Ex-Penguins Update: December 12, 2023

With a lull in the Penguins’ schedule, I thought I’d check in on former Pens around the league and see how they’re doing. Stats are updated for games played through December 12.

Leading the pack with 21 points is our old friend Evan Rodrigues, who’s having a banner year for the Panthers. He sure would look good right about now in black-and-gold.

Out west, Jared McCann continues to fill the net for the Kraken. He leads the ex-Pens with 13 goals.

Guess which expatriate defenseman has 19 points, the same as Erik Karlsson? If you said the Canadiens’ Mike Matheson, you guessed right.

With seven goals and 18 points, Daniel Sprong’s been productive in the Motor City. Nick Bjugstad, who we’ll see tonight when the Coyotes invade PPG Paints Arena, has six goals and 17 points. Speaking of ‘Yotes, Jason Zucker has five goals in 20 games…roughly a 20-goal pace over a full season.

My two biggest surprises?

Mikael Granlund’s been on an absolute tear of late with 11 points in his past five games and 14 in his past eight. The former Pens pariah has three goals and 18 points in 21 games for his new team, the Sharks. “Granny’s” tied with E-Rod for the lead among ex-Pens in assists with 15. 

Surprise number two…Sam Lafferty (pictured). The native of nearby Hollidaysburg, who couldn’t play his way out of Mike Sullivan’s doghouse here, has eight goals and 15 points to go with 43 hits for Rick Tocchet’s Canucks.

Don’t have to tell you how much we could use an aggressive, speedy and productive bottom-sixer. The trade that sent Sam to Chicago a couple of years back for Alex Nylander is shaping up as yet another massive stain on former GM Ron Hextall’s record.

FYI, the high-flying Canucks are well-stocked with former Pens, including Teddy Blueger and other Sully “favorites” Ian Cole and Mark Friedman.

My personal feel-good story? Casey DeSmith. Initially sent to Montreal in the Karlsson blockbuster, Casey and his wife (who was expecting) endured a difficult summer until Habs GM Kent Hughes mercifully dealt him to Vancouver on the eve of training camp.

Serving as the Canucks’ backup, DeSmith’s been typically solid, posting a 2.69 goals against average, .913 save percentage and a .625 quality starts percentage. He’s fared better than fellow ex-Pen goalies Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury, who’ve experienced their struggles with the Wild.

I’ll toss Danton Heinen into the surprise category as well. Cut loose by the Pens following a difficult ’22-23 campaign, he made the Bruins on a PTO and has a respectable nine points in 18 games.

Just have to mention. ‘Ol Jack Johnson is alive and well and doing a solid job on the third d-pair for the Avalanche (plus-3). His teammate and my choice for a bottom-six add this summer, Tomáš Tatar? He finally scored his first goal of the season last night.

Don’t hire me to be your GM…