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Penguins' Ryan Graves comments on his future with Pittsburgh in the NHL
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves, who the team has already put on waivers, discussed his future playing in Pittsburgh and in the NHL.
Things have not worked out the way that the Pittsburgh Penguins or defenseman Ryan Graves thought they would when they came together on a six year contract in the summer of 2023.
Near the end of his second season, he suffered a concussion which knocked him out of the last few games of the year, and he's already been put on waivers twice so far this year and gone unclaimed.
He was a healthy scratch in seven straight games before being demoted to the AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but for now he's back in the NHL and is appreciating every moment.
He also said that he thinks he belongs in the NHL and intends on proving it.
It had been three weeks since I played a game when I went down there. It's good to go play and play in all the situations. You just get to play really big minutes and really try to work and improve. The same mindset. Go down there and just try to work to get back and keep improving.
I'm just trying to do everything I can to be ready. And if I get a chance to play, to play my best hockey. Obviously, that's not easy going up and down. You want to be here. My mindset is the same. I want to be here. I think I belong here. I'm just trying to push my best foot forward whenever I get the opportunity. - Ryan Graves
I'm just trying to do everything I can to be ready. And if I get a chance to play, to play my best hockey. Obviously, that's not easy going up and down. You want to be here. My mindset is the same. I want to be here. I think I belong here. I'm just trying to push my best foot forward whenever I get the opportunity. - Ryan Graves
So far this year, Graves has a goal in 17 games played with the Penguins.
Ryan Graves Is Approaching 500 NHL Games Played
Graves was taken with the 110th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, but he would only play for their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 2018 for Chris Bigras.
After three years in an Avalanche sweater, he was traded in 2021 to the New Jersey Devils for Mikhail Maltsev and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
He then signed a six year contract with the Penguins in 2023 with an AAV (average annual value) of $4.5 million.
In 450 total games played, Graves has 199 points (33G, 86A).
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 15 | 113 ANSWERS Penguins' Ryan Graves comments on his future with Pittsburgh in the NHL Does Ryan Graves have a realistic future with the Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 20 | 17.7 % |
| No | 93 | 82.3 % |
| List of polls | ||