Pierce Mbuyi has already built a strong case as one of the more competitive forwards in the 2026 NHL Draft class.
Now the Penn State commit gets another chance to strengthen that case at the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine.
Mbuyi, a forward with the Owen Sound Attack, is part of a future Penn State group that reflects how far the Nittany Lions’ recruiting profile has climbed under Guy Gadowsky. Penn State is not simply landing productive college prospects. It is landing players with real NHL Draft attention.
Mbuyi fits that description.
He is not the biggest forward in the class, listed around 5-foot-11 and 159 pounds, but his game does not play small. That is one of the first things that stands out.
Mbuyi plays with pace, pressure and engagement. He hunts pucks. He attacks off the rush. He gets involved below the dots. He can create from the wall, work into shooting spots and contribute in multiple situations. That combination makes him more than a one-dimensional scoring winger.
His production backs it up.
After a strong rookie season with Owen Sound, Mbuyi followed with a major draft-year performance, scoring 32 goals and adding 43 assists for 75 points in 68 games. He led Owen Sound in scoring and separated himself as one of the OHL’s top draft-eligible forwards.
That production is one reason NHL teams will be watching him closely at the combine.
The other reason is how he produces.
Mbuyi is not a pure-skill winger who floats for offense. His game is built on effort as much as touch. He competes defensively, supports pucks, works through traffic and brings a level of two-way detail that should help him earn trust quickly once he reaches Penn State.
That gives him a relatively projectable college floor.
Mbuyi should be able to contribute even when he is not scoring. He can forecheck. He can win races. He can pressure defenders into mistakes. He can help on the power play, and he has the instincts to eventually become a responsible all-situations forward.
His power-play production is especially notable. Mbuyi became a dangerous man-advantage weapon because of his release, timing and ability to find soft ice. He can operate as a shooting option and does not need much space to get the puck off his stick. That should translate well to the college game, where special teams can swing weekends.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.The combine will give NHL teams another opportunity to evaluate the full picture.
For Mbuyi, the questions are not about whether he competes or whether he can produce. He has already shown both. The bigger NHL questions are tied to projection. Is his offensive ceiling high enough to push him into first-round consideration? Will his size limit him against bigger, faster professional defenders? Does his skating profile create separation at the next level?
Those are the areas NHL teams will pick apart.
But Mbuyi’s production, motor, power-play value and competitiveness make him a difficult player to dismiss.
For Penn State, that is a major win.
Mbuyi has the profile of a player who can come into the program and quickly become a top-six forward. His motor fits the Nittany Lions’ pressure style, and his scoring touch gives Penn State another future winger who can finish chances rather than simply create energy.
That is what makes his NHL Scouting Combine appearance important for Penn State, too.
It is not just about where Mbuyi eventually lands in the draft. It is about what his presence at the event says about the type of player Penn State is now attracting. The Nittany Lions are building a forward group with skill, pace, competitiveness and NHL intrigue.
Mbuyi represents the more polished side of that future.
He is a high-motor winger with production, leadership qualities and enough offensive touch to project as a future impact college player and legitimate NHL prospect. If NHL teams are looking for a player who blends effort with scoring ability, Mbuyi will have a chance to make that impression at the combine.
For Penn State, the message is clear.
The Nittany Lions are not just recruiting players who can help them compete in the Big Ten.
They are recruiting players NHL teams want to measure, interview and evaluate on one of the sport’s biggest pre-draft stages.
