- Penguins prospect Vasiliy Ponomarev suffered a lower-body injury late last week with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, relays Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 22-year-old was a key piece in the Jake Guentzel trade and was speculated to be a strong recall candidate for the stretch run. However, Ponomarev is now listed as out week-to-week which will put those plans on hold if not squash them altogether.
Penguins Rumors
Penguins Recall Jonathan Gruden
The Pittsburgh Penguins have once again recalled forward Jonathan Gruden (Twitter link). This marks Gruden’s eighth call-up of the season, and brings him back to the NHL roster after six days in the minor leagues. Gruden played in three AHL games this weekend, recording no points, one fight, and five shots on goal.
Gruden is being recalled alongside Samuel Poulin – with the pair providing depth for a Penguins team currently facing injuries to Noel Acciari, Matthew Nieto, and Jansen Harkins – the former of the three being placed on injured reserve this morning. Gruden and Poulin will fight for the team’s open fourth-line role, with Gruden carrying the upper hand thanks to his 12 NHL appearances this season. He has just one point, his first career goal, in those appearances – though he’s provided serviceable grit in the bottom six. Poulin has yet to play in the NHL this season, with his only games in the league coming during a three-game stint last season. He’s impressed in the AHL, though, with 13 goals and 27 points in 36 games this season bringing his career totals to 68 points in 123 games. He has just one point in his NHL appearances.
Gruden has bounced between the AHL and NHL lineup for much of the last two seasons, serving as a de facto fill-in when Pittsburgh is facing injury. He was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, being selected out of the US National Team Development Program before pursuing one year in college and one year in the OHL. He’s still searching for his scoring groove in the pros, with just 96 points in 207 career AHL games.
Penguins Recall Sam Poulin, Noel Acciari To IR
The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled former first-round pick Sam Poulin from their AHL affiliate and placed center Noel Acciari on the injured reserve.
The 23-year-old Poulin was taken 21st overall by the Penguins in the 2019 NHL entry draft and has spent the bulk of his professional career playing in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. His callup is no surprise given that he has found traction this season posting 13 goals and 14 assists in 36 games. Several Penguins pundits speculated that Poulin would get an extended look after the NHL trade deadline as the Penguins are looking toward next season and which of their younger players can make an impact soon. Poulin has yet to dress for an NHL game this season but did have an assist in three games last year during a short NHL audition.
Acciari on the other hand is back on injured reserve for the third time this season as injuries have limited him to just 55 games in which he has produced just four goals and three assists. The 32-year-old was signed last summer to a three-year $6MM contract as a free agent but hasn’t had the kind of season he or the Penguins were hoping for. Not much is known about Acciari’s injury other than that it is a lower-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup until at least the last game of the regular season as he is designated as LTIR according to Seth Roarbaugh of Tribune-Review Sports.
The Penguins welcome Jake Guentzel back to Pittsburgh tonight for the first time since trading him to the Hurricanes just before the NHL trade deadline.
Big Hype Prospects: Bourque, Levshunov, Fowler, Koivunen
The hockey season is coming to a close across the world, bringing about the exciting time of year when top prospects are winning awards and loaded teams are winning championships. It’s the perfect time to borrow the Big Hype Prospects series from over at MLB Trade Rumors and break down some of the rising stars across the hockey world – including drafted prospects and U18 players eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Mavrik Bourque, C, Dallas Stars (Texas Stars, AHL)
60 GP – 23 G – 44 A – 67 TP – 18 PIM – 0 +/-
Dallas Stars fans are currently relishing in the success of first-year-pro Logan Stankoven, who has a dazzling six goals and 10 points through the first 12 games of his NHL career. But the best is still yet to come, with Stankoven currently separated from his partner in crime – Mavrik Bourque. The two formed an unstoppable pair in the AHL, battling each other for the league’s scoring title all season long. They simply played faster than anyone else, zipping around defensemen and creating plays in the blink of an eye. And Bourque has done plenty to show his capabilities in Stankoven’s absence, with 14 points in 14 games and a confident 12-point lead on the league’s scoring title. He can still look undersized amid a scrum and will certainly need to adjust to the NHL’s physicality before he’s able to bring his full tempo. But it’s just a matter of time before Bourque receives the first in-season call-up of his career and Stars fans should be eager to see if he and Stankoven can pick up where they left off when it finally comes.
Artyom Levshunov, RHD, 2024 NHL Draft (Michigan State University, NCAA Big Ten)
35 GP – 9 G – 23 A – 32 TP – 42 PIM – +25
Artyom Levshunov is living large right now – clinching a spot in the Big Ten Championship, the Big Ten Rookie of the Year Award, and the Big Ten Defenseman of the Year Award all in one week. And while the season isn’t over just yet, he’s already done more than enough to prove his draft value. Levshunov joined the Spartans late in the summer, announcing his departure from the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers just five weeks before the league’s pre-season. It was a well-choreographed surprise that paired Levshunov with second-year head coach Adam Nightingale. And it was a big adjustment – especially considering this is just the second season that Levshunov has played in North America. There were certainly growing pains, with the Belarusian defenseman showing an overeagerness to leave his position in favor of chasing the puck or joining the offensive rush. But Nightingale was able to reel in his protege quickly, helping Levshunov better wield his aggression and building his confidence in leading the offense. The mentorship gelled well with Levshunov’s eagerness to take on more and more responsibility, ultimately averaging 22:33 in ice time and scoring at a near-point-per-game rate. It’s been an impressive season that came from a surprise commitment – and Levshunov’s ability to make flashy plays in all three zones certainly has the attention of NHL execs. He’s expected to be one of the first names called in the looming 2024 NHL Draft, and he could continue to build acclaim with hot performances in the Big Ten Championship or the Frozen Four!
Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal Canadiens (Boston College, NCAA Hockey East)
34 GP – 28 Wins – .924 Save Percentage – 2.19 Goals-Against-Average
Jacob Fowler is running out of room in his trophy closet quickly, a finalist for Hockey East’s Goaltender of the Year award and competing for the Hockey East championship after winning the same award, and a league championship, in the USHL last season. He has made himself a focal piece of every team he’s played for, setting the record for save percentage as both a 17-year-old and 18-year-old across his two seasons in the USHL and now saving the highest percentage of shots for Boston College since Spencer Knight in 2020. It’s clear to see why Fowler is so effective when watching him play. He’s a powerful skater, keeping a wide frame and moving across the crease quickly. And he carries plenty of bravado, showing clear confidence in facing down opponents and staying locked in through the entirety of plays. As any fan of Jon Gillies will attest, a high save percentage and a stocked trophy cabinet aren’t always indicative of future stardom. But Fowler’s continued dominance certainly elicits plenty of excitement.
Ville Koivunen, LW/C, Pittsburgh Penguins (Kärpät, Liiga)
59 GP – 22 G – 34 A – 56 TP – 26 PIM – +7
The Pittsburgh Penguins moved on from a franchise staple at the Trade Deadline, sending Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was a huge change, breaking up a Penguins top-line that’s been together for the better part of seven seasons. And while there’s no good way to rebound from a move that grand, Ville Koivunen represents a great consolation prize. The 20-year-old winger has been fantastic in Finland’s top league, the Liiga, this season – showing a great ability to read the ice and work with his teammates. He’s a smooth-moving forward that’s very tough to knock off the puck, thanks to beautifully-smooth puckhandling. And while he needs space to use it, Koivunen’s shot can be fantastic. He’s emerged as one of Kärpät’s key players this season, averaging nearly 18 minutes of ice time each game and ranked second on the team in scoring. Moving to North American pros poses a unique challenge, something Koivunen learned when he managed just one goal in 12 games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves last season. But he’s found a new groove in his return to Finland. Koivunen has the wind behind his sails, a new NHL organization to embrace, and an open role to eye after Guentzel’s departure – making his return to the United States highly anticipated.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.
No Extension Talks For Nedeljkovic, Netminder Wants To Re-Sign
Heading into the trade deadline, many expected that the Penguins would move pending UFA goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. However, they instead moved third-stringer Magnus Hellberg. Nedeljkovic told reporters including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that there weren’t any discussions about a contract extension before the deadline but that he’d be very happy to return for next season if Pittsburgh showed interest. After spending a good chunk of last season in the minors, the 28-year-old inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Penguins last summer and has done relatively well, posting a 2.98 GAA and a .904 SV% in 24 appearances. At a minimum, even if he doesn’t wind up staying with Pittsburgh, Nedeljkovic should be able to land a raise in the coming months.
Snapshots: Graves, St. Ivany, Krug, Oshie, Protas
The Pittsburgh Penguins have shared that defenseman Ryan Graves will be stepping away for a paternity leave, opening the door for rookie Jack St. Ivany to make his NHL debut. St. Ivany has flirted with his inaugural game for much of March, getting moved between the NHL and AHL four different times in the last week. He was clearly motivated by the string of moves, recording a career-high three-point night in his latest AHL game – his first since receiving the first NHL call-up of his career. The performance broke a 10-game scoring drought and accounted for a fifth of St. Ivany’s 15 points on the season. He’ll now have a golden chance to build on the hot night, potentially poised for a big role with Graves’ average of 19 minutes a night now up for grabs.
Other notes from around the league:
- St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug is expected to return to the lineup on Friday after sititng out with a chest injury on Thursday, per NHL.com’s Jessi Pierce. It was Krug’s first absence of the year, after appearing in the Blues’ first 69 games. He’s managed three goals and 34 points in those games. This is Krug’s first time playing in more than 65 games since the 2017-18 season. His return is expected to bump Scott Perunovich back out of the lineup.
- The Washington Capitals will continue to be without T.J. Oshie and Aliaksei Protas, head coach Spencer Carbery told The Hockey News. Both players sat out of the team’s Wednesday night loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Oshie is bearing with an upper-body injury, while Protas has a lingering lower-body injury suffered on March 9th. The team will eagerly anticipate their return, now left to lean on Michael Sgarbossa and Ivan Miroshnichenko as top-six fill-ins.
Penguins Recall Jack St. Ivany, Assign Jonathan Gruden
The Pittsburgh Penguins have reversed their minor league moves once again, recalling defenseman Jack St. Ivany and assigning forward Jonathan Gruden (Twitter link), undoing the moves they made on March 18th and 19th. Gruden appeared in Pittsburgh’s March 19th loss to the New Jersey Devils, recording one shot and one hit in just under seven minutes of ice time.
St. Ivany played in just his second game in nine days on Monday – also marking his first game since receiving his first NHL recall. And he was clearly excited to prove himself, recording three assists and breaking a 10-game scoring drought. The hot night brought his scoring up to four goals and 15 points in 53 AHL games. He’ll now return to the NHL roster with the hope that his strong performance on Monday can earn him his NHL debut.
Meanwhile, Gruden will return to the AHL, where he’s already managed 13 goals and 24 points in 43 games this season. Gruden has received his first extended look at the NHL this season, playing in 12 games after earning his first three games in the league last season. He’s managed just one goal in those 15 games, though he’s added 35 hits and five blocks – doing what he can to earn the fourth-line role he’s been assigned.
Jesse Puljujarvi will slot back in to the lineup with Gruden now assigned to the minors. Puljujarvi is on a redemption tour, signing with Pittsburgh in February of this season. He’s since struggled through 11 NHL games, managing just one goal, two penalty minutes, and a -1. Puljujarvi is continuing to search for his scoring groove after undergoing bilateral hip surgery this summer. He managed four goals and nine points in 13 AHL games before signing with the Penguins, showing the potential for high-scoring could still be there. Puljujarvi, the fourth-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, managed a career-high 36 points in 65 games during the 2021-22 season, but has since struggled to find his footing in the NHL.
Jonathan Gruden Returned To AHL From Emergency Loan
- After filling in for the injured Jeff Carter last night, Jonathan Gruden has been returned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after being recalled on an emergency loan. Gruden will return to a situation in WBS where he has been largely successful this year, scoring 13 goals and 24 points in 43 games at the AHL level.
[SOURCE LINK]
Jonathan Gruden Recalled On Emergency Loan
With Jeff Carter out with an upper-body injury tonight, the Pittsburgh Penguins were in a position to recall a forward to fill his spot in the active lineup. In doing so, the Penguins brought up Jonathan Gruden from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins via an emergency recall.
Recalled oftenly this season by Pittsburgh, this transaction will mark Gruden’s sixth call-up of the season in total. In now his fourth season with the Penguins organization, Gruden has accrued the most NHL games played in a single year for his short career, scoring one goal in 11 games for Pittsburgh this year.
While still failing to make a name for himself at the NHL level, Gruden is been an solid contributor to the WBS Penguins over the last four years. Over 204 regular season games overall, Gruden has scored 45 goals and 96 points in total, while also chipping in one goal and three points in five playoff games, as well.
Former Penguin Konstantin Koltsov Passes Away At 42
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Konstantin Koltsov has passed away at age 42, per Sportsnet (Twitter Link). Koltsov – the partner of top women’s tennis player Aryna Sabalenka – spent three seasons in the NHL, playing in a combined 144 games. He was originally the 18th overall pick in the 1999 NHL Draft, going in the same round as the Sedin brothers, Taylor Pyatt, Barret Jackman, and Martin Havlat.
Koltsov played in his rookie NHL season in 2003-04, after four years of playing in the KHL’s predecessor. He managed nine goals, 29 points, 30 penalty minutes, and a -30 while appearing in all 82 games that season, operating in a meager role on what was a very low-scoring Penguins lineup. The 2004-05 lockout would return Koltsov to Russia – and while he rejoined Pittsburgh in 2005-06 – recording nine points, 20 penalty minutes, and a -10 in 60 games – it was clear that Russia is where Koltsov fit in best. The Belarussian forward would make his Russian stay permanent in 2006-07, playing the next 10 years in the KHL before retiring in 2016 at age 34.
Koltsov totaled 617 games in Russia’s top pro leagues, scoring a combined 90 goals and 206 points across those appearances. This includes 14 goals and 25 points in the 2006-07 season, which marked his career-high in Russia. He also made appearances at the 2002 and 2010 Olympics, representing Belarus. Koltsov took on coaching in the 2017-18 season, serving as an assistant for Belarus’ Dinamo Minsk until 2019; later moving into an assistant role with Ufa Salavat Yulaev in 2021 – after playing in 264 games with the club as a player – a role he was actively serving in.
PHR extends its deepest condolences to Koltsov’s family and the Ufa Salavat Yulaev and Pittsburgh Penguins organizations.