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Penguins Recall Jonathan Gruden

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2:00 PM: The Penguins have re-assigned Gruden to the AHL, as Carter participated in the team’s Tuesday practice.

9:30 AM: The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Jonathan Gruden from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Tuesday morning, per a team announcement.

Gruden, 23, will serve as the team’s 13th forward while veteran Jeff Carter is sidelined with an upper-body injury. The Penguins had an open spot on the 23-man roster and just enough cap space to recall his $775K cap hit, so no corresponding transaction is needed.

The left winger made his NHL debut last season, going without a point in three games and registering just one shot while averaging 5:20 per game. A 2018 fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, Gruden has played all of his pro hockey in the Penguins organization after an October 2020 trade that saw him and a second-round pick head to Pittsburgh in exchange for the signing rights to two-time Stanley Cup champion netminder Matt Murray.

Gruden took a significant step forward in his development last season, finishing fourth on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 16 goals in 54 games and totaling 31 points. He’s off to a much slower start this year, however, scoring twice and adding one assist through 12 games.

The son of former NHL defenseman and current AHL Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden will need waivers to return to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if he plays ten games during his recall or stays on the Penguins roster for more than 30 days, both of which are unlikely scenarios.

Carter Out With Upper-Body Injury

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Being outscored by a margin of six goals in their last four games, the New Jersey Devils have been without some of their top-quality players for the last several games. A reporter for the team, Amanda Stein, even went as far as to report that team captain, Nico Hischier, will not be joining the team on their upcoming road trip to take on the Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins. However, Stein did clarify that although he will not be in the lineup against the Jets, Jack Hughes could return against the Penguins.

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  • Head coach of the Penguins, Mike Sullivan, announced to the media that forward Jeff Carter is dealing with an upper-body injury, and that is the reason behind him missing practice this afternoon (X Link). Over the last two weeks, Carter has been a healthy scratch in several games before the end of October, as Pittsburgh has been looking to strengthen its bottom six forward groupings. On the final year of a two-year, $6.25MM extension signed with Pittsburgh back in 2022, Carter has failed to score a point in his first 10 games this season.

Penguins Recall Vinnie Hinostroza, Assign Joel Blomqvist To AHL

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The Penguins are set to welcome back Tristan Jarry between the pipes tonight against Buffalo, meaning that they’re now able to return Joel Blomqvist to the AHL.  Per a team announcement (Twitter link), they’ve done just that, sending the young netminder down to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  Taking his place on the roster will be forward Vinnie Hinostroza.

Blomqvist was recalled on Thursday and served as the backup to Magnus Hellberg on Thursday night in Los Angeles.  The 21-year-old is in his first full season in North America and has yet to see any action at the top level.  Blomqvist is off to a nice start with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting a 1.91 GAA and a .920 SV% in his first seven appearances; his GAA is the fifth-best among qualifying netminders at the minor league level.  He’ll go back to being their undisputed starter with Hellberg, who started the season in the minors, still up with Pittsburgh.

As for Hinostroza, this is already his fifth promotion to the NHL this season as he has frequently been shuffled to and from the minors.  The 29-year-old has suited up twice for the Penguins so far, picking up a goal and an assist despite averaging just 9:10 per contest.  He has been similarly productive in the minors, collecting two goals and two helpers in five contests.  Signed to a one-year contract last summer, Hinostroza is likely to continue to be one of the first forwards recalled when Pittsburgh has the roster and cap space to do so.

Penguins To Retire Jaromír Jágr’s Number

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Pittsburgh Penguins franchise icon Jaromír Jágr will have his no. 68 retired before the team’s February 18 home game against the Los Angeles Kings, per a team announcement.

It seems like a lifetime ago that Jágr’s time as a Penguin ended in a July 2001 trade to the Washington Capitals, but the Czech legend remains active in pro hockey over two decades later. After finally stepping away from the NHL at 45 years old in 2018, Jágr has logged another five seasons playing for his hometown club in Czechia, Rytíři Kladno, of which he’s also the majority owner. He is still on Kladno’s roster for 2023-24 but hasn’t yet played this season.

The 51-year-old right-winger needs minimal introduction – his 1,733 games are the fourth-most in NHL history, as are his 766 goals. His 1,155 assists are fifth all-time, while his 1,921 points are second – a mark likely to be untouched for quite some time.

Selected fifth overall by the Penguins in the 1990 NHL Draft, Jágr immediately came to North America and played 11 seasons with the team, amassing 439 goals and 1,079 points in just 806 games. Those seasons weren’t all spent as the undisputed second-best all-time player Mario Lemieux’s wingman, either. Jágr led the NHL in scoring for four consecutive seasons from 1998 to 2001, most of which came during Lemieux’s first retirement from the game. Jágr also served as the team’s captain during this time.

Jágr’s production as a teenager was key in guiding the 1991 and 1992 Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, especially in the latter run. His nine even-strength goals led all players in the postseason, recording 24 points in 21 games on the whole.

After departing the Penguins, Jágr would play 13 more generally productive NHL seasons with the Capitals, Rangers, Panthers, Devils, Flyers, Bruins, Stars, and Flames. He did take a small break from NHL play between 2009 and 2011, opting to spend three years in Europe with Russia’s Avangard Omsk.

In Penguins franchise history, Jágr’s point total is fourth behind Lemieux, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, although his 1.34 points per game rate is second to only Lemieux. His 806 games played are fifth all-time in Penguins history, too, with Kris Letang joining the aforementioned three players on the list ahead of him.

Penguins Recall Joel Blomqvist, Move John Ludvig To IR

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender Joel Blomqvist from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, per the NHL media site. In a corresponding transaction, defenseman John Ludvig has been moved to injured reserve as he continues recovering from a concussion sustained on October 24.

Blomqvist’s recall means starter Tristan Jarry is likely unavailable for Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings after sustaining an upper-body injury Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. Jarry, 28, left the game after being hit in the face by a Ryan Strome shot after his mask was dislodged.

Much like the New York Rangers, the Penguins are now down to their third- and fourth-string netminders. Alex Nedeljkovic remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury sustained last month, meaning 32-year-old Magnus Hellberg is in line for his first start as a Penguin against the Kings. Hellberg has made two appearances in relief since Nedeljkovic exited the lineup, stopping 26 of 28 shots faced.

Blomqvist, the team’s top goalie prospect, will serve as Hellberg’s backup until Jarry, who is listed as day-to-day, is ready to return. Tonight will be the 21-year-old’s first time dressing for an NHL regular-season game.

A 2020 second-round pick, Blomqvist has been one of the top netminders in the AHL this season with a .920 SV%, 1.91 GAA and a 4-2-0 record through seven games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He is in the first season of a three-year, $2.775MM entry-level contract signed with the team last April and carries a cap hit of $886,667.

Ludvig’s roster move is purely to create space on the 23-man roster to recall Blomqvist. He sustained the concussion after skating just 5:29 in his NHL debut on the 24th against the Dallas Stars. The 23-year-old, initially a Florida Panthers draft pick, was claimed on waivers by the Penguins at the beginning of the season.

Jarry Listed As Day-To-Day

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  • It appears as if the Penguins will avoid being without their starting goalie for long. Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette relays that Tristan Jarry is currently listed as day-to-day after leaving yesterday’s game early against Anaheim.  As of yet, it’s worth noting that Pittsburgh hasn’t brought up one of their other AHL goaltenders, a sign that Jarry could be available to at least dress as the backup against Los Angeles.  The 28-year-old has a 2.51 GAA and a .907 SV% in nine starts so far this season.

Andreas Johnsson Linked To SHL’s Skellefteå AIK, Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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Nov. 8: Pittsburgh has placed Johnsson on unconditional waivers Wednesday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. This move initiates the process of Johnsson being able to sign with an SHL club, presumptively Skellefteå, although it may be a day later than initially planned.

Nov. 6: Veteran winger Andreas Johnsson signed a one-year, one-way deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer to attempt to extend his NHL career. That hasn’t worked out, as he failed to make the team out of camp and hasn’t reported to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after clearing waivers one month ago.

Now, it seems his days under contract with the Penguins are ending. Johnsson is expected to sign a three-year contract on Wednesday with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League, according to Hans Abrahamsson and Tomas Ros of Sportbladet.

To do this, Johnsson must have his contract with the Penguins terminated. If the report out of Sweden is accurate, expect Johnsson to be on waivers tomorrow for the purposes of mutual contract termination. After clearing Wednesday, he’ll be able to sign with Skellefteå.

Johnsson hoped a reunion with GM Kyle Dubas in Pittsburgh would prove fruitful. Dubas wasn’t part of the Toronto Maple Leafs regime that drafted Johnsson in the seventh round of the 2013 Draft, but he was heavily involved in his development. He had joined the organization and was the GM of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies by the time Johnsson came to North America in 2016, and he was at the helm of the Leafs when Johnsson posted a 20-goal, 43-point rookie season in 2018-19. Both of those marks remain career highs.

The 28-year-old has slowly slipped down depth charts over the past few seasons with the New Jersey Devils and, briefly, the San Jose Sharks. He played just 13 NHL games between the two teams last season, instead spending most of the season in the minors with the AHL’s Utica Comets, where he recorded 30 points in 36 games.

That showed Johnsson still can be a high-end contributor at lower levels of the game, but likely not in the NHL at this stage. He aims to return to his home country, where he hasn’t played pro hockey since 2016.

If he signs with Skellefteå, the speedy winger will be reunited with his older brother, Jonathan Johnsson, although the 30-year-old center is sidelined until December with an undisclosed injury. While never drafted by an NHL team, the older Johnsson has been quite productive over the last three seasons and change for Skellefteå, recording 40 goals, 90 assists and 130 points in 181 contests.

Skellefteå currently sits eighth in the 14-team SHL with a record of 8-7-1-0. They play home to a handful of NHL-drafted prospects, including Detroit Red Wings 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka. Some skilled NHL veterans, such as Oscar Lindberg and Dylan Sikura, also call Skellefteå home.

Injury Notes: Jarry, Cozens, Timmins

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Josh Yohe of The Athletic is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry left their game last night against the Anaheim Ducks after being bumped in the back of the head by Adam Henrique and then having his mask dislodged. This was just the beginning for Jarry as he was then struck in his unprotected face by a Ryan Strome shot. NHL officials quickly signalled to the Penguins bench and Jarry was rushed off the ice and did not return.

Up to that point, Jarry had been solid for the Penguins making 21 consecutive stops to preserve a 1-0 Penguins lead late into the second period. With Jarry sidelined, the Penguins’ turned to their third-string netminder Magnus Hellberg who made 11 straight saves to maintain the rare two-goalie shutout.

No updates have been given yet on Jarry, but Yohe did report that he was present in the Penguins’ dressing room after the game, which is certainly an encouraging sign. Jarry has struggled to start the year after signing a massive five-year contract extension this summer that was heavily criticized for being too long and too expensive. The Penguins are already without backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic until later this month and can ill afford to lose Jarry for any length of time.

In other injury notes:

  • Times Herald Reporter Bill Hoppe is reporting that Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens is back at practice today sporting a full-face shield as he makes his return to the ice after missing two games with an upper-body injury. No specifics have been given about Cozens injury but given that he is sporting face protection and a large bandage on his nose, it would appear to be an injury to that region. Cozens was engaged in a fight with Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway back on November 3rd, a game the Sabres lost 5-1, and acknowledged that this incident was the cause of the ailment. Cozens has three goals and four assists in 11 games thus far this season.
  • David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins is unlikely to get back into the lineup for at least a couple of weeks. Alter spoke with Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe after Timmins practiced with the team this morning, Keefe told the reporter that Timmins will travel with the team to Sweden next week but is unlikely to play. However, the plan is to have him ramp up in practice and he could re-join the lineup after they return from the extended road trip. Timmins has been on LTIR since the beginning of the season after suffering a lower-body injury and has yet to play a game.

Penguins' Carter Healthy Scratched Again

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TSN Insider Darren Dreger is reporting that the Vancouver Canucks are looking for a right-shot defenseman. The surprising Canucks have started the season 9-2-1 and are currently among the league’s elite a month into the regular season. Vancouver was projected to be a bubble team this year but have outperformed expectations to this point. The Canucks have considerable depth in their forward group, particularly on the wing and are hoping to be able to use an excess winger to acquire a defenseman.

Unfortunately for the Canucks, most of the teams they are talking trade with have little to no interest in acquiring a player and are looking for futures. This further complicates a potential move for Vancouver as they have precious little cap space to facilitate such a transaction. According to CapFriendly, the Canucks have $162,500 in cap space, meaning that they wouldn’t even be able to add a player on a league minimum contract.

In other notes:

  • TSN Insider Chris Johnston is reporting that he doesn’t believe the San Jose Sharks will make a big trade or a coaching change in the coming weeks as they weather one of the worst starts to a season in NHL history. The Sharks were expected to finish the season near the bottom of the NHL standings, but no one predicted they would start the season this poorly. Johnston adds that Sharks general manager Mike Grier met with the team yesterday and stated that any improvements would need to come from within the group, although Grier didn’t rule out making changes if the Sharks don’t show any improvement in the coming weeks.
  • NHL.com is reporting that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jeff Carter will be a healthy scratch for the second game in a row tonight when the Penguins take on the Anaheim Ducks. It is just the second time in his 19-year NHL career that the veteran will be scratched after he has struggled to start the season. Carter has no points in nine games and was part of a struggling fourth line that failed to provide a single point in the first nine games of the season. Head coach Mike Sullivan scratched Carter for the last game and opted to dress Vinnie Hinostroza against the San Jose Sharks in a game the Penguins won 10-2. Hinostroza had a goal and an assist, and fellow fourth-liners Matt Nieto and Noel Acciari produced their first points of the season as well.

Penguins' Nedeljkovic And Ludvig Are Back Skating

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New York Islanders reporter Andrew Gross has tweeted that New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat did not dress for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild. It is the first game Horvat has missed as a member of the Islanders since he was acquired via trade from the Vancouver Canucks this past January. The 28-year-old was considered a game-time decision after blocking a shot late in Saturday night’s overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes but ultimately did not dress.

Horvat is off to a solid start this season with four goals and five assists in his first 10 games of the season and his absence will create a rather large hole for the Islanders to try and fill. The club has had to deal with multiple injuries to start the season with Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield and now Horvat all missing some time. Should he miss an extended period, the Islanders will have to do more shuffling of the lines to try and fill the void. The team has started the season well all things considered, at 5-2-3 the Islanders are currently tied for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

In other Metropolitan notes:

  • Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported today that Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan offered an update on injured Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. Sullivan told the media that the 27-year-old netminder is back on the ice and is making progress towards a return. Not much is known about Nedeljkovic’s lower-body injury as he was hurt back on October 24th in a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. He was placed on LTIR the very next day meaning that the earliest he can return to the Penguins lineup is on November 19th.
  • Josh Yohe also reported that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman John Ludvig is also back on the ice skating and is making progress towards a return. Ludvig suffered a concussion on October 24th against the Dallas Stars after laying a hit that resulted in him sustaining the head injury. Mike Sullivan told reporters that the team will see what happens after their road trip meaning that the likeliest the 23-year-old could return is November 11th. Ludvig was acquired off waivers before the season and has dressed in one game thus far this season.

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