Penguins A to Z: Frederick Gaudreau restores depth at center for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

As the NHL prepares for a new season expected to start in mid-January, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Frederick Gaudreau

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

Age: 27

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 179 pounds

2019-20 AHL statistics: 42 games, 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists)

Contract: One-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $700,000. Pending restricted free agent in 2021

Acquired: Unrestricted free agent signing, Oct. 10, 2020

Last season: Frederick Gaudreau has a unique stat line that perfectly illustrates his professional existence in both a good and bad way.

He has as many career goals in Stanley Cup Final games as he does in regular season play.

Three.

Gaudreau became something of a nemesis to the Penguins during the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. Inserted into the Nashville Predators’ lineup after that team’s depth at center was decimated by injuries, Gaudreau stepped up on the biggest of stages, scoring three times, including two game-winners in the only two contests the Predators won during that six-game series.

It was a wonderful testament to Gaudreau taking advantage of a wonderful opportunity.

It also illustrated how little opportunity he has gotten (or earned) throughout his career when you look at his regular season numbers.

In 84 career regular season games in the NHL, all with Nashville, Gaudreau has three goals and five assists.

Undrafted after a productive junior career, Gaudreau became a professional in 2014 when he signed an American Hockey League contract with the Milwaukee Admirals, affiliates of the Predators.

The bulk of his professional career has been spent at that level as he has become one of the more prolific players in the history of that franchise. In 280 career games with Milwaukee, his 172 points (77 goals, 92 assists) are 27th-most in franchise history.

A two-time 20-goal scorer with Milwaukee and a one-time All-Star in 2016, Gaudreau’s numbers fell well short of that standard in 2019-20 thanks to him missing approximately six weeks throughout November and December due to an undisclosed ailment as well as the AHL’s season coming to a premature end in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

When he was healthy, Gaudreau bounced between center and right wing on the Admirals’ top two lines while working on the power play as well as the penalty kill.

The future: When free agency opened in October, the Penguins made acquiring Gaudreau a priority for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as his two-way contract carries an AHL salary of $350,000, an ample figure for that league.

A classic “4-A” player who is good enough to be a star at the AHL level but not good enough to be a regular at the NHL level, Gaudreau will likely be one of the first players the NHL Penguins recall in the event of an injury or absence at the center position.

Should the NHL deploy “taxi squads” with reserve players given the unique nature of this upcoming season, Gaudreau figures to be a candidate for that assignment.

If not, he’ll be a top-six forward with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (provided the AHL’s season begins Feb. 5 as scheduled). While Gaudreau is fully capable of playing either center or right wing, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will likely deploy him as one of their top-two centers just based on the limited options available at that position.

Popular with teammates and team staffers in Milwaukee, Gaudreau will be expected to be a veteran leader with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in addition to one of that team’s top overall players.

Follow the Penguins all season long.