Drew O’Connor’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins has been a roller coaster ride to say the least.
When the Penguins signed him as a college free agent, he was immediately projected to be one of their top rated prospects with a bright future in the NHL.
While the young O’Connor still has a chance at a respectable career in the league, he’s had to fight his way into the roster on a number of occasions.
This time around you could argue has been his best run; his offensive numbers may never reach the levels expected when he was signed, but he’s been taught to play a different style.
Through his first 10 games at the NHL level in 2022-23, O’Connor only has a pair of goals to his name, but that’s why he’s in Pittsburgh.
Through his time in the Penguins organization, O’Connor has been morphed into a sizable defensive forward and isn’t afraid to utilize his 6-foot-3 frame.
“Play relentlessly,” O’Connor said on what he’s been told by the coaching staff. “Get in on precheck. Protect the puck. Being really sound defensively.”
Looking at the scoring totals, the numbers haven’t been there, but the Penguins are confident that if O’Connor continues to play the right way, the goals will come.
That was evident in his goal against the Winnipeg Jets; It took some time, but O’Connor was finally rewarded.
For the past few games, O’Connor has been playing on the third line with Jeff Carter and Kasperi Kapanen and he’s brought a positive element to their play.
“He’s been bringing a lot of speed,” Kapanen said. “He’s physical, too. He can take draws. So far he’s been playing with me and Carts and I think he’s been playing pretty well.”
O’Connor was pushed to that spot over a struggling Danton Heinen, and even when the Penguins return to full health, it should be O’Connor who stays in the lineup.
“He’s playing hard, he’s competing out there,” Mike Sullivan said. “He’s playing a north/south game. He’s going to the net.”
Despite the emphasis on defensive play, Sullivan can see O’Connor can still provide a spark of offense.
“He got rewarded tonight,” Sullivan said. “He scored a handful of games ago. He has a little bit of a scoring touch.”
O’Connor has been through a lot with the Penguins organization and has been trusted as a reliable depth piece at the NHL level.
Defense may be the name of his game, but there is still offense that can be found if given the right opportunities.
“It just comes from playing the right way and hopefully the offense will come.”
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