CRANBERRY, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins made several college free-agent signings for 2025-26 towards the end of last season. A handful of those players joined the team immediately on amateur tryout agreements, such as Nolan Renwick and David Breazeale. Some other signings did not make it to Northeast Pennsylvania.
The Penguins continued to add free agents from the junior ranks through the summer with those players also poised to turn pro with the Black and Gold in the fall.
Penguins Development Camp has all of these free-agent acquisitions in the same place at the same time, their first acclimation to the Penguins organization. So now is as good a time as any for fans to acclimate themselves with these new players, too.
We asked newcomers Tommy Budnick, Brayden Edwards, Aaron Huglen and Zach Urdahl a series of introductory questions so Penguins fans can already have a feel for their personalities by the time training camp arrives…
Age: 21
Last team: Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Describe your game for someone who’s never seen you play: “I play a defensive game. I take care of the D-zone. Blocking shots, shutting down top guys, and just playing that shutdown role and just making a good first pass and being reliable, and that’s what I love to do and what I really care about.”
Proudest hockey achievement: “Probably just sticking with hockey and not quitting when things were tough. I didn’t have the opportunity to be drafted or go to the scouting combine or really any interest from college. So just having faith in myself and trusting the process that God has for me and being thankful and grateful for what he’s blessed me with.”
Favorite player growing up: “I really liked Nick Lidström and Scott Stevens. I think they really prioritized the D-zone and just, you know, being defenseman.”
Something people should know about you, other than hockey: “I love life. I’m just grateful to be here. I like to be outside and be with family, and I love the water. Being able to swim is something that I like, just being in the water.”
Favorite summer activity: “Probably going on the boat and just floating in the water.”
What has you most excited to play pro hockey? “I get to continue to learn. I get to continue to grow as a person and as a player, and I get to make mistakes and just learn about myself. I think that’s something that you kind of don’t get to do in junior, but being able to make mistakes and being challenged is something…
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