Another former London Knight has made his way into the NHL. Jonathan Gruden made his debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, skating 7:02 in a 4-3 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Gruden spent the 2019-20 season in London, recording 30 goals, 36 assists and 66 points in 59 games with a plus/minus rating of plus-20. The son of former Flint Firebirds and Hamilton Bulldogs head coach John Gruden who now serves as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins, Gruden was originally a fourth round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft before being dealt to Pittsburgh in exchange for goaltender Matt Murray in October 2020.
Gruden, from Rochester Hills, Mich., has spent three seasons with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton Penguins, and so far this season has put up 11 goals, five assists and 16 points in 32 AHL contests.
It’s rookie lap time! ⏰
Welcome to the show, Jonathan Gruden! pic.twitter.com/AMoOc0pM3N
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 16, 2023
