The “Kid” Line: Get To Know Owen Pickering
On February afternoon, after a morning practice, Owen Pickering sat down with Olde City Sports Network and talked about the WHL, his first recall to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and more!
Pickering played in the WHL prior to turning professional. He played four seasons in the WHL for the Swift Current Broncos. During his time with Swift Current Broncos, he dressed in 205 games and tallied 27 goals with 106 assists. Pickering also wore the “C” during his final two seasons with the Broncos. Pickering touches on how the WHL helped his development and game today. “It’s helped me a lot. I had a lot of fun in the four years that I was there. I played for a great organization in Swift. It molded me into the person and player that I am today. I had a great billets as well, kind of helped me grow up a little. I had a lot of fun playing with Swift Current and it’s something I look back on fondly.” Pickering played a multitude of different players during his time in juniors. He played with the likes of Isaac Poulter, goaltending prospect for the New Jersey Devils and Josh Davies, prospect for the Florida Panthers. “Two different ends of the spectrum there with Polz and Dave. Isaac Poulter is one of my favorite teammates ever, an unbelievable guy. Still train with him during the summer and someone I look forward to seeing. Dave was the same, I don't see him as much, but we keep in contact and most importantly, he supports me. When you play together in juniors with somebody, you try to create a bond that is tough to find and that happened with all of my teammates.”
On November 15th, 2024 Pickering earned his first recall to NHL Pittsburgh Penguins. “That was pretty special. I'll say it didn't really feel like it was real at the time. Kind of a whirlwind. My family was able to get that one, which is pretty cool. I stayed there and had a pretty surreal experience.” He was put on injured reserve on December 23rd, 2024 and sent back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on January 25th, 2025. During his time with Pittsburgh, Pickering played in 25 games and tallied one goal with two assists.
On February 2nd, 2025, Pickering was chosen to head to the AHL All-Star Classic in Palm Springs, CA in the Coachella Valley Firebirds arena. “I found out the day before. It's an honor, right? There’s a lot of great players on our team, and to be honored like that, it meant a lot. Palm Springs was super fun as well. It's a great place. It's really nice weather, and the games are fun, getting to know guys.”
Appropriate use of physical play to disrupt the opponent is a skill that every defenseman needs to have in their toolbox. Pickering talks about his view on when it is appropriate to use during the game. “I think for me, it's just a balance. You want to play physical, and I wanna use my frame. I also have to take advantage of my reach and take away passing ones, you don't want to be running around. Not even so much like running guys to kill them, but just making sure you're playing under control. Knowing when to have one hand stick, when to have two ends on your stick. I think the physical presence is pretty big and that's something that I'm trying to work on. Just knowing when to play physical, when to hold out on the reach a little bit. You can’t really go wrong if you choose the physical option most of the time.”
There are some games, as a player, that the biggest challenge is when the opposing team just keeps dumping the puck into your team’s zone. Pickering touched on what his biggest struggle is when that happens. He stated, jokingly, “Ah, they hate you.” and then went on to say “I think, like partner wise, you wanna get hold ups, you wanna make sure that you are getting in the other guy's ways, so you and you kind of run a little bit interference on the forecheck or give your partner some time. It's all about communication. I think when they dump the puck in, we have to know where we are going with it, whether it's two on two, one two two, or if you're coming up the strong side and look and hit the middles. I think when a team does it consistently, it's almost easier because you just know what's coming, rather than a team that maybe changes it up, and what kind of surprises you a little bit with it, because I mean you're not as much in the mindset. I guess when you play teams where you know they're gonna do it, it's just kind of kidding like they're headed to the red line, they can go back for this, you can kind of prepare for it a little bit. rather than a team that might dump it in when they hit the blue line. That's one of the hardest plays in hockey for a d-man in my opinion is one a guy's coming in and he gets to your partner and then dumps it in, so he has like a pretty clear lane around your partner because you can't hold him up. The other d-man will be in the situation, you have to go back, but you're meeting the guy out about the same time you get to the puck at the same time. That's an extremely difficult play, and then you have to make a read on is he gonna try to hit me? It's just all about reads, so it's definitely an adjustment.”
The course of the season, especially in minor league hockey, is a grind. Especially with how some game schedules are set up. Staying focused and in routine is super important to Pickering. “It's just fun. You get in the grind of it. So now we are in mid-February, so you're in your routine and every day it kind of is the same, which is nice. We're pretty big in routines here. I think that focus just never really leaves. Which is something that helps our coach for sure.”
Every player has a dream player that they would either be on a line with or matched up as a defense partner with. Pickering’s ultimate defense partner hits close to home. “My little brother, ‘cause he’s nasty and we would have fun together.” Pickering’s little brother is Graeme Pickering, almost 16 years old, who is currently playing as a defensemen for the Red Deer Rebels and RINK HA Winnipeg U18 Prep.
-Samantha Wismer/ Olde City Sports Network
-Photo Credit: Wilkes Barre/ Scranton Penguins