Jonathan Gruden has been in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ dressing room at their practice facility in Cranberry before. After all, the forward was recalled to the NHL roster on seven different occasions during the 2023-24 season. So being in the dressing room during training camp isn’t novel.
But being in that dressing room for training camp? That is new. This is his fourth training camp with the organization and the first three saw him be housed in the spartan auxiliary facilities. The respect of being allowed to operate in the opulence of the main dressing room means quite a bit to Gruden.
“It does actually,” Gruden said. “It’s little things that make you feel a little bit more comfortable. It’s my fourth camp here.
I know the systems and the guys a lot better. This year, I’m a lot more comfortable but obviously, I can’t get too comfy.” Given how often he was shuffled between the NHL and AHL rosters last season, he understands the notion of having a shifting environment all too well.
And he is certainly employing that frame of mind throughout this camp and preseason. Primarily deployed in a bottom-six role, Gruden offers a game that is a blend of technical proficiency with rugged aggression. The son of long-time professional coach and former NHL defenseman John Gruden, Jonathan Gruden understands the sport in a by-the-book fashion.
And despite being a modest 6-foot and 192 pounds, he isn’t afraid to throw his compact body into the opposition. During a 2-1 h.