The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Jonathan Gruden to a two-year contract, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.
The contract runs through the 2025-26 season and carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.
Gruden, 24, split the 2023-24 season between the Penguins and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. The forward skated in 13 games with Pittsburgh, scoring his first NHL goal on March 2 against the Calgary Flames. As an alternate captain with the WBS Penguins, Gruden tallied 13 goals, 11 assists and 24 points in 47 games.
The 6-foot, 172-pound forward has skated in four professional seasons in the Penguins organization between 2020-24. In 208 career AHL games, Gruden has compiled 45 goals, 51 assists and 96 points and added three points (1G-2A) in seven playoff games. He has appeared in 16 career NHL games with Pittsburgh over the past two seasons.
Prior to making his professional debut, Gruden played one season in the Ontario Hockey League with the London Knights in 2019-20, totaling 30 goals, 36 assists and 66 points in 59 games. He ranked second on his team in goals (30) and fourth in points (66). Gruden also played one year of collegiate hockey at Miami University in 2018-19, registering 15 points (3G-12A) in 38 NCAA games.
The Rochester, Michigan native spent two years with the U.S. National Team Development Program, which included winning a silver medal at the World Under-18 Championship with Team USA in 2018.
Gruden was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft and was acquired by Pittsburgh on Oct. 7, 2020.
