Penguins prospect Tanner Howe out nine months after undergoing knee surgery

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Thursday that forward prospect Tanner Howe will be sidelined for the next nine months after undergoing ACL reconstruction surgery.

Howe was originally chosen 46th overall by the Penguins in the 2024 NHL Draft. Last July, the Penguins signed Howe to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Through 47 appearances this season with the WHL’s Regina Pats and Calgary Hitmen, Howe collected 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points. Howe then added another nine points counting two goals and seven assists through six postseason appearances. In all, through part of five seasons in the junior circuit, Howe has notched 110 goals and 169 assists for 279 points in 254 career contests. With the Pats in 2022-23, Howe reached a career-high 86 points counting 36 goals and 49 assists coming in 67 games.

A 19-year-old native of Prince Albert, Sask., Howe has also seen success in international competition. Most recently, he joined Canada at the 2025 World Juniors where through five games he had one goal coupled with a plus-one rating and four penalty minutes. Howe has also been a two-time participant at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship underscored by the 2023 tournament where he put up one point with two penalty minutes and a minus-two mark en route to a bronze-medal victory. Howe also helped Canada to a gold-medal win at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where through five games he scored twice and added two assists for four points.

For the Penguins, the club closed out the 2024-25 campaign with a 34-36-12 record and 80 points, falling short of the second wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference by 11 points. Ahead of the draft lottery, the Penguins hold a five percent of chance of moving up to the first-overall selection. The Penguins have made three first-round picks in the past 10 years.