Jonathan Gruden Bio
Jonathan Gruden (born May 4, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey forward. He plays for the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL, and was originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 95th overall, of the 2018 NHL entry draft. Standing 6 ft 0 in tall and weighing 172 lb, he shoots left and lines up at the forward position.
A late-round pick whose career has been built through the AHL, Gruden earned his first NHL contract with Ottawa before being traded to Pittsburgh as part of the deal that sent goaltender Matt Murray to the Senators. After years of shuttling between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Pittsburgh, he broke through with his first NHL goal in March 2024 and was later moved to the Devils organization at the 2025 trade deadline.
Early Life and Background
Jonathan Gruden was born on May 4, 2000, in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Growing up in a region with deep youth hockey roots, he was introduced to the game at a young age and developed through local programs in the Michigan area. His early life was shaped by the state’s strong amateur hockey infrastructure, which has produced numerous NHL players over the years.
As a youth, Gruden played with the Honeybaked under-16 program, one of the most respected amateur development organizations in the United States. His performances there earned him a place in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program at both the under-17 and under-18 levels. This pathway is a common route for top American prospects aiming at the NHL, and it gave Gruden valuable experience against high-level competition on a national stage.
Path to Hockey
Gruden’s development continued with the United States Hockey League (USHL), the top junior league in the United States, where he suited up for the National Team Development Program. In his first USHL season of 2016–17, he recorded six goals and seven assists for 13 points across 34 games. The following year, his under-18 season in 2017–18, he posted 15 goals and 34 points in just 25 games, signaling a significant offensive leap.
After committing to a collegiate career, Gruden joined Miami University for the 2018–19 season, where as a freshman he tallied three goals and 15 points in 38 games for the Miami RedHawks. Opting to pursue the major junior path instead, he signed with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a team that had previously selected him 100th overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Draft. In his only OHL season of 2019–20, Gruden emerged as one of London’s top scorers, recording 30 goals and 66 points in 59 games before the season was halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jonathan Gruden Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Gruden signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators on April 3, 2019, beginning his professional career. His time in the Ottawa organization was short, however, as the Senators traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 8, 2020, along with a 2020 second-round pick, in exchange for two-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender Matt Murray.
Assigned to the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Gruden opened the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season in the minors. In 32 AHL games that year, he recorded six goals and 14 points, showing steady production as a young pro adjusting to the next level.
Pittsburgh Penguins Era (2021–2025)
Gruden spent the 2021–22 season entirely in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting ten goals and 27 points in 75 games. The AHL Penguins qualified for the playoffs that year and advanced to the second round before being eliminated by the Springfield Falcons in three games of a best-of-five series. Gruden contributed one goal and three points in five playoff games during the run.
He returned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to begin the 2022–23 season before earning his first NHL recall in January 2023. Gruden made his NHL debut in a 4–3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, with his second game coming against the Ottawa Senators, the team that had originally drafted him. He appeared in three games for Pittsburgh that season, going scoreless, before being returned to the minors on January 29, 2023. He finished the year with 16 goals and 31 points in 54 AHL games and signed a one-year extension with Pittsburgh on July 17, 2023.
The following 2023–24 campaign marked Gruden’s most significant NHL exposure to date. After a brief four-hour call-up in November 2023, he was recalled on December 8 and made his season debut that night against the Florida Panthers. On March 2, 2024, he scored his first NHL goal, beating Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markström. Across 13 NHL games that season he recorded one goal before finishing the year in the AHL with 13 goals and 24 points in 47 games. In the 2024 offseason, Gruden signed a two-year contract with the Penguins, though an upper-body injury in training camp led to him being placed on waivers and assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he served as an alternate captain and produced seven goals and 13 points in 42 games.
New Jersey Devils Era (2025–Present)
At the 2025 NHL trade deadline on March 7, 2025, the Pittsburgh Penguins dealt Gruden, along with forward Cody Glass, to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Chase Stillman, the signing rights to prospect Max Graham, and a third-round pick in 2027. Gruden was immediately assigned to the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, where he recorded one goal and five points in 18 games to close out the year.
Gruden was invited to the Devils’ 2025 training camp but was waived and, after going unclaimed, was assigned to Utica to begin the 2025–26 season. He remains under contract with New Jersey and continues to develop as a depth forward for the organization.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gruden is a left-shooting forward whose game has matured through years of professional experience. He is known for steady two-way play, offensive touch at the AHL level, and the willingness to take on a leadership role, having served as an alternate captain with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Gruden’s most notable career moments is his first NHL goal, scored on March 2, 2024, against Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markström. His NHL debut came in a 4–3 Pittsburgh win over the Anaheim Ducks in January 2023, and he was part of the package Pittsburgh sent to New Jersey in exchange for Cody Glass at the 2025 trade deadline.
Jonathan Gruden Career Wins
While Jonathan Gruden has not won a major individual championship, he has recorded several notable results across his professional career, including scoring milestones at the AHL level and key NHL moments with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
AHL and Major Junior Highlights
In the OHL, Gruden posted 30 goals and 66 points in 59 games with the London Knights during the 2019–20 season, establishing himself as one of the team’s top offensive contributors. In the AHL, he has produced double-digit goal totals in multiple seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, including 16 goals in 2022–23 and 13 goals in 2023–24.
Other Wins and Performances
Gruden helped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins reach the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs in both 2022 and 2024, with the team advancing to the second round in 2022 before falling to the Springfield Falcons. He also represented the United States at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program at the under-17 and under-18 levels.
Jonathan Gruden Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Jonathan Gruden is the son of John Gruden, a former NHL defenseman who is currently the head coach of the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. With a father who played in the NHL and continues to coach at the professional level, Gruden grew up immersed in the game and had a direct connection to the professional hockey world from an early age.
Personal Life
Gruden was born and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and he is American by nationality. He continues his professional hockey career in the AHL and NHL systems, with his family ties to the sport remaining a defining part of his background.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season was a transitional year for Jonathan Gruden. After beginning the campaign in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as an alternate captain, he was moved at the March 7, 2025, trade deadline to the New Jersey Devils organization, where he was assigned to the Utica Comets. In 18 games with Utica to close the regular season, he produced one goal and five points as he adjusted to a new team and system.
Following the season, Gruden was invited to the Devils’ 2025 training camp but was placed on waivers and, after going unclaimed, was assigned to Utica to begin the 2025–26 season. His role with the Devils organization heading into 2025–26 will likely focus on continued development at the AHL level while remaining available as a depth option in New Jersey.
Looking ahead, Gruden’s two-year contract signed in the 2024 offseason carries him through the coming seasons, and his performance with Utica will determine whether he can earn another NHL opportunity with the Devils. With a track record of offensive production in the AHL and a first NHL goal already to his name, he remains a prospect worth monitoring within the New Jersey pipeline.
