First Call: Pat Freiermuth replaces George Pickens after youth camp mess; Penguins reportedly want to move up in draft

Thursday’s “First Call” looks at how Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is stepping in to fill a void created by George Pickens. A former Steelers’ rival is spinning a positive picture about Aaron Rodgers’ final season in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins are reportedly sniffing to move up the draft board. And a pair of hockey names with ties to Pittsburgh are apparently staying in Las Vegas.

Muuuuth makes good

Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is stepping in to replace George Pickens at a youth football camp at Highmark Stadium.

According to SI.com, the organization that runs the camp, TruEdge Sports, reached out to Pickens to make sure he still wanted to do the camp after being traded to Dallas following the NFL Draft. Pickens allegedly said he would.

The claim says he then backed out last week.

“Immediately following the trade, our team contacted George’s representation to confirm whether he would still honor his commitment to the Pittsburgh event. We were promptly assured that George remained committed to the camp and intended to show up for the families who had registered. Based on that confirmation, we communicated this directly to you via email and text on May 9,” an email to camp parents read. “Unfortunately, as of last week, TruEdge was notified by George’s team that he has decided to walk back on his word and is no longer interested in attending the camp. Let us be very clear: we are deeply frustrated by this decision and the position it has placed all of us in.”

The camp was originally scheduled for June 28. But it is being moved to July 20, with Freiermuth taking over just before the start of the Steelers’ own training camp a few days later.

There is no comment from Pickens in the story.

Reaction to Rodgers

A former New York Jet and Baltimore Raven is appreciative of Aaron Rodgers announcing his retirement in advance of what will be his lone season with the Steelers.

“I think he deserves an opportunity to be celebrated, to tell everybody, ‘Hey, this is my last year.’ What happened in New York — that narrative — he can’t go out that way,” Bart Scott said on ESPN’s “Get Up!” (at 1:20 of the video below). “He just wants to come out and be who he is and (be) representative of who he is and an organization that he’s always admired. I think he deserves the opportunity to go out that way. He’s one of the best to ever do it. He leaves us desiring more. I think he’s underappreciated.”

Scott compared Rodgers’ career to that of a one-hit wonder pop star, seeing as how he won Super Bowl XLV over the Steelers 15 years ago but hasn’t been back since.

Rodgers has collected four MVPs over the years. So he has had more than one hit and is a surefire Hall of Famer. Plus, in all likelihood, he won’t get much closer to a Super Bowl this year in Pittsburgh than he did in many of his last few years in Green Bay.

But, to Scott’s greater point, yes. At least the potential exists for him to go out on a higher note than a 5-12 season in New York.

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Making moves

According to Scott Wheeler at The Athletic, the Penguins are looking to move up in the NHL Draft’s first round on Friday.

He says that general manager Kyle Dubas has inquired about the prospect of moving up to the third pick overall, currently held by the Chicago Blackhawks.

A pair of players Wheeler claims the Penguins like are Boston College forward James Hagens and Brampton Steelheads (OHL) forward Porter Martone.

WHAT A GOAL FROM JAMES HAGENS. (watch your ears with this one). Back for the third period!! pic.twitter.com/0FWc3DoEof

— WZBC Sports (@WZBCSports) December 10, 2024

Porter Martone boasts all of the intangibles to be an impact player at the next level, turning heads in his #NHLDraft year with a 37-goal, 98-point season as captain of the @OHLSteelheads ???? pic.twitter.com/HdFgk4TRya

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 23, 2025

If the Penguins can’t move up that far or stay put with the picks at 11 and 12, Wheeler also mentions forward Roger McQueen (Brandon Wheat Kings), lefty defensemen Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) and Jackson Smith (incoming Penn State recruit) and winger Lynden Lakovic (Moose Jaw).

You can hear our draft preview with NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman here.

Vegas, baby!

It sounds as if a couple of players with Pittsburgh ties are staying in Las Vegas.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, both Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad will remain with the Golden Knights.

Sounds like Brandon Saad will be returning to Vegas, too https://t.co/YzFrOEFfsu

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 26, 2025

Smith is in his second tour with the Knights after spending 2023-24 with the Penguins. He was then traded to the New York Rangers in July of last year, only to be dealt back to Vegas in March. Smith ended up with three goals and eight assists down the stretch in Las Vegas and then three playoff goals as well.

Saad, a native of Gibsonia, signed a one-year contract with Vegas in January. He put up 14 points in 29 games there in 2024-25.

Listen: Tim Benz and Adam Kimelman of NHL.com preview this weekend’s draft