Ex-Penguins Update: Thirty-Three and a Third Edition

It’s been a while since I posted an Ex-Penguins Update. With a little time to kill between games and no obvious story lines to pursue, I thought I’d compile one. Since NHL teams are roughly a third of the way through the season, give or take, I’ll call it the Thirty-Three and a Third Edition. Stats are updated for games played through December 11.

I’ll start at the top and work my way down. Leading the pack of expatriates is San Jose center Mikael Granlund. Yes, that Mikael Granlund, the one was excoriated by Penguin media sites and blogs (like PP) before being shipped to the Sharks in the Erik Karlsson blockbuster.

Granny isn’t very big or fast, shortcomings that undermined him here. But he’s a smart, crafty player who sees the ice well and distributes the puck extremely well, to the tune of 10 goals and 30 points in 29 games. Maybe not a “coveted player” as former GM Ron Hextall once described him. But a good one.

While Granlund’s lofty perch may come as a surprise, the runner-up probably won’t. Jake Guentzel is doing exactly what he did for us…tickling the twine (13 goals) and averaging a point per game for his newest team, the Lightning. Don’t know if they’re serving “Jake’s Shakes” in Tampa Bay.

Behind Guentzel, Jared McCann, he of the wicked shot and release. The speedy forward continues to be a leading producer for Dan Bylsma’s Kraken (10 goals, 24 points), although not at his scorching 40-goal pace of a couple seasons ago.

Surprise No. 2? Stefan Noesen of the Devils in the fourth slot. A late bloomer who skated in six games for the black-and-gold back in 2019-20, Noesen has 13 goals in 30 games, tied for tops among the ex-Pens with Guentzel and equaling his totals with Carolina in each of the previous two seasons.

Rounding out the top five? One of my old personal favorites, Jason Zucker. He’s got seven goals and 20 points for a struggling Sabres squad. Love his spunk and spirited play.

Other notables include the Canadiens’ Mike Matheson, who paces all former Pens defensemen in assists (13) and points (15). Hextall acquisition Dmitry Kulikov of the Panthers tops the ex-Pens blueliners in goals (three) and everyone in plus-minus (+12).

As for other Hexie adds? Way (waaay) down the list, the Red Wings’ Jeff Petry and the Sharks’ Jan Rutta are tied with three assists apiece.

Between the pipes, Filip Gustavsson (pictured) and Marc-Andre Fleury have backstopped the surprising and resurgent Wild to the best record in the league (19-5-4) while yielding the fewest goals against (69).

The Wild coach? Former Baby Pens skipper John Hynes.

Their GM? Former Pens assistant GM Bill Guerin.