Jonathan Gruden: A young player providing energy for the Pittsburgh Penguins

Jonathan Gruden, born on May 4, 2000, is an American professional ice hockey forward. He is a young rising forward for the Penguins. This post is for all the people that don't know much about him. This post will help people understand his story.

Height: 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)

Weight: 172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb)

Position: Forward

Shoots: Left

NHL Draft: Gruden was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 95th overall, during the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing Career:

Gruden played in the Michigan area during his youth with the Honeybaked under-16 program.

He was then selected to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program at the under-17 and 18 levels, where he featured in the United States Hockey League (USHL).

As a freshman at Miami University during the 2018–19 season, Gruden scored 3 goals and 15 points in 38 games.

After one season with the RedHawks, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators on April 3, 2019.

Gruden decided to continue his development in the major junior Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and signed with the London Knights for the 2019–20 season.

With the Knights, he was among the team’s top scorers, tallying 30 goals and 66 points in only 59 games before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On October 8, 2020, Gruden was traded by the Senators to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Matt Murray.

He spent time with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Penguins’ AHL affiliate) during the 2020–21 season.

Gruden made his NHL debut for the Penguins on January 16, 2023, in a 4–3 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

His second NHL game was against the team that originally drafted him, the Ottawa Senators.

Gruden appeared in three NHL games and was a healthy scratch for four more before returning to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

On July 17, 2023, he signed a one-year extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Gruden was invited to the 2023 Penguins, but failed to make the team and was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

He had a brief call-up in November 2023 (four hours) without playing time, followed by a recall in December 2023 when he made his season debut against the Florida Panthers.

Gruden scored his first NHL goal on March 2, 2024, against Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames

Jonathan Gruden, the young forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has had an eventful season.

Keep an eye on Gruden’s performance as he continues to make his mark in the NHL