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Jack St. Ivany

Penguins Notes: Puljujarvi, St. Ivany, McGroarty

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi appears to have the inside track on a third-line role with the team (as per Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now). Kingerski writes that Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has slotted Puljujarvi on the team’s third line as the stock has risen considerably during an impressive training camp.

The former fourth overall pick is finally healthy this year after undergoing double hip surgery and a full summer of training has the 26-year-old dominating intrasquad scrimmages and preseason games. The Penguins badly need depth scoring this season as their top six forwards have carried the offense in the previous two years, resulting in them missing the playoffs in both seasons. Puljujarvi seemed destined for the AHL just a few weeks ago, but his emergence has potentially changed the roster dynamic for the Penguins as they head into the regular season.

In other Penguins notes:

  • Kingerski also wrote about Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany’s emergence on the Penguins bottom defensive pairing. St. Ivany was a steadying presence on the Penguins third pairing at the end of last season and his NHL arrival coincided with Pittsburgh going on an incredible stretch of hockey that nearly resulted in a playoff spot. This year the expectations on St. Ivany have been adjusted and the results look good so far. St. Ivany appears as though he will start the season in the NHL as his puck moving has improved and he has transitioned from a defensive defenseman to more of an all-around defender. St. Ivany has been noticeable for the Penguins and would be a bargain in the NHL as he is signed for three more seasons at just $775K annually.
  • Rutger McGroarty seemed likely to start the season on the Penguins NHL roster, but that could be in question as the regular season nears (as per Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now). McGroarty looks NHL-ready, and his hockey IQ is off the charts, but the knock on him continues to be his skating and work in the defensive zone. The 20-year-old is likely an NHL player already, but the Penguins will have to figure out if he can put up enough offense to compensate for his shortcomings in the defensive zone. Nothing is set in stone for the Penguins opening night lineup, but regardless of whether McGroarty is in it, he should see NHL time at some point this season.

Metropolitan Notes: St. Ivany, Tuomaala, Duclair

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Jack St. Ivany has the inside track at landing the third pairing right defense spot that will be up for grabs during Penguins training camp, opines Josh Yohe of The Athletic.

St. Ivany, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the rival Flyers in 2018 but didn’t sign with them following his senior season at Boston College in 2022. He instead landed in Pittsburgh as a free agent, signing a two-year, entry-level contract.

The California native reached the NHL last season after spending his first pro campaign entirely in the minors, recording an assist while averaging 13:42 per game over 14 contests over a late-season call-up. He didn’t have many visible mistakes, only logging three giveaways, although his overall defensive impact was questionable, with a -6.5 relative CF% at even strength in tough but not overwhelmingly difficult minutes.

But as Yohe points out, St. Ivany doesn’t have many legitimate challengers for the role, at least among right-shot defenders. Free agent addition Sebastian Aho could flip to his off-side and be a higher-upside option offensively if the Penguins wish, though.

St. Ivany signed a three-year, league-minimum extension back in May and has a two-way salary structure this year and next. He’s also still waiver-exempt, so if he falls behind off-handed competition like Aho and Ryan Shea during training camp, there’s nothing stopping Pittsburgh from assigning him to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton without incident.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Flyers prospect Samu Tuomaala remains absent from rookie camp and is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, per Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The 21-year-old right-winger has two years remaining on his entry-level contract and is coming off an impressive first season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he finished third in scoring with 43 points (15 G, 28 A) in 69 games. The 2021 second-round pick is destined for the Phantoms once again to open the season but should put himself under consideration for an NHL call-up and corresponding debut over the course of the season.
  • The Islanders will indeed kick off camp with free agent signing Anthony Duclair riding shotgun on the top line with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, head coach Patrick Roy told reporters today (via Stefen Rosner of NHL.com and The Hockey News). The 29-year-old Duclair did quite well in a similar role in a limited time for the Lightning after they acquired him from the Sharks at last year’s deadline, posting 15 points in 17 games next to their star-powered duo of Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. The Isles signed Duclair, who’s averaged 21 goals and 43 points per 82 games throughout his career, to a four-year, $14MM deal on July 1.

Penguins Sign Jack St. Ivany To Three-Year Extension

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According to a team announcement, the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Jack St. Ivany to a three-year contract, paying St. Ivany an AAV of $775K at the NHL level. The contract will keep the young defenseman in the only organization he has ever known until the end of the 2026-27 NHL season.

Originally drafted with the 112th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, St. Ivany opted to forego signing his entry-level contract with the Penguins’ interstate rivals, and instead continue his playing career at the collegiate level. Totaling 115 games played split between Yale University and Boston College during his tenure in the NCAA, St. Ivany put up 12 goals and 60 points in total.

The California native would wait until well into the offseason of the 2022-23 NHL season before finally inking his entry-level deal with the Penguins. Since then, St. Ivany has appeared in 117 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with another 14 coming in Pittsburgh, scoring 23 and 1 point, respectively.

Over the life of the new contract, St. Ivany should still regularly factor in at the top of the depth chart at the AHL level, serving as injury insurance at the top level with the Penguins. However, if St. Ivany were to have a productive training camp this upcoming September, he could earn a spot on the team’s bottom pairing.

Penguins Place Ryan Shea On Waivers, Assign Three

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April 19: Shea has cleared waivers and can head to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, per CapFriendly.

April 18: The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed defenseman Ryan Shea on waivers (Twitter link). It’s his second time on waivers this season, after passing through unclaimed in December. The Penguins also assigned Valtteri Puustinen, Radim Zohorna, and Jack St. Ivany to the minor leagues (Twitter link).

Shea has served as one of many rotating through Pittsburgh’s seventh defenseman role, ultimately slotting into 31 games. He recorded just one point – an April 4th goal – in those appearances this season, though he did manage six points in 22 AHL games.

Shea made his NHL debut earlier this year, joining the Penguins as an unrestricted free agent last summer. It was the first move of Shea’s young career, after spending his first three pro seasons with the AHL’s Texas Stars. Shea was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks but went on to sign with the Dallas Stars after going unsigned by the Blackhawks. He managed 66 points in 163 games with the Texas Stars.

These assignments come after the Penguins’ 2023-24 season ended with no playoff berth. Shea will, if he clears waivers, join the trio of assignees as reinforcements to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who are bound for a strong playoff spot of their own, currently ranked third in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.

Penguins Recall Jack St. Ivany, Assign Jonathan Gruden

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have reversed their minor league moves once again, recalling defenseman Jack St. Ivany and assigning forward Jonathan Gruden (Twitter link), undoing the moves they made on March 18th and 19th. Gruden appeared in Pittsburgh’s March 19th loss to the New Jersey Devils, recording one shot and one hit in just under seven minutes of ice time.

St. Ivany played in just his second game in nine days on Monday – also marking his first game since receiving his first NHL recall. And he was clearly excited to prove himself, recording three assists and breaking a 10-game scoring drought. The hot night brought his scoring up to four goals and 15 points in 53 AHL games. He’ll now return to the NHL roster with the hope that his strong performance on Monday can earn him his NHL debut.

Meanwhile, Gruden will return to the AHL, where he’s already managed 13 goals and 24 points in 43 games this season. Gruden has received his first extended look at the NHL this season, playing in 12 games after earning his first three games in the league last season. He’s managed just one goal in those 15 games, though he’s added 35 hits and five blocks – doing what he can to earn the fourth-line role he’s been assigned.

Jesse Puljujarvi will slot back in to the lineup with Gruden now assigned to the minors. Puljujarvi is on a redemption tour, signing with Pittsburgh in February of this season. He’s since struggled through 11 NHL games, managing just one goal, two penalty minutes, and a -1. Puljujarvi is continuing to search for his scoring groove after undergoing bilateral hip surgery this summer. He managed four goals and nine points in 13 AHL games before signing with the Penguins, showing the potential for high-scoring could still be there. Puljujarvi, the fourth-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, managed a career-high 36 points in 65 games during the 2021-22 season, but has since struggled to find his footing in the NHL.

Evening Notes: Hronek, Eriksson Ek, St. Ivany

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There’s always something to look forward to for the Vancouver Canucks, who now have full focus on extending defenseman Filip Hronek after extending star forward Elias Pettersson. This deal should cost the Canucks a pretty penny as well, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggesting in an appearance on CHEK’s Donnie and Dhali (video link) a cap hit within the range of $7.5MM.

Hronek has become a crucial piece of Vancouver’s lineup since joining the team at last season’s Trade Deadline. He’s not only boosted his own impact but made the players around him better as well – serving as the perfect partner for star defenseman Quinn Hughes. Both Hronek and Hughes have recorded a career-high in scoring this season, with 45 and 77 points respectively. The duo is playing upwards of 24 minutes each game – representing the only Canucks pairing averaging more than even 19 minutes of ice time. Hughes is signed through the 2026-27 season, carrying a $7.85MM cap hit. Vancouver will lock up their top defensive pairing for the future if – and hopefully when – they’re able to sign Hronek to a comparable deal.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Minnesota Wild centerman Joel Eriksson Ek won’t join the team for the final two games of their California road trip, getting held back by a lower-body injury per The Athletic’s Michael Russo (Twitter Link). Russo adds that Minnesota is holding Eriksson Ek out a bit longer, in an effort to be cautious with his injury. The 27-year-old centerman has missed Minnesota’s last two games. His next chance to return will be on March 23rd when the Wild host the St. Louis Blues. Eriksson Ek’s absence should continue to benefit Marco Rossi’s ice time, after the Austrian played a career-high 20:44 in the team’s last game.
  • Jack St. Ivany has been reassigned to the AHL, jumping back-and-forth between the NHL and AHL lineups on a few call-ups since Sunday. (Twitter Link). St. Ivany will hope to receive his NHL debut on his next recall, after serving as an NHL healthy scratch for the first time on Saturday. St. Ivany, 24, has four goals, 12 points, and 30 penalty minutes in 52 AHL games this season – though he hasn’t scored a point since a two-goal performance on February 14th.

Snapshots: Guenette, Hamonic, Edstrom, St. Ivany, Pleshkov

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It’s been a busy St. Patrick’s Day for the transactions log, kicked off by the Ottawa Senators’ assigning of Max Guenette to the minor leagues (Twitter link). Guenette has been with the NHL roster since the first week of March. He’s since appeared in six games with the Senators, going without a point but adding one penalty and a -1. It was Guenette’s first extended stint in the NHL, after playing his second career game in the league in February. He’s still searching for his first NHL point, though he has managed five goals and 29 points in 49 AHL games this season.

Guenette’s assignment is a sign that Travis Hamonic could be nearing a return, says Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun (Twitter Link). Hamonic has been on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury since March 3rd. He previously missed five games ahead of the All-Star Break, bearing with an upper-body injury suffered in late January. He’s played in just 47 of Ottawa’s 65 games this season, recording six points, 40 penalty minutes, and a -9. Even if he is nearing a return, it’s not likely that Hamonic will take on a major role, averaging just below 15 minutes of ice time this season. Still, he adds the experience of an 840-game veteran to the lineup, replacing the rookie Guenette.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The New York Rangers have sent Adam Edstrom back to the AHL (Twitter Link). He was recalled to the NHL on March 15th under emergency conditions, though he hasn’t appeared in a game with the Rangers since March 4th. Edstrom has received the first 11 games of his NHL career this season and has managed two goals, two penalty minutes, and a +2. The 6’7″ bruiser has also added 30 hits, averaging the fourth-most hits on the Rangers lineup, behind William Cuylle, Matt Rempe, and Jacob Trouba.
  • Pittsburgh has also made a roster move, sending down defenseman Jack St. Ivany from his first professional recall, per CapFriendly (Twitter Link). St. Ivany didn’t receive his debut in his first stint in the NHL, serving as a healthy scratch in Pittsburgh’s Saturday afternoon loss to the New York Rangers. He’ll now return to the AHL, where he’s already managed 12 points, 30 penalty minutes, and a +14 in 52 games.
  • Hockey history has been made in Russia’s VHL – the league immediately below the KHL – when SKA-Neva took on AKM. The game went to five overtimes and 21-year-old goaltender Artemi Pleshkov carried a shutout until the very last shot, saving an incredible 124 shots. The 125th shot was too much, though, as Pleshkov and SKA fell 1-0 after 158 minutes of hockey. Pleshkov, who is undrafted in the NHL, has been fantastic this season, recording 12 wins and a .943 save percentage in 23 VHL games this season. He’s also managed a .926 in 10 KHL games, and a .947 in seven playoff games. His amazing game tops Alexander Borodulya’s 107-save performance in the Belarussian Extraliga – the previous record.

Penguins Recall Jack St. Ivany, Assign Ryan Shea

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Jack St. Ivany and assigned Ryan Shea to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Twitter link).

This marks the first recall of St. Ivany’s career, coming in his second pro season. St. Ivany was originally drafted 112th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018, though he signed his first pro deal with the Penguins in 2022 after going unsigned by Philadelphia. St. Ivany took his talents to Yale University in the year after his draft, playing two seasons in the Ivy League before transferring to Boston College for his final two years of college. Despite never being known for his high scoring, St. Ivany managed 60 points across 115 NCAA games, including a collegiate-high 24 points in his senior year. He made his jump to the AHL last season, recording eight assists, 33 penalty minutes, and a -17 in 63 games but failing to score his first professional goal. That feat had to wait until this season, where St. Ivany has managed a much more serviceable four goals, 12 points, 30 penalty minutes, and +14 in 52 games. The 24-year-old is currently riding a 10-game cold streak, though, failing to score a point since a two-goal performance on February 14th.

St. Ivany now jumps to the NHL level, where he’ll serve in a depth role that was previously maintained by Shea. The two defenders aren’t far off, both posting meager scoring totals but bringing an impact with their long reach and poised passing. The Penguins will hope St. Ivany can produce a little bit more than Shea, who has yet to record his first NHL point through 22 career games. But with the Penguins defense healthy and, for the most part, clicking – it may be a bit before St. Ivany receives his NHL debut.

Penguins Sign Jack St. Ivany

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After being linked to him earlier this week, the Penguins have indeed added to their prospect pool, announcing the signing of defenseman Jack St. Ivany to a two-year, entry-level contract.  The deal will carry a cap hit of $950K in the NHL.

The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Flyers back in 2018 (112th overall) but didn’t sign with Philadelphia by Monday’s deadline, paving the way for him to become an unrestricted free agent.  Pittsburgh GM Ron Hextall was in charge of the Flyers back in 2018 so he certainly had some familiarity with his newest prospect which undoubtedly played a role in their decision to pursue St. Ivany.

St. Ivany split his college career between two schools.  He spent the first two years with Yale before transferring to Boston College during the pandemic where he struggled in his junior year.  However, last season, he fared much better, recording four goals and 20 assists with the Eagles, setting new career-bests in both goals and points.

With Pittsburgh already having a fair bit of defensive depth, it’s safe to say that St. Ivany will be heading to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next season where he’ll hope to work his way up their depth chart and perhaps into an injury recall situation at some point over the next two seasons.

Penguins Have Shown Interest In Jack St. Ivany

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One of the unsigned college prospects to hit the open market earlier this week was defenseman Jack St. Ivany after Philadelphia opted not to sign him to a contract but it appears he’ll get one before too long.  Dave Molinari of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports that the Penguins are among the teams that are interested in signing him to an entry-level deal.

The 23-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Flyers back in 2018 (112th overall) back when Ron Hextall was in charge.  Hextall, of course, is now the GM in Pittsburgh so he has a fair bit of familiarity with St. Ivany’s game already.

St. Ivany split his college career between Yale and Boston College, spending two seasons with each school.  Last season, he picked up four goals and 20 assists with the Eagles, setting new benchmarks in goals and points.  While he was eligible to play a bonus season, St. Ivany instead decided to turn pro and while he didn’t get a contract from the team that drafted one, it appears as if one will be coming his way soon enough.

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