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<p>WILKES-BARRE - Patrick McGrath has watched the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins open the season several times over the years.</p><p>But he did so from a seat in the stands.</p><p>This year, the Shavertown native will be a part of the Penguins season opener after head coach Clark Donatelli said on Tuesday that McGrath made the team.</p><p>Being at the Mohegan Sun Arena as a player and not a fan is a dream come true for McGrath.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s going to be cool to be around on opening night. I&#8217;m pretty excited,&#8221; said McGrath, who becomes the first player born in the Wyoming Valley to open an AHL season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. &#8220;I&#8217;m looking forward to getting it going.&#8221;</p><p>McGrath, 23, joined the Penguins organization in 2013 when he spent that season with Wheeling. He began 2014-15 with the Nailers but appeared in two regular season games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, becoming the first locally-born player to do so.</p><p>Last season McGrath played in 33 games for Wheeling and 19 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, sticking with the club through the postseason. He spent the summer working with a skills coach and improving his conditioning, and the work paid off.</p><p>&#8220;He had a great camp. He came in about 8 pounds lighter and got stronger,&#8221; Donatelli said. &#8220;The more he plays and practices the better he&#8217;s getting. He&#8217;s still going to improve going along.&#8221;</p><p>While McGrath is known for his physical play, he hopes to add a new element to his game this season.</p><p>Offense.</p><p>McGrath scored a goal in the Penguins second preseason game &#8212; a laser of a shot from the slot, and he said improving his offense was a focus during the summer.</p><p>&#8220;I definitely think I progressed here over the last three years. Wheeling helped me a lot and it just carries over,&#8221; McGrath said. &#8220;Each year you get better and better at each little thing.&#8221;</p><p>The Penguins are crowded at the forward position going into the season, and Donatelli couldn&#8217;t say how much ice time McGrath will receive. But he did say McGrath&#8217;s physical side is a factor that could get him into the lineup.</p><p>&#8220;He brings an element to our team that I love and his teammates love,&#8221; Donatelli said. &#8220;He&#8217;s invaluable. Is he going to play every game? We don&#8217;t know, but he&#8217;s definitely an asset when he&#8217;s in there.&#8221;</p><p><strong>More moves</strong></p><p>The mass of roster moves continued for the Penguins on Tuesday. Forward Kevin Porter, defenseman David Warsofsky and goaltender Tristan Jarry came down from Pittsburgh, and goalie David Carr was assigned to Wheeling. On Monday, the Penguins signed defenseman Ryan Segalla to an AHL deal and loaned him to Wheeling, along with forwards Milos Bubela, Gage Quinney and Cody Wydo and defenseman Brett Stern &#8212; who were all assigned. Defenseman Michael Webster and forward Christian Hilbrich were also loaned to Wheeling.</p><p>Sticking with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, in addition to McGrath, is 20-year-old forward Reid Gardiner, who tallied 92 points in 71 games at juniors last season.</p><p>Donatelli said Porter, who was with Pittsburgh for its Stanley Cup championship run last season, will strengthen the top six forwards and power play.</p><p>Currently there are 15 forwards and nine defensemen in camp, and Donatelli said he intends to carry them all to the season opener and beyond.</p><p>&#8220;You might think it&#8217;s a lot of guys, but history tells you it&#8217;s not,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There&#8217;s going to be movement everywhere. There&#8217;s a million things that can happen.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Goalie competition to continue</strong></p><p>While the arrival of Jarry to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton gives the Penguins a formidable duo along with Casey DeSmith, Donatelli isn&#8217;t ready to name a starter.</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re going to compete for it. Jarry was playing really well up there, Casey is playing well,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s another good problem to have.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Injury news</strong></p><p>F Josh Archibald, who exited Saturday&#8217;s game with an injury, is considered day-to-day and will be sidelined at least a week, according to Donatelli. Forwards Nick Di Pauli and Teddy Blueger and defenseman Lukas Bengtsson are in town rehabbing their injuries and Donatelli said they are expected to be sidelined long-term. Goaltender Sean Maguire is also considered week-to-week.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Patrick McGrath shoots the puck during a recent Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins practice. The Shavertown native has earned a spot on the team&#8217;s roster to start the season, which begins Oct. 15. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_mcgrath-2-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Patrick McGrath shoots the puck during a recent Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins practice. The Shavertown native has earned a spot on the team&#8217;s roster to start the season, which begins Oct. 15. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>To see video of Patrick McGrath talking about making the WBS Penguins roster, visit www.timesleader.com.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Shavertown native Patrick McGrath becomes first locally-born player to make WBS Penguins roster to open season