In the pursuit of creating a younger and faster Pittsburgh Penguins team, Jonathan Gruden can be a key to the bottom six.
No matter what way you look at it, the Pittsburgh Penguins need to enter the 2023-24 season with a younger and faster lineup than they had this year.
As the NHL’s oldest team, the Penguins missed the postseason for the first time since the 2005-06 season and plenty of changes are coming.
The first shoe to drop was the firing of Ron Hextall, Brian Burke, and Chris Pryor from the front office.
Once Fenway Sports Group finds a new front office staff, the lineup changes are expected to follow.
With the Penguins in need of a younger roster, everyone should start taking a closer look at some of the prospects in the system.
The prospect pool is thin, and getting thinner, but there is a name who gained NHL experience in 2022-23 and should see more this upcoming season.
Jonathan Gruden was recalled for three games in mid-January but he wasn’t given much opportunity to make noise.
In those three games, Gruden averaged 5:20 of ice per game and didn’t record a single point.
Gruden was utilized as the fourth line center and was recalled thanks to the defensive mindset he brings to the game.
Head coach Mike Sullivan said he liked what he saw from Gruden in the AHL as a penalty killer as well as a productive forward.
In 54 games in the AHL, Gruden scored 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points.
The bottom-six forward group at the NHL level needs to be revamped for the Penguins; younger and faster faces like Gruden could play a huge role in advancing the team.
Gruden will be 23-years-old soon and can have a legitimate chance in the NHL if given the proper chance.
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