a risk and drafted Czech defenseman Tomas Galvas with the 54th overall pick. The five-foot-ten defenseman entered this draft at 20 years old, as he previously went undrafted in each of the last two drafts. After being passed over by all 32 teams twice, Galvas finally heard his name called, as he joined a Penguins team in desperate need of blueline depth. This decision by the Penguins has proven fruitful, as the 20-year-old Czechia native performed well enough in the Penguins' development camp to be the first 2026 rookie they signed. His three-year entry-level deal carries a cap hit of $1.01 million next season. Although this early signing has caused speculation that Galvas will be shoved down to Pittsburgh’s ECHL team, the Wheeling Nailers, as a starter, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton assistant GM Amanda Kessel has stated that he will return to Europe for one more season.
Galvas returning to Europe may be the best outcome for the Penguins. He’s tiny, standing five-foot-ten and weighing just 168 pounds, meaning that he’s not anywhere near NHL-ready, simply because of his size. Pittsburgh also has a plethora of defensemen in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and while some look to be trending upwards towards a possible Pittsburgh debut or return, there are still too many blueliners for Galvas to make any impact. The Zlin native has also performed exceptionally well in Europe. Playing for the Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga in 25-26, Galvas had eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 32 games. The 20-year-old led all defensemen on his team with goals, assists, and points, while also ranking fifth on the team in total points. His eight goals were good for sixth among all Extraliga defensemen, while 24 points secured eighth in total points among all league blueliners. He also had an exceptional plus/minus of +16, good for third among defenseman and seventh overall. His most impressive performance came from the 2026 World Junior Championships, where he scored three goals and six assists in seven games for Czechia, leading them to a Silver Medal. His performance was good enough to earn him all-star honors, as one Reddit user noted, “Dude was electric at WJC. Can’t wait for Czechia Hutson to suit up for us.”
As mentioned, Kessel has already stated that Galvas will return to Czechia to play his final season with Bílí Tygři Liberec, but he could easily join the AHL once that season concludes. He’s shown some tendencies to hold the puck a little bit too long in the defensive zone, but joining a Penguins team that was one series away from playing for the Calder Cup would do wonders for him. Despite going undrafted in his first two years of eligibility, Galvas is now ready to make a name for himself in North American leagues, and he’s already garnered hype from the Penguins organization. Most notably, Penguins vice president of player personnel, Wes Clark, spoke highly of the 20-year-old, saying, “Czech D of the year. He was making a lot of noise in that league. Great World Juniors, played with men at the end of the year. We believe in the impact that he can provide, and we’ll help develop him properly.” The Penguins have shown, both in Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, their ability to mold young guys into star players, and Galvas may just be the next one. Sometimes all a player needs is trust and a chance, and the Czech defenseman is finally getting his chance to shine.
