Gruden, 22, has spent the 2022-23 season with WBS, tallying 11 goals, five assists, 16 points and is plus-2. His 11 goals are an AHL career high and rank third on the team behind only Alex Nylander (14) and Valtteri Puustinen (13). He has five goals and six points over WBS' last three games.
The 6-foot, 172-pound forward is in his third professional season, all with WBS, where he's notched 57 points (27G-30A) in 139 games. He's appeared in five AHL playoff games, accumulating three points (1G-2A).
Prior to his professional career, Gruden appeared in 59 games with the London Knights (OHL) in 2019-20, where he recorded 30 goals, 36 assists, 66 points and was plus-20. He also played a year of collegiate hockey with Miami University of Ohio in 2018-19, suiting up for 38 games and notching 15 points (3G-12A).
The native of Rochester, Michigan 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 in the fourth round (95th overall) by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft and was acquired by Pittsburgh with a 2020 second-round draft pick in exchange for goaltender Matt Murray on Oct. 7, 2020. His father, John Gruden, is an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins.
