Checking in on former Penguins involved in the 2024 playoffs

The season is over in Pittsburgh, but many old friends are chasing the Cup elsewhere this year

Thatcher Demko’s injury in Game 1 for the Vancouver Canucks suddenly put Casey DeSmith back in the playoff spotlight. The last time DeSmith was in it was 2022, the Pens’ starter in Tristan Jarry was injured ahead of the playoffs and it would be DeSmith to suffer an injury in Game 1 — leading to the brief Spicy Pork guy playing hero for a night (before quickly turning into a pumpkin). Reports are hitting social media that although Demko was officially termed with “day to day” status by the team, his actual injury is significant enough that he might not be healthy in time to play in the first round. Showtime for Casey, who becomes the hopes of the Pacific division champs.

With DeSmith taking an unexpected step back into the spotlight and the playoffs underway, what better time to take a tour around the league to set the stage for former Penguins who are out there chasing the Stanley Cup this spring.

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Washington - none
NY Rangers - Chad Ruhwedel, Louis “Spicy Pork” Domingue

—Ruhwedel has been a healthy scratch in the first two games of the playoffs. The Pens traded him for a fourth round pick way out in 2027, which means that deadline deal could be one of the lowest key trades for an actual NHL caliber player that you’ll ever see. (Pretty fitting, all things considered, given that Ruhwedel is also about as low maintenance as it gets at this level).

And, hey, the Spicy Pork guy (ironically signed by the NYR organization following the 2022 playoffs) is on the NHL roster as extreme depth, again. You would think he’s not even an afterthought, but then again, anything can happen this time of year with the depth chart at the goalie position..

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Florida - Evan Rodrigues
Tampa - Conor Sheary

—The Battle of Florida is also the battle of ex-Penguin short kings. Sheary had a rough season with injuries limiting him to 57 games (and only four goals along the way) in Tampa but is back to healthy and looking to finish his first year strong with the Lightning.

This was Rodrigues’ first season in Florida (I don’t know why, but it already seems like he’s been there longer), where he put up 39 points and chips in well playing third wheel on a big line and looks as solid as ever.

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Toronto - Ryan Reaves
Boston - Danton Heinen

—Reaves actually got an assist on Toronto’s lone goal in their 5-1 Game 1 loss. Then played 10:32 in Game 2, showing he’s a decently-sized piece of the puzzle in that series.

If you stop and think about it, Danton Heinen has had one of the more fascinating NHL career journeys in modern times:

• Mid-round pick that worked his way up to being a semi-important member of the Bruins from 2017-19 (47 points in 2017-18, key supporting line player on their 2019 Stanley Cup Final team that was one game away from winning it all)
• Signs $2.8m x 2 year contract as result of that upswing in summer 2019 at age 24
• Hits slump in 2019-20, traded off by cap-conscious Bruins in Feb 2020
• 2021: Only scores 7G, 14 points in 43 games in the hockey desert of Anaheim, isn’t given qualifying offer by Ducks
• Summer 2021: signs for $1.1 million with Pittsburgh, puts up successful 18 goal, 33 point season but isn’t given qualifying offer again
• Summer 2022: ends up coming back to Pittsburgh for $1.0m, taking a pay cut despite coming a solid year due to cap squeeze on mid-level players....has decent but unproductive season (8G, 22 points in 65 games)
• Summer 2023: can only muster getting a tryout contract back with Boston, makes roster but due to their cap problems they can’t even register it and get him going until October 30th. Only signs for league minimum salary ($775k) but bounces back with 17G, 36 point season...Currently seeing time with David Pastrnak at even strength and the top power play

What a roller coaster. Some has been self-inflicted with the ups and downs of good years followed by down years that have made teams quick to move on, but all in all probably a guy who deserved a better fate and to carve a niche and find a home somewhere for a little bit. It’s completely understandable why the Penguins found Heinen disposable enough to move on from, but all things considered, his stat line against a LOT of players remained is jarring. More goals than Rickard Rakell! (And Drew O’Connor for that matter).. Almost as many points as Reilly Smith! To say nothing of the Nieto’s and Acciari’s and Puljujarvi’s of the roster..

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NY Islanders - Robert Bortuzzo
Carolina - Jake Guentzel, Jordan Staal

—It’s kind of fitting that two LONG ago Pens of a different era are squaring off between Bortuzzo (a 2007 Pittsburgh draft pick) and Staal (a 2006 draftee).

And they’re flanked by one of the more recent players to leave in Guentzel. It’s very fun to watch Carolina and iso watch Guentzel exclusively. He’s such a smart and deliberate player to not only position himself perfectly but time exactly when and where he needs to present himself somewhere near the net for a pass or deflection.

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Winnipeg - none
Colorado - Jack Johnson

—It’s been four seasons since the Penguins bought good ol’ Jack Johnson’s contract out, and he somehow is still in an NHL lineup at age-37. He played 80 games for Colorado this year and is a mainstay in their lineup. It defies logic but seems to work for him and them, so good on ‘em. I guess.

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Edmonton - Cody Ceci
Los Angeles - none

—Speaking of up and down careers, Ceci finished up his third year with the Oilers. He’s playing 20 minutes per game, blocking triple-digit shots per year and chipping in a little offense (5G and 25 points this year) while he and his team finally try to get over the hump and make it to the top.

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Dallas - Derrick Pouliot
Vegas - none

—Pouliot got a late call-up to be a reserve defender (he did log eight NHL games for Dallas this year when injuries struck). The former top-10 pick has settled into a role of being a high-end AHL defender who can make the occasional cameo as a last resort type in the NHL.

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Vancouver - Teddy Blueger, Sam Lafferty, Ian Cole, Mark Friedman, Casey DeSmith
Nashville - Jason Zucker, Mark Janikowski

—Zucker must have had a little laugh to himself during Nashville’s pre-series prep meetings when he saw so many familiar names on the opponent’s white board. The Canucks are loaded with ex-Penguins; including of course coach Rick Tocchet, GM Patrik Allvin, President Jim Rutherford and untold number of lower level staffers that jumped west in addition to the five roster players that are on the Canucks.