Jonathan Gruden contract: How much will the Pittsburgh Penguins pay the young center

The Pittsburgh Penguins have solidified their roster for the upcoming season by re-signing forward Jonathan Gruden to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

The team made the announcement on Friday, securing the 23-year-old's presence on the ice. Jonathan Gruden, who made his NHL debut during the 2022-23 season, showed promise in the three games he played with the Penguins.

Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft as the 95th overall pick by the Ottawa Senators, Gruden became part of the Penguins organization in 2020 as part of the Matt Murray trade.

Since then, the Rochester Hills, Michigan native has been honing his skills and developing his game in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 54 games with the team, Gruden demonstrated his offensive prowess by tallying 16 goals and 31 points.

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More on Jonathan Gruden's hockey journey

2018 NHL Draft - Rounds 2-7

Jonathan Gruden's hockey journey has taken him from his youth in Michigan to becoming a promising player in the NHL. He started by playing for the Honeybaked under-16 program and later joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program at the under-17 and 18 levels.

Gruden's skills earned him a spot in the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he continued to impress.

In the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Jonathan Gruden was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round. However, instead of going straight to the NHL, he chose to play college hockey for Miami University. His freshman season with the RedHawks saw him contribute three goals and 15 points in 38 games.

After just one year at Miami University, Gruden surprised many by signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators in April 2019. Despite this, he decided to further develop his skills in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and joined the London Knights.

In the 2019-20 season, Gruden emerged as one of the team's top scorers, tallying an impressive 30 goals and 66 points in just 59 games before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just before the start of the 2020-21 season, Gruden was traded by the Senators to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with a second-round draft pick in exchange for goaltender Matt Murray. This trade presented a new opportunity for Gruden to make his mark in the NHL and continue his hockey journey with the Penguins.

Now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Gruden has the chance to continue his growth and contribute to his team's success at the highest level of professional hockey.