Jonathan Gruden Bio
Jonathan Gruden (born May 4, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey forward who 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). A native of Rochester Hills, Michigan, Gruden skates at 183 centimeters tall and 78 kilograms, and he continues to develop as a depth forward with experience at both the AHL and NHL levels. He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 95th overall, of the 2018 NHL entry draft, and he previously spent time within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization before his 2025 trade to New Jersey.
Early Life and Background
Jonathan Gruden was born on May 4, 2000, in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and grew up in a hockey household. He is the son of former NHL defenseman John Gruden, who currently serves as head coach of the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. Being raised around the sport gave Gruden early exposure to high-level training environments and an understanding of the professional game.
As a youth in the Michigan area, Gruden played in the Honeybaked under-16 program before being selected to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program at the under-17 and under-18 levels. While with the program, he competed in the United States Hockey League (USHL), the top amateur league in the country, where he posted six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 34 games during 2016–17 and followed that with 15 goals and 34 points in 25 games in 2017–18.
Path to Hockey
Following his time with the national development program, Gruden committed to a collegiate career with Miami University. As a freshman with the Miami RedHawks during the 2018–19 season, he recorded three goals and 15 points through 38 games, a steady but unspectacular first year that led him to reconsider his development path.
After just one college season, Gruden chose to continue his development in the major junior Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and signed with the London Knights, a club that had previously selected him 100th overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Draft. Joining the Knights for the 2019–20 season, he emerged as one of the team’s top scorers, finishing with 30 goals and 66 points in 59 games before the season was cancelled on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jonathan Gruden Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
In his first year of NHL draft eligibility, Gruden was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 95th overall, of the 2018 NHL entry draft. On April 3, 2019, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Senators, formally beginning his professional career path.
His strong 2019–20 campaign with the London Knights, where he nearly reached a point per game, helped cement his standing as a legitimate prospect heading into pro hockey.
AHL Development and NHL Debut (2020–2023)
Prior to the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, Gruden was traded by Ottawa, along with a 2020 second-round pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for two-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender Matt Murray on October 8, 2020. He was assigned to the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he recorded six goals and 14 points in 32 games during his first pro season. He followed that with ten goals and 27 points in 75 AHL games in 2021–22, helping Wilkes-Barre/Scranton reach the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs before a five-game stint in which he posted one goal and three points.
Gruden was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to begin the 2022–23 season and was recalled by Pittsburgh in January 2023, making his NHL debut in a 4–3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. His second NHL game came against the Ottawa Senators, the team that had originally drafted him. He appeared in three NHL games without a point and was a healthy scratch for four more before being returned to the AHL on January 29. He finished the season with 16 goals and 31 points in 54 AHL games.
Pittsburgh Penguins Era (2023–2025)
Gruden signed a one-year, two-way extension with Pittsburgh in July 2023 and was invited to the Penguins’ training camp, but he failed to make the team and was placed on waivers. After going unclaimed, he was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He had a brief call-up in November 2023 that did not result in any playing time before being recalled on December 8 and making his season debut that night against the Florida Panthers.
On March 2, 2024, Gruden scored his first NHL goal, beating goaltender Jacob Markström of the Calgary Flames. He finished 2023–24 with one goal in 13 NHL games and 13 goals and 24 points in 47 AHL games. In the 2024 offseason, he signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh but suffered an upper-body injury in training camp and was placed on waivers ahead of 2024–25. After going unclaimed, he was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he was named 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, Gruden was dealt by Pittsburgh, alongside 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. He was assigned to the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, where he tallied one goal and five points in 18 games to close out the season.
Gruden was invited to the Devils’ 2025 training camp but was waived and, after going unclaimed, assigned to Utica to start the 2025–26 season, where he continues to work toward a full-time NHL role.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gruden is recognized as a reliable two-way forward with offensive upside, having shown point-producing ability in the OHL and steady growth in the AHL. His background in the USHL and major junior leagues gave him a strong skating and compete foundation, and his year-by-year point totals reflect continued offensive development.
Notable Events and Milestones
His first NHL goal against Jacob Markström on March 2, 2024, stands as a career milestone, as does his NHL debut in a 4–3 win over the Anaheim Ducks in January 2023. The March 2025 trade that sent him to the New Jersey Devils organization marked another turning point in his young professional career.
Jonathan Gruden Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Jonathan Gruden comes from a hockey family, as he is the son of former NHL defenseman John Gruden, who is currently the head coach of the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. That background has provided Jonathan with early insight into the professional game and a clear example of what a long hockey career can look like.
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Gruden’s personal life is limited, and he has not publicly shared details about a spouse or children.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year was a pivotal one for Jonathan Gruden, beginning with his ongoing stint in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before being moved at the NHL trade deadline. In 42 AHL games before the trade, he produced seven goals and 13 points while serving as an alternate captain, a sign of his growing leadership profile within the Penguins organization.
After being dealt to the New Jersey Devils on March 7, 2025, Gruden transitioned to the Utica Comets and registered one goal and five points in 18 regular-season games. That production, combined with a clean offseason and an invitation to the Devils’ 2025 training camp, positioned him as a depth forward to watch within the New Jersey system.
Heading into the 2025–26 AHL season assigned to Utica, Gruden will look to build on his NHL experience and continue developing into a full-time contributor at the top level, with the Devils holding his NHL contract.