The Penguins announced Tuesday that they’ve formalized goaltender Sergei Murashov‘s recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Fellow netminder Taylor Gauthier was returned to ECHL Wheeling in the corresponding move after he was called up at the last minute to serve as Arturs Silovs‘ backup for Sunday’s win over the Panthers.
Murashov’s recall indicates that Stuart Skinner will remain unavailable as the Penguins return to action against the Devils on Thursday. He took a puck to the eye while on the bench backing up Silovs during the first half of Pittsburgh’s weekend back-to-back with Florida, forcing the latter to make two starts within 24 hours. They weren’t able to get Murashov to Pittsburgh in time for puck drop for Sunday’s game, forcing Gauthier to get the nod, but they will now work their third-stringer and top prospect between the pipes back into an NHL role before Skinner is ready to return.
Murashov, 22, was a fourth-round pick in 2022 but is tracking more like a first-rounder. The 6’2″ Russian has posted spectacular numbers at every level in Russia and now the North American minors as he climbs the latter, fully taking over as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s #1 option this season. In 35 AHL games, he has a .922 SV%, 2.13 GAA, three shutouts, and a 23-8-3 record. He got his first five NHL appearances over a pair of recalls in November and December, logging a more measured .897 SV% and 2.56 GAA. He still managed to record his first big-league shutout, a 21-save win over the Predators back on Nov. 16.
Skinner will almost certainly be Pittsburgh’s Game 1 starter in the first round later this month if he’s healthy. They haven’t quite clinched a playoff berth yet, but need just one more win to do so and could get some outside help before that’s necessary. As such, there likely won’t be much consideration of resting Silovs to keep him fresh for the postseason. There’s still home-ice advantage on the line. They do have a back-to-back this weekend against the Capitals, though, so it stands to reason Murashov should get one of those starts if Skinner isn’t back by then.
Meanwhile, Gauthier could be back up in a few weeks’ time to serve as Pittsburgh’s emergency backup in the playoffs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has clinched an AHL postseason berth, and the Penguins would certainly prefer Murashov getting high-intensity action there. Gauthier, 25, was on a minor-league deal for most of the season after Pittsburgh non-tendered him last year, but they brought him back on a two-way deal at the trade deadline to make him eligible for a recall. In 33 games with Wheeling, he’s looking to take home his second career ECHL Goalie of the Year award with a .932 SV%, 2.00 GAA, and 20-7-5 record.