Former Bruin Matt Grzelcyk Transitions to the Penguins
Matt Grzelcyk, a Boston native, fulfilled his childhood dream by playing for the Boston Bruins. After starting in Charlestown and moving through Boston University, he made it to TD Garden to play for the Bruins.
However, the Bruins decided not to re-sign Grzelcyk, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Grzelcyk has now signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Leaving a team is always challenging, but I’m motivated to prove myself as a player again,” Grzelcyk shared in a Zoom conference with Pittsburgh media. “I’m very motivated coming here.”
Grzelcyk was one of nine free agents the Bruins did not re-sign this summer. His departure seemed likely even before the Bruins’ season ended in the second round of the playoffs, as injuries had kept him off the ice and affected his performance in recent years.
“It was a minor injury that kept me out,” Grzelcyk explained. “I had to go on LTIR and miss games. It was tough to get back and adjust to the speed again. I lost some confidence, which is hard to regain midseason. I’m trying to move past that now.”
To regain his form, Grzelcyk aims to be the effective puck mover he was early in his career. From 2018-22, he averaged over 103 minutes of power play time per season for the Bruins, scoring an average of 6.25 points. However, his power play time was significantly reduced in the last two years, playing just 10:42 last season without scoring.
Despite recent struggles, Grzelcyk’s history as an offensive-minded defenseman likely attracted the Penguins, who had the third-worst power play in the league last season. However, it remains uncertain how much special teams time Grzelcyk will get with Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson already on the blue line.
“Playing with such special players is a huge opportunity,” Grzelcyk said. “I want to complement them as best I can and learn from them. Hopefully, I can get closer, be more hands-on, and see how I can best complement them.”
Grzelcyk is ready to find his path again in Pittsburgh, hoping to glean valuable knowledge from his time with the Penguins.
