As Michigan forward Will Horcoff showed glimpses of his scoring surge, it was enough to attract the Pittsburgh Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas' attention.

Following Horcoff’s 25 goals across 40 games during the 2025-26 NCAA season, the Penguins drafted him as the first-round overall 24^th pick in the 2025 NHL draft. And Dubas knew Horcoff could put the puck in the net.

“Will showed he can do the most important thing, which is that he can score,” the GM said, according to the Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo, published on July 17, 2026. “He can score at a very high level.”

Horcoff’s scoring prowess landed him on the Team USA roster for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Despite USA’s quarterfinal loss to Finland, he didn't return without scoring 1 goal and 1 assist across 5 games. But Dubas knew there was more to the young star.

“He's a player that puts everything into hockey,” he said, per the same segment. “He doesn't need many looks to score… We know he's going to put the work in. Especially as the pace and the engine continues to grow and expand, we feel that he's obviously going to be a major impact player.”

Time will tell if Dubas' decision pays off or moves to closing. However, it wasn’t just him who made such remarks about Horcoff.

Penguins’ Director of Player Development Tom Kostopoulos Praised Will Horcoff

Horcoff’s play helped the Michigan Wolverines win the Big Ten Tournament and advance to the Frozen Four. His scoring ability dropped due to a shoulder injury, but Kostopoulos admitted the talent is unbeatable.

“When you see him kind of overpower guys in the O-zone and finding space in shooting areas in the slot, those are real talents,” the director said, per the same article by Crechiolo. “He knows he's got to work on his skating. He wants to build his engine…”

The assessment underscores why Pittsburgh invested a first-round pick in the 19-year-old.

Moving forward, Horcoff would go back to Michigan for one more season to round out his game. And the results will depict how on point Dubas and Kostopoulos were about him.

How do you think his season will play out? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy