Pittsburgh Penguins by the numbers: Jared McCann

Usefulness is a term that needs to be valued more when it comes to hockey forwards. For this Pittsburgh Penguins center/winger, that word is 100% accurate.

Jared McCann is quite simply, useful and there are very few like him. His raw speed and skill have helped him grow from his young, enthusiastic start to his time now with the Pittsburgh Penguins. McCann is a bit of an anomaly because many are still trying to figure out what he is. Is he a center? Or is he a winger? No one, including Mike Sullivan, probably knows, but that’s just fine.

He was initially pegged to be a center when he was traded to the Penguins from Florida back in February of 2019, but things quickly changed. He somehow convinced Sully to try him out on the wing, and the rest is history. He was showing once more that Mike Sullivan is a mastermind behind the bench and continuing to deepen the mystery that is Jared McCann.

In his first full season in Pittsburgh, he was tied with his best overall numbers since joining the league back in 2015. In 66 games played his year, he tallied up 14 goals and 21 assists. McCann is sitting just outside the top-6 forward category and for a good reason. He still young as well, giving him and the Penguins plenty of time to grow and get used to him gliding up and down the rink.

Pittsburgh Penguins by the numbers: Jared McCann

McCann is up for a new contract this summer as a restricted free agent. He is currently valued at right around $3 million and is honestly worth every penny of it. He will hopefully get that new contract worked out with the Pens and probably on a long term deal moving forward.

He has been a pivotal piece to the Penguins puzzle this season and doing so with ease. Injuries haven’t missed him, but for the most part, he has been the answer to the questions regarding the Penguins 3rd line. In such a critical line that separates the good teams from the bad, he has done well to add depth in attack for the Penguins.