The 2018 draft saw the Ottawa Senators lean heavily towards NCAA talent, led by Brady Tkachuk 4th overall and a pair of North Dakota-bound defencemen. Two rounds later, the Sens called the name of winger Jonathan Gruden, selecting him 95th overall.
Gruden comes with a bit of a Sens connection. His father, also named John Gruden (not Raiders football coach), played 22 games for Ottawa from 1998 to 2000 as a defenceman, and will make his NHL coaching debut next season as an assistant on the New York Islanders’ bench.
While his father may have taken the CHL route to get to the NHL as a coach (he formerly coached the Flint Firebirds and recent champions Hamilton Bulldogs), Jonathan is honing his craft through the college route.