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Penguins Reassign Harrison Brunicke To AHL

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The Penguins have reassigned top defense prospect Harrison Brunicke to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to finish the season, per a release from the minor-league club. His major junior season with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League is over after they failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Brunicke, 18, slipped to the second round of last year’s draft, where the Pens selected him 44th overall. However, more than a few public scouts tabbed him as a late first-rounder. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic tabbed him as the No. 2 overall prospect and top defenseman in Pittsburgh’s system – notably ahead of 2022 first-round selection Owen Pickering. Last month, Wheeler also listed Brunicke as the No. 63 prospect in the NHL.

The right-shot defender checks in with an already pro-ready frame at 6’3″ and 203 lbs. A Canadian citizen born in South Africa, he’s been lauded as one of the better skaters in the 2024 class and plays a sound two-way game. His boxcar stats haven’t jumped off the page much on a subpar Kamloops squad, though, and injuries have taken significant bites out of his last two seasons. Nonetheless, he managed a career-best 5-25–30 scoring line in 41 games with the Blazers this year, leading their rearguards in scoring while posting a -15 rating.

Despite his somewhat rocky development, Brunicke still projects as a future second-pairing fixture in Pittsburgh, Wheeler opines. He’ll turn 19 in May, so while he may get a long look to make the Pens’ roster in training camp, it’s far more likely he’ll return to the WHL at some point. That could come after a nine-game trial to avoid burning the first year of his ELC, which head coach Mike Sullivan said they were even considering last fall. He won’t be eligible for a full-time AHL assignment until 2026-27. Pittsburgh signed him to his entry-level contract, which will slide to next season and potentially 2026-27, last July.

Penguins Recall Ville Koivunen And Rutger McGroarty, Joona Koppanen Re-Assigned

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they’ve recalled forward prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty while also re-assigning forward Joona Koppanen to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. The timing of the recalls is of note as the Penguins have looked lifeless in their last two games, losing to Tampa Bay and Buffalo by a combined score of 13-4.

McGroarty was acquired by the Penguins last summer from the Winnipeg Jets for forward Brayden Yager and made the team out of training camp but struggled to produce with no points in three NHL games. He was then sent to the AHL where he continued to struggle offensively, posting just a single assist in his first eight games. However, since November 9th, McGroarty has tallied 14 goals and 24 assists in 52 games and has looked dominant at times, displaying the skillset that made him the 14th overall pick in 2022.

Koivunen was acquired by the Penguins last March in the trade that sent forward Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. The deal is looking like a massive win for Pittsburgh as Koivunen has been exceptional this year in the AHL tallying 21 goals and 34 assists in 62 games. The 21-year-old brings a skill level that the Penguins hadn’t had in a prospect in nearly two decades and will get his first taste of NHL action after earning this recall. Koivunen currently leads the AHL Penguins in scoring and has done so in his first full season of hockey in North America.

Koppanen returns to the AHL where he has spent the bulk of this season and his professional career. The 27-year-old did dress in five NHL games for Pittsburgh and managed to score his first NHL goal on March 18th against the New York Islanders. Koppanen has appeared in 53 AHL games this season where he has six goals and 15 assists as well as a +7 plus/minus.

The Penguins are all but assured of missing the playoffs for a third consecutive year and with these callups, they will have an opportunity to see how close some of their top prospects are for NHL action next season.

Evgeni Malkin Out, Ryan Shea To Return For Penguins

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday without lineup pillar Evgeni Malkin, who is set to sit out with a day-to-day upper-body injury per NHL.com’s Michelle Crechiolo. This will mark Malkin’s 12th absence since January 1st.

Malkin has continued to make a strong impact when he’s healthy. He has three points in his last five games, and 15 points in 23 games since the calendar turned over. Those marks have brought Malkin’s season-long scoring total up to 15 goals and 46 points in 62 games. That’s an 82-game scoring pace of just 61 points – the lowest of Malkin’s 19 year career in the NHL. Even still, he’s ranked fifth on the Penguins roster in scoring and fourth among forwards in average ice time (18 minutes). Malkin remains the focal point of Pittsburgh’s second-line, and leaves a noticeable hole in Tuesday night’s lineup. Kevin Hayes will see a boost in minutes in Malkin’s absence, while Joona Koppanen is expected to step into the lineup once again. Koppanen scored his first NHL goal on March 18th – his only point in four games.

Penguins’ Goalie Prospect Sergei Murashov Making Waves

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Pittsburgh Penguins’ goalie prospect Sergei Murashov is making the most of his first season playing in North America, as he recently set a franchise record for the AHL-affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by winning his 10th game in a row, per a team release.

Pittsburgh’s fourth round selection in the 2022 draft, Murashov spent 26 games in the ECHL to begin the season before getting called up to the AHL. In 11 games for the Baby Pens, he has a 10-0-0 record to pair with his .916 save percentage. The 20-year-old from Yaroslavl, Russia also posted a 13-game win streak with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers from Nov. 6 to Jan. 8, which set the longest streak in their history as well.

While Murashov still has room to grow, his statistics and results this season show that he’s at least knocking on the door of the NHL. His development adds an extra element to Pittsburgh’s goaltending situation moving forward, which includes the shaky play of former all-star Tristan Jarry, the up-and-down contributions of backup Alex Nedeljkovic, and the continued development of fellow prospect Joel Blomqvist.

The most polarizing of these names is of course Jarry, who has struggled mightily since signing a five-year, $26,875,000 contract in July 2023. The 29-year-old, two-time all-star, has recorded a .894 save percentage this season, and found himself demoted to the AHL in an effort to rediscover his once promising game. His play of late has significantly improved – corresponding with the team’s surge in play – and has recorded a .928 save percentage over his last five games.

Due to Jarry’s mid-season demotion, Nedeljkovic has played the most games in Pittsburgh this season (33 starts) but has also struggled compared to previous success. Just last season, “Ned” played in 33 games for the Pens and recorded an 18-7-7 record to go along with a .902 save percentage. That was good enough to secure a two-year, $5MM contract to stay in Pittsburgh. But despite his usual standing as a trustworthy NHL-level backup, Nedeljkovic has recorded just a .893 save percentage on the season.

Blomqvist, Pittsburgh’s second round selection in the 2020 draft, has struggled in 15 games in the NHL this season, recording an .885 save percentage and a 4-9-1 record. However, in 15 games at the AHL-level, the 23-year-old has registered a strong .915 save percentage.

While there appears to be a bit of a log jam between the pipes in Pittsburgh, none of the goalies ahead of Murashov on the organization’s depth chart has done themselves any favors – even when factoring in the poor defensive play of Pittsburgh’s blueliners this season. General manager Kyle Dubas will have key decisions to make if he intends to clear a path for Murashov moving forward.

Penguins Should Look To Re-Sign Matt Grzelcyk

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Kelsey Surmacz of The Hockey News made the case that the Pittsburgh Penguins should re-sign pending UFA defenseman Matt Grzelcyk before he hits the market on July 1st. The veteran has been a good fit in Pittsburgh, and bringing him back on a short-term deal makes sense in a vacuum as the Penguins are very thin on the left side going forward. Grzelcyk has set career highs this season in multiple offensive categories, as the 31-year-old has a goal and 31 assists in 71 games while averaging over 20 minutes a night for the first time in his career.

He’s become an important piece of the Penguins’ defense core, and the team opted to hang onto him rather than move him at the NHL Trade Deadline. Grzelcyk’s veteran presence has mentored some of Pittsburgh’s younger players and could be valuable during a re-tool. Surmacz believes that Pittsburgh should look at a one or two-year deal for Grzelcyk, which would make sense as the Penguins don’t look like they’ll be bottoming out, and they likely won’t be making any major additions over the next year. Many Penguins insiders believe that Pittsburgh hopes to contend for the playoffs again in the 2026-27 season, and while Grzelcyk shouldn’t be a top-four defenseman on a contending team, he could serve as valuable depth when the Penguins are ready to make a push.

While a short-term deal would suit Pittsburgh, it likely wouldn’t be Grzelcyk’s preferred outcome. The Charlestown, Massachusetts native has rebounded this season and could be looking at his last opportunity to cash in a lucrative contract. Playing under a one-year,  $2.75MM deal that he signed in free agency last summer, it’s not hard to imagine him receiving three-year offers this upcoming summer with an increased salary cap and very few options available.

Aho Sent Back To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

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  • The Penguins announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Sebastian Aho to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The 29-year-old has been up and down in recent days on emergency recall but it appears he’ll now go back to an extended stay in the minors.  Aho is in his first season in Pittsburgh’s organization but injuries have limited him to just 17 outings in the AHL where he has seven assists.

Penguins Reassign Matthew Nieto

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The Penguins announced today they’ve reassigned winger Matthew Nieto to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. While he’s been shuttled between leagues frequently in the past couple of weeks as an emergency recall, this demotion is of a more permanent nature, per Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Despite the recalls, Nieto hasn’t appeared in a game for the Pens since Feb. 23. The 32-year-old has struggled mightily – as expected after missing a good portion of the past two years due to multiple knee surgeries. Since signing a two-year, $1.8MM deal in Pittsburgh during the 2023 offseason, Nieto has just 2-5–7 with a minus-three rating in 53 games.

Those struggles led to Nieto landing on waivers for the second time in his career in February. He hadn’t been on the wire since January 2017, when the Avalanche claimed Nieto off waivers from the Sharks. He promptly had a career-high 15 goals the following campaign. While on assignment to the Baby Pens, Nieto has a goal and two assists for three points in eight games.

An unrestricted free agent this summer, a return to the Penguins organization seems unlikely for Nieto – as does an NHL contract. The 5’11” forward’s calling card has always been his speed, something that’s obviously taken a hit with his knee issues. An AHL deal, a commitment from a European club, or even retirement could be on the table for the 12-year veteran in a few months.

As for the Pens, they intend to give Bokondji Imama and Joona Koppanen extended runs in their bottom six until injured forwards Emil Bemström and Thomas Novak are ready to return from their day-to-day ailments. Nieto’s demotion likely suggests one of Bemström or Novak could be an option to return against the Panthers on Sunday. They’ve both already been ruled out of tonight’s game against Columbus.

Penguins To Play In 2025 Global Series

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will return to Stockholm next season to face-off against the Nashville Predators in the 2025 NHL Global Series in Sweden, per an NHL announcement.

The games are slated for Nov. 14 and Nov. 16 and will be played at Avicii Arena. The Penguins are returning to Sweden after taking part in the 2008 NHL Premiere Series. It will represent the second time leaders Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang will take part in games overseas.

The series will represent a homecoming for players on both sides. For the Penguins, Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, as well as 30-goal winger Rickard Rakell will participate (barring injury of course), while the Peds will be represented by forward Filip Forsberg and defenders Adam Wilsby and Andreas Englund.

In the 2008 Global Series, the Penguins split two games with the Senators. In those games, Crosby registered two assists, Malkin had a goal and an assist, and Letang registered nearly 50 minutes of total ice time between the two contests.

Penguins Recall Joona Koppanen

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Joona Koppanen from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. The 27-year-old’s recall is on an emergency basis, and he will likely serve as insurance when the Penguins take on the New York Islanders this evening. Koppanen is in the second season of a two-year, two-way contract he signed with the Penguins back on July 1st, 2023.

Koppanen dressed in four games for the Penguins last season, tallying no points while playing 7:49 per game. It wasn’t his first taste of NHL action as the native of Tampere, Finland also played five games for the Boston Bruins during the 2022-23 season. He has never produced much offense at any level and has just a single assist in nine career NHL games.

In the AHL this season, Koppanen has served as a depth player for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, registering six goals and 15 assists in 53 games. His scoring numbers are almost a mirror image of last year’s totals which were six goals and 15 assists in 58 games.

The 6’5” Koppanen has been an AHL regular since the 2018-19 season, spending most of his career with the Providence Bruins. Despite a slow start offensively in his first four seasons, he has rounded into more of a contributor in recent years, topping 30 points twice with Providence. In 356 career AHL games, Koppanen has posted 51 goals and 84 assists.

While Koppanen might not see game action during his recall, he is coming into Pittsburgh on a bit of a heater, having notched two goals and three assists in his past four games.

Mike Sullivan Wants To Remain With Penguins Long-Term

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Josh Yohe of The Athletic recently spoke with Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan and the long-time Penguins bench boss pledged his loyalty to the franchise saying that he doesn’t want to coach anywhere else except Pittsburgh. Sullivan has seen a ton of success with the Penguins, leading them to back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2016 and 2017, but the franchise has fallen on hard times in recent seasons, missing the playoffs in two consecutive years and set to make it a third this season, unless they pull off a historical run. Despite all of this, Sullivan remains committed to the Penguins and by all accounts, it appears that Pittsburgh remains committed to him as he has two years left on his contract and there has been no talks of moving on from the most successful coach in franchise history.

Sullivan took over the Penguins back in December of 2015 as they were spiralling out of control. Despite having a roster full of superstars, the team was out of the playoff picture. Sullivan righted the ship and took the Penguins on two straight playoff runs that resulted in championships. But since defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2018 postseason, Pittsburgh has yet to win a postseason series. They were swept in 2019, eliminated in the play-in series in the pandemic bubble in 2020, and then knocked out of the first round by both New York franchises in 2021 and 2022.

Despite the lack of success over the last eight years, the Penguins have stuck by Sullivan, and he by them. There have been calls for Sullivan to be fired since at least 2021, if not sooner, but none of Jim Rutherford, Ron Hextall, or Kyle Dubas made the move to replace him.

Yohe has long spoken of the bond between Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Sullivan, and they no doubt have a desire to turn the Penguins around while both men are still in Pittsburgh. The Penguins haven’t called their current situation a rebuild, but it certainly appears like one. Pittsburgh has made moves with an eye toward the future, but Dubas has stated that he wants to turn the Penguins back into a winner as quickly as possible. Given that is Pittsburgh’s mandate, it would make sense that a winner like Sullivan would want to stick around with Crosby, and as Sullivan put it in his chat with Yohe, “I have a certain loyalty to all of the people who are a part of it here, and all I want to do is help this team win.”

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