Ex-Penguins Update: 4 Nations Break

With the 4 Nations Faceoff upon us, I thought it would be an ideal time to check in on ex-Penguins around the league.

The leader of the expatriate pack should come as no surprise. Indeed, with 27 goals and 54 points, Jake Guentzel has picked up with the Lightning pretty much where he left off in the ‘burgh. That is, scoring at a 40-goal clip.

Hard not to wonder what the team would look like if we’d kept Jake and signed him to an extension, but that’s water well under the Fort Pitt Bridge and down the Ohio at this stage.

Since departing in the Erik Karlsson swap two summers ago, runner-up Mikael Granlund has busted his tail to restore both his career and reputation. With 15 goals and 49 points in 56 games, including four assists in four games since being dealt to the Stars, it’s safe to say he’s succeeded, and in a big way.

Dropping down two notches on the scoring list, Jason Zucker fits that description as well. The former Pens firebrand has blown hot-and-cold over the past several seasons, but he’s rediscovered his groove with the Sabres to the tune of a very respectable 18 goals and 41 points in 52 games. Our former drag-us-into-the-fight guy leads all ex-Pens, including Leafs heavyweight Ryan Reaves, with 53 penalty minutes.

Rugged Stefan Noesen, a slot below Zucks, likewise has popped 18 goals (and 31 points) for the Devils. At age 36, his former ‘Canes teammate, Jordan Staal, seems to have rediscovered the fountain of youth. The third-line stalwart has 10 goals and 28 points in 56 games.

Other players of interest (at least to me)? Frédérick Gaudreau continues his steady if unspectacular production for Bill Guerin’s Wild (11 goals and 24 points). I confess, I’ve always liked Bromont, Quebec native. Just a smart, crafty, gritty little player who makes the most of his opportunities.

We were a far better team with guys like Freddy and Panthers’ swingman Evan Rodrigues (13 goals and 25 points) fleshing out our top-nine.

Elsewhere, the Utah Hockey Club seems to have cornered the market on former black-and-gold defensemen (Robert Bortuzzo, Ian Cole, John Marino and current Team Finland member Olli Määttä). With their ex-Pen goaltending tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-André Fleury, ditto the Wild between the pipes.

I’ll close my narrative with a couple more surprises. Well down the list, you’ll notice a Smith, T., as in Ty Smith, the undersized defenseman and former All-Rookie Team selection Ron Hextall acquired from the Devils and who subsequently was dealt to the ‘Canes in the Guentzel deal. And way, waaaaay down near the bottom, Nathan Légaré, the feisty former third-round pick with the bomb of a shot who I once had high hopes for.

Congrats to Nathan for making it to the show!