It looks like Jonathan Gruden is set to make his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
PITTSBURGH - A lot of the talk surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins recently has been the idea of utilizing their farm system and seeing if an injection of youth can benefit the team.
The recent recall of Jonathan Gruden to the Penguins roster is the most recent example of that and it’s looking like he’ll be getting his NHL debut.
During the morning skate, Gruden stepped in as the fourth line center while Danton Heinen was pushed out of the lineup completely.
What does Gruden bring to the Penguins lineup that Heinen might not be able to?
“He’s a real solid two-way player,” Mike Sullivan said. “Very good penalty killer. A real solid defensive center iceman. He’s played extremely well for Wilkes.”
In his last three games before being recalled, Gruden had scored five goals with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
On the season, Gruden’s 11 AHL goals sit third in WBS as he’s slowly worked his way into the NHL conversation.
With an NHL debut likely, Gruden says he's ready to show what he’s learned over the last three years.
“I think every year I’ve gotten better,” Gruden said. “Work my butt off and here I am today.”
The Penguins have been in need of a jump in their bottom six and Gruden’s recent hot streak of scoring over his last few games should add a jolt of energy.
“Move my feet and the rest of that will just happen,” Gruden said. “Be an energy guy and try and help the team win.”
If Gruden holds his spot on the NHL roster, he will have the opportunity to play against the team that drafted him in the Ottawa Senators.
The Penguins take on the Anaheim Ducks which looks like it could be Gruden’s debut, then the next two games come against the Senators.
Sullivan put a lot of emphasis on Gruden’s defensive game and his ability to kill penalties.
As a fan, it’s safe to not just look for if his scoring touch followed him to the NHL, but also how solid he can be defensively.
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