Penguins' Owen Pickering: Earns helper in debut

Pickering logged an assist in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Sharks.

While it was a fairly tame first assignment, Pickering was able to handle third-pairing duties in the absence of Kris Letang (illness). It didn't take long for Pickering to earn his first point, as he helped out on a Jesse Puljujarvi tally in the first period. Pickering won't solve all of the Penguins' defensive problems, but he has a chance to make a push to stick around after failing to make the team out of camp. The 20-year-old blueliner is unlikely to be a future fantasy stud, but he's a heady player who should be a benefit in his own zone now and in future seasons for Pittsburgh.