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.
Player: Jan Drozg
Position: Left winger
Shoots: Right
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 174 pounds
2019-20 AHL statistics: 32 games, eight points (five goals, three assists)
2019-20 ECHL statistics: 24 games, 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists)
2020-21 Alps Hockey League statistics: Eight games, 13 points (four goals, nine assists)
Contract: Second year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $809,166. Pending restricted free agent in 2022.
Acquired: Fifth-round draft pick (No. 152 overall), June 24, 2017
Last season: Drozg went through some considerable adjustments during his first true professional season in North America.
A native of Slovenia who played junior in Sweden and Quebec, Drozg had to adjust to living in English-speaking portions of North America for the first time in his life while also picking up the nuances of the professional game throughout the 2019-20 campaign.
By all accounts, Drozg adapted to the cultural aspects of living on this continent sufficiently. As far as the on-ice components of his vocation, he found more success — and, not coincidentally, playing time — at the ECHL level with the Wheeling Nailers.
Initially assigned to Wheeling in on Sept. 29, Drozg was that team’s leading scorer by the time he was recalled to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Dec. 7.
Then, on Feb. 27, he was assigned to Wheeling again before being summoned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once again on March 5.
Primarily used in a bottom-six role during his AHL service, Drozg was playing on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s fourth line as well as on the top power-play unit by the time that league halted play in mid-March due to the pandemic.
This season: Drozg was loaned to HK Olimpija Ljubljana, a team in his native Slovenia that plays in the multi-country Alps Hockey League.
To be clear, the Alps Hockey League is admittedly far from being one of the top in the world. Additionally, like every other sports league trying to play through the pandemic, it has had plenty of postponements or cancellations.
Regardless, Drozg has is getting some much-needed playing time and has thrived as one of his team’s leading scorers.
The future: Assuming the AHL opens play on Feb. 5 as planned, Drozg will likely report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and assume a bottom-six role, perhaps on the third line to be specific.
Capable of playing all three forward positions, Drozg is probably best suited as a right winger. The addition of free agent Josh Currie as well as the presumed return of a healthy Kasper Bjorkqvist will make competition for a top-six role on the right side, as well as the top power-play unit, fierce.
Blessed with some quick skates and slick puck skills, Drozg is a long-term project. He went through some growing pains on and off the ice last season and took some positive first steps.
The base components of being a viable NHLer are present in Drozg. But he’s not close to reaching that level as of yet.
Follow the Penguins all season long.
Seth Rorabaugh is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Seth by email at srorabaugh@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Penguins/NHL | Sports
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