Penguins A to Z: Kevin Czuczman is a better story than player

With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is looking at all 49 players currently under NHL contracts to the organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Kevin Czuczman

Position: Defenseman

Shoots: Left

Age: 30

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 210 pounds

2020-21 NHL statistics: Two games, zero points (zero goals, zero assists)

2020-21 AHL statistics: 28 games, four points (zero goals, four assists)

Contract: Second year of a two-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $700,000. Pending unrestricted free agent this offseason

Acquired: Free agent signing, July 4, 2017

2020-21 season: The story of Kevin Czuczman is a profoundly inspirational one.

After playing 13 games as a member of the New York Islanders in 2013-14, Czuczman didn’t get a taste of the NHL for another seven years.

Then, following a deluge of maladies to the Penguins’ incumbent defensemen during the early stages of the 2020-21 campaign, Czuczman was recalled and found his name on an NHL lineup sheet after far too many nights spent on buses treking to locales such as Binghamton and Worcester.

It was a testament to Czuczman’s devotion to his craft that he was willing to persevere and wait for another chance at playing in the NHL.

Kevin Czucman’s story in returning to the NHL is a good one.

Kevin Czuczman’s ability to play in the NHL is another matter.

Appearing two NHL games this past season, it was quickly apparent why Czuczman has spent the bulk of his career in the American Hockey League.

In his first contest, a 4-1 road loss to the Boston Bruins on Jan. 28, Czuczman was directly responsible for the opening goal after he fumbled a puck in his own crease and saw his turnover get converted into a goal by Bruins forward Chris Wagner.

Then on Feb. 1, during a 3-1 road loss to the New York Rangers, Czuczman lost a physical battle above the crease during a sequence that led to the Rangers’ opening goal by forward Kevin Rooney.

One day later, Czuczman was assigned to the taxi squad. By Feb. 22, he was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and finished the 2020-21 season in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Primarily deployed on the third pair and on the penalty kill, Czuczman served as a steady veteran presence to a lineup full of first-year professionals, including his regular defensive partner, Will Reilly.

The future: As an unrestricted free agent who scored all of four points — all assists — at the AHL level, Czuczman isn’t exactly a leading priority for Penguins management this offseason.

But there is value in having him present in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. An alternate captain, he has served as a mentor to legitimate prospects on their way to the NHL such as forwards Anthony Angello and Sam Lafferty. He continues to do that with the likes of forward Drew O’Connor and Reilly. Previous management, under former general manager Jim Rutherford, placed value in that attribute.

On the ice, he’s a safe, reliable player who can manage the puck sufficiently at the AHL level.

As far as a potential return to an NHL lineup is concerned, that just doesn’t seem likely regardless of what organization Czuczman signs with this offseason. After all, it took injuries to four other defensemen — Brian Dumoulin, Mike Matheson, Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola — before the Penguins turned to Czuczman. Then two nights later, coaches opted to scratch Czuczman in favor of defenseman Yannick Weber who was signed off the street.

Kevin Czuczman is a far better story than he is a player.

Follow the Penguins all season long.