In 2023, Finn Harding had to shake off the disappointment of being passed over in the NHL Draft.
With only a handful of selections left in this year’s draft, things appeared to be trending toward a repeat.
But in the seventh round, the Pittsburgh Penguins scooped him up at No. 223 overall with just two more picks remaining for their final selection of the event.
“I was definitely hoping to go, but I knew that it’d be in the later rounds,” the 19-year-old defender said last week at Penguins development camp in Cranberry. “You never know with these kinds of things, and the draft is definitely a super unexpected process.
“I was hoping for the best, but you never really know. So I was super stoked when I found out I did get drafted.”
While still early along in his developmental journey, the Penguins like the potential of what Harding can turn into, as well as his personality.
“Smart, intelligent defender. He’s a guy that takes pride in his own end,” said Penguins director of amateur scouting Nick Pryor. “He’s a high-character kid. We just felt good about the progress that he made. He takes pride in his defensive play and he can move the puck as well.”
Harding, a a 6-foot-1, 192-pound right-handed shot, was doubtless excited to hear his name called by the Penguins in the draft.
Following his first development camp with the club, Harding is even more stimulated to demonstrate his value to the organization.
“Definitely more motivated than ever after going to a camp like this,” Harding said. “I’m going to give it my all and I’m going to keep trying to be the best player I can be and keep working. I’m super grateful for this opportunity and I’m not going to let it go to waste.”
Harding said the Penguins’ staff in Cranberry had positive feedback on his skating.
He also cited timing, learning different stick-lift techniques and simply “how to be a pro” as some of the most prominent takeaways from camp at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
Harding now has two seasons under his belt in the Ontario Hockey League.
In 2022-23, he posted two goals and eight assists in 63 games for the Mississauga Steelheads.
This past season, with his club moving to Brampton, Harding demonstrated significantly more offensive touch, scoring 10 goals with 24 assists in 69 games, finishing plus-39 for the season.
“I think I’ve definitely taken some big steps from last year,” the Toronto native said. “I’ve definitely found my identity, being that shutdown defenseman, and I’ve worked hard with my coaches with the Mississauga Steelheads and Brampton now.
“We’ve worked hard. Being quick to close and having a good stick are things that I’ve been working on.”
As he prepares to return for another OHL campaign, Harding is committed to making sure he’s able to go toe to toe with forwards of all shapes and sizes.
“Mobility is definitely a big one,” Harding said. “To be an elite defender, you’ve got to be able to defend all kinds of players – fast guys, big guys, strong guys. You’ve got to be able to defend the whole line and mobility is a huge part of that. Being able to skate with the best and be agile, I think those are all really important things as a defender.”
