After being shuffled up and down between the AHL and NHL the last week, defenseman Jack St. Ivany will make his NHL debut tonight as the Penguins visit the Stars in Dallas.

The Penguins recalled St. Ivany yesterday, marking his third recall in the last week. That move corresponded with Jonathan Gruden being re-assigned to the AHL. I hope the Penguins are reimbursing both these men for all the gas money they’ve had to spend in recent time.

St. Ivany called it “pretty surreal” when they told him he would be playing tonight.

He draws into the lineup as defenseman Ryan Graves stayed behind in Pittsburgh. Graves and his partner are expecting their first child, something that I’m sure will make Penguins fans very happy in more way than one.

A former fourth round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018, St. Ivany’s draft team never ended up signing him. Once the Flyers’ rights to St. Ivany expired, the Penguins swooped in and signed him to a two year, two-way deal.

The defenseman played four years ofc college hockey, spending the first two at Yale before transferring to Boston College.

Last season, 2022-23, St. Ivany turned pro after signing a contract with the Penguins. He played 63 games for the American Hockey League’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

His first year was a little rough. He only chipped in 8 points from the blue line (none of which were goals), and he was a -17 on the year. However, in his defense, St. Ivany’s game is not that of an offensive defenseman, and the WBS team last year suffered heavily on defense in all areas.

This season, St. Ivany has racked up 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 53 games with the WBS Penguins and is now a +17. He has propelled himself into a top four d-man spot on the WBS Penguins, and how he will earn an NHL debut out of it.

At 6′ 1 and 170 pounds, the 24-year old defenseman will likely figure in alongside John Ludvig on the third pairing for the Penguins. St. Ivany and Ludvig were rotating alongside Ryan Graves in line rushes yesterday.

(Featured photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)