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Juuso Riikola

Juuso Riikola Signs In Sweden

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The Pittsburgh Penguins won’t be getting at least one depth defenseman back next season. IK Oskarshamn of the SHL has announced the signing of Juuso Riikola for the 2022-23 season.

Riikola spent four years in the Penguins organization but spent most of his time in the AHL for the first time this year. He signed with the team in 2018 as a free agent after a six-year stint in the Finnish Liiga with KalPa. However, Riikola had played just seven NHL games over the past two seasons combined, playing just two in 2020-21 while spending the entire season on the taxi squad.

Over the past four NHL seasons, the 28-year-old Riikola played 80 games, tallying three goals, 10 assists and 13 points. While a reasonable option to slide into the lineup in case of injury, at his age, Riikola will likely opt to stay in Europe long-term, playing out his prime years in a more sizeable role.

Ruhwedel, Borgen Enter COVID Protocol

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5:34 pm: It turns out that it was likely a false positive that put Ruhwedel on the COVID protocol list. The Penguins defenseman is off protocol the same day he entered, and is available for tonight’s game against Washington.

11:04 am: In the coming days, players entering the COVID protocol will become much less common. The league has amended its procedures to no longer require daily testing for fully vaccinated individuals, and has removed the testing requirement for close contacts. Those are set to come into effect following each club’s final game before the All-Star break, however, meaning that for today and tomorrow, things are business as normal.

It’s not surprising then to see two more players enter the protocol today. The Seattle Kraken have announced that Will Borgen is now in it, meaning he’ll be unavailable for the team’s final pre-All-Star games this week. Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan also announced to reporters including Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review that Chad Ruhwedel is in the protocol and unavailable tonight.

In Borgen’s case, it’s unfortunate timing given he had started to find a home in the Kraken lineup. The 25-year-old defenseman played just a hair under 16 minutes on Sunday against the New York Rangers, his 15th game of the season. One of the interesting expansion draft selections given how little NHL experience he had with the Buffalo Sabres, Borgen signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Kraken in August and was expected to be a full-time option for the club. Now halfway through the season and he has just a handful of games under his belt after the team loaded up on other defensemen that have sat ahead of him on the depth chart.

For Ruhwedel, it couldn’t come at a worse time, given how he has finally been a regular in the Pittsburgh lineup. The 31-year-old veteran has never played more than 44 games in a single season but has already suited up 41 times this year, as the Penguins continue to deal with injuries to various players. Even tonight, the team has announced that Brian Dumoulin is a game-time decision due to “wear and tear” meaning there may have been even more ice time up for grabs. Instead, he’ll have to miss and likely give Juuso Riikola–recalled to the taxi squad this morning–a chance to get back into the NHL lineup.

Marcus Pettersson, Chad Ruhwedel Added To COVID Protocol

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Nov 12: Despite clearing the protocol yesterday, Pettersson and Ruhwedel are still ineligible to travel with the Penguins to Canada for tomorrow’s game against the Ottawa Senators. With that in mind, the team has actually placed both back on the protocol, for the time being, allowing them to recall Juuso Riikola and Louis Domingue for the short road trip. Pettersson actually also suffered an injury last night in his return and played just four minutes, but there was no update on his status today.

Tristan Jarry will not travel with the team to Canada either, meeting them in Washington for Sunday’s game against the Capitals instead. This explains Domingue’s recall, as he will serve as backup tomorrow night.

Nov 11: The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting some reinforcements back from the COVID protocol, as both Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel have been activated today. To make room, Taylor Fedun and Juuso Riikola were assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Pettersson especially is a big piece to get back, given his role on the team in the early part of the season. Through eight games, Pettersson was averaging more than 18 minutes a night and had recorded four points. He still leads the team in +/- with a +7 in the early part of the year, and had been recording very strong possession statistics.

Both players were called game-time decisions by assistant coach Todd Reirden, who is still filling in while Mike Sullivan is in the protocol. Sidney Crosby and Brian Dumoulin remain in the protocol as well.

Pettersson and Ruhwedal were both symptomatic, according to a report from the Associated Press, so it remains to be seen whether they will step right into the lineup with one day of practice and a morning skate. The Penguins could certainly use the help, given they have lost two in a row and now sit at 4-3-4 on the year, last in the Metropolitan Division.

12 Players Clear Waivers

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Saturday: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that all of the below players clear waivers, paving the way for them to be sent to the minors.

Friday: The march to the regular season continues, this time with another dozen names hitting the waiver wire. Chris Johnston of the Toronto Star provides the full list:

Sonny Milano (ANA)
Brandon Davidson (BUF)
Dennis Gilbert (COL)
Jayson Megna (COL)
Andreas Borgman (DAL)
Dan Renouf (DET)
Luke Witkowski (DET)
Chase De Leo (NJD)
Michael Chaput (PIT)
Juuso Riikola (PIT)
Nicolas Meloche (SJS)
Sheldon Dries (VAN)

There are several names on this list who once carried quite a bit of hype and potential, but the most interesting among them may be Milano and Riikola. The former is set to carry a cap hit of $1.7MM for this season, while the latter has a cap hit of $1.15MM. At one point, they were expected to be key parts of their respective NHL teams but now appear to be on their way to becoming well-compensated minor leaguers.

Milano in particular is notable because the Ducks don’t need any additional cap space. The team appears to have simply decided that there are other, better options up front for the start of the year. One thing to remember when it comes to waivers is that sometimes, a player clearing actually increases his trade value. That would allow an acquiring team to assign the player directly to the minor leagues, burying up to $1.125MM in cap hits.

Penguins’ Colton Sceviour And Juuso Riikola Clear Waivers

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Sunday: Both Sceviour and Riikola have cleared, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Saturday: The Penguins are trying to give themselves a bit of roster flexibility heading into Monday’s trade deadline as Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports (Twitter link) that forward Colton Sceviour and defenseman Juuso Riikola have been placed on waivers.

Sceviour was acquired from Florida back in September as part of the Mike Matheson-Patric Hornqvist deal but while he had been a capable secondary scorer during his time with the Panthers and Stars, that hasn’t materialized with the Pens.  Instead, the 31-year-old has just three goals and three assists in 31 games this season while averaging a career-low 9:30 per night of playing time.  This led to him clearing waivers back in early March and he has played in 14 games since then, requiring him to pass through waivers before he can be loaned back to the taxi squad.  Sceviour is in the final year of his contract which carries a $1.2MM AAV, meaning all but $125K can be buried on the taxi squad.  He’s set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

As for Riikola, the defenseman has had a limited role with Pittsburgh since signing with them back in 2018.  While he played in at least 36 NHL games in each of his first two seasons in North America, he has been limited to just two this season.  Part of that is due to an upper-body injury that cost him 22 games but as a result of the moves the Penguins made to add defensive depth when they were hit hard with injuries, he has yet to play since being cleared to return.  The 27-year-old has another year left on his deal after this one with a $1.15MM AAV and if a team is willing to absorb a low seven-figure cost next season to add some free defensive depth, there’s a chance he could be claimed.  If not, all but $75K of his cap hit can be wiped out by a taxi squad assignment.

Pittsburgh Penguins Activate Juuso Riikola

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After missing 20 games, Juuso Riikola is back on the active roster. The Pittsburgh Penguins have activated the young defenseman off injured reserve, while replacing him there with Jared McCann. McCann, who is dealing with an upper-body injury, has been placed on IR retroactive to March 7. Josh Currie has also been moved to the taxi squad after the team recalled Anthony Angello from it.

Riikola is the biggest story today, given how long he’s been out for the Penguins. After playing just two games for the team in January, he suffered an upper-body injury and was eventually moved to long-term injured reserve. If you’re thinking ’Riikola isn’t that important anyway,’ the Penguins obviously disagreed when they handed him a two-year, $2.3MM deal in September. He had played in just 73 NHL games to that point, but the undrafted defenseman had obviously shown enough to lock down a regular role on the active roster, if not in the everyday lineup.

Now is his opportunity to show the new management group what he can do. Ron Hextall and Brian Burke have no allegiance to a player like Riikola, who was brought in and signed before they arrived, and perhaps that’s why Josh Yohe of The Athletic listed him as “Sure, he’s available” in his recent look at the trade status of every player on the Penguins’ roster. As long as he gets in the lineup, he’ll have a chance to prove he still belongs.

The other news is obviously McCann, who had just started to find his way again in Pittsburgh. On a four-game point streak, the young forward left his last game in the second period and didn’t return. He was another player that was trying to show the new front office his worth, but he’ll now be out at least a few games after being moved to IR. In 17 games this season, McCann has ten points.

Pittsburgh Penguins Make Several Transactions

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The Pittsburgh Penguins, who seem to be dominating the headlines lately, have grabbed another one by making several transactions ahead of their game against the Boston Bruins. Kevin Czuczman has been recalled under emergency conditions, while Sam Lafferty is up under a regular recall. Drew O’Connor, who had previously been up under emergency conditions, is now on a regular recall. Zach Aston-Reese, Juuso Riikola, and Evan Rodrigues have all been placed on long-term injured reserve retroactive to their last game played, while Marcus Pettersson has been moved to injured reserve.

Anthony Angello, Frederick Gaudreau, Will Reilly, and Yannick Weber have all been assigned to the taxi squad. All of these moves were announced by interim GM Patrik Allvin.

Czuczman is expected to be in the Penguins lineup for the first time tonight, returning to the NHL after nearly seven years. The last time he suited up at that level was April 13, 2014 with the New York Islanders, but the 30-year-old defenseman at least knows the Penguins’ system from spending the last three seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Perhaps the most interesting addition of all is Reilly, who joins the taxi squad before ever playing a professional game. The 23-year-old defenseman was a seventh-round pick of the Penguins in 2017 and signed his entry-level contract last spring after finishing his senior season at R.P.I. While Weber is going to meet the team in New York this weekend, Reilly is really just an injury or two from being forced into the NHL lineup for the Penguins. He was a strong performer in college, recording 22 points in 34 games last season, but there’s little reason to believe he should be jumping onto the roster at this point.

Trade Rumors: Penguins, Mete, Bjork

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Amidst the shocking news that Jim Rutherford had resigned as GM of Pittsburgh Penguins, it is easy to forget that this was a team that less than a week ago was reported as being active on the trade market. While ownership suddenly needs to focus on the long-term welfare of the franchise by finding a new GM, the Penguins are still in need of defense in the short-term. While Rutherford’s final move was to find a stopgap in free agent addition Yannick Weber, that might not be enough. The Pittsburgh blue line has been devastated by injuries early this season with Michael Matheson, Juuso Riikola, and Zach Trotman on injured reserve, Marcus Pettersson also officially out, and Brian Dumoulin injured in last night’s game. Even the thought-to-be-healthy John Marino was missing at practice today. What’s left is a group that is almost entirely right-handed, including the newcomer Weber, and includes a struggling Cody Ceci and an untested rookie in Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins need to to continue to be on the look out for help on the back end. With that said, NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz doubts that interim GM Patrick Allvin will have the authority to make a trade, until they potentially remove the interim tag that is. In the meantime, can the Penguins afford to stand pat in a shortened season facing tougher playoff odds and a more difficult division? Can they withstand extended absences from their current injured defenders? Unless owner Mario Lemieux decides to step in and pull the strings while also making a decision on his next GM, they may not have an option but to stick it out.

  • Through their first six games of the season, the Montreal Canadiens have yet to lose in regulation and have earned 10 of a possible 12 points. Everyone in Montreal is happy so far this year, that is except defenseman Victor Mete. With the team rolling on all cylinders, the Habs have had no reason to change out their starting six defenseman. In fact, there has been only one lineup change among skaters for one single game thus far. The Canadiens do not want to lose the promising, young Mete on waivers, but so far that has left 22-year-old sitting in the press box for every game. If Montreal continues to win and stay healthy, then there is also no reason for that to change. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has taken notice and he’s not alone. Friedman reports that there is interest in Mete across the league and offers will be coming to Montreal soon, if they haven’t already. After losing Noah Juulsen on waivers earlier this year, the Habs may be hesitant to part with another young defenseman whose career has been impacted by injuries but could be primed for a breakout. However, if Mete won’t get any opportunity to shine in Montreal, they may as well move him. After all, he will likely be available for free to the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft anyway.
  • If there is one thing that has quietly defined the Don Sweeney administration in Boston, it is that they are not afraid to move young forwards who are unable to carve out a consistent role in the lineup. In consecutive years, the Bruins have traded away Frank Vatrano, Ryan Donato, and Danton Heinen, each of whom was struggling and bouncing around the lineup prior to being moved. Now, Anders Bjork could be the next name on that list. The team has liked the upside of Bjork, 24, and made that clear with a three-year, $4.8MM contract this summer. However, injury and inconsistency has made it hard to get a good look at the player. Now healthy and in the starting lineup through six games this season, that look hasn’t been good. Bjork has played on several different lines and with different line mates but nothing has clicked. He has zero points and just two shots on goal and hasn’t made a major impact defensively either. With the emergence of rookies Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic as NHL-ready assets and the upcoming injury returns of David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, there won’t be space left in the lineup for Bjork. Multiple sources are now reporting that in anticipation of this result, interest is growing in the young winger. Bjork may not be a fit in Boston right now, but as a player with positional and two-way versatility and under team control for several years, a number of teams could be interested in taking a chance. With a lineup that is looking pretty complete so far this season, Bjork may also come cheap with the Bruins opting for a pick or prospect rather than a roster player in return.

Pittsburgh Penguins Announce Multiple Injuries

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The East Division is not having a good day. The Washington Capitals will be without four key players for at least the next week, the Philadelphia Flyers announced several injuries this morning and now the Pittsburgh Penguins want to get in on the fun. Both Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola were absent from today’s practice and Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the former would be out week-to-week and the latter is out “longer term.” Chad Ruhwedel, who was also absent, was excused because of the birth of his child and should be available to the team tomorrow.

These two injuries on defense come after Mike Matheson was already ruled out, meaning the team will likely be forced to insert prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The 21-year-old was acquired in the Phil Kessel trade of 2019 and recorded 17 points in 52 games last season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Joseph practiced on the third pairing next to Kevin Czuczman, who was recalled to the taxi squad just a few days ago.

This kind of depth test may be common this season as teams try to navigate a condensed schedule with the threat of COVID-19 also looming in the background. At any point, a whole swath of players could be removed from the roster by injury or illness, leaving options thin and playing time abundant. For Pittsburgh specifically, the team is already stuck in the middle of the East Division table at 2-2 and have struggled to keep the puck out of their net. These defensive injuries won’t help that as they continue to play important matches every other day.

Penguins Place Mike Matheson On Injured Reserve

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The Pittsburgh Penguins played Sunday without one of their recently acquired defensemen in Mike Matheson. With plenty of questions, head coach Mike Sullivan said that the blueliner would be out “longer term,” with an upper-body injury that he sustained in the team’s previous game against Philadelphia on Friday, according to Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is not expected to play Tuesday against the Capitals either.

The 26-year-old was placed on injured reserve too, according to Seth Rorabaugh of Trib Sports. No word on how long Matheson will be out or what is wrong with him, although he did have his right shoulder worked on the bench during Friday’s game.

Matheson was brought in to re-shape the team’s defense, adding some grit and much-needed physicality to the team when the Penguins traded Patric Hornqvist for him in the offseason. Matheson fell out of favor in Florida, but was averaging more than 20 minutes per game before last season. The team turned to Juuso Riikola to take Matheson’s spot and could conceivably recall prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph from the taxi squad, if the team feels he’s ready.

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