The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Zach Trotman from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton today, giving the team a 23-man roster with Matt Hunwick on injured reserve. The team is heading down for a pair of games in Florida against the Panthers and Lightning, and likely just wanted insurance for a group that includes the recently returned Ian Cole. The team had sent Chris Summers back to WBS yesterday, after he went unneeded for a few days.
Even without playing, call-ups like this are important for players on two-way contracts. Trotman will earn an NHL paycheck for the few days he’s with the big club, and keep him hungry for the next opportunity. The 27-year old played 67 games for the Boston Bruins from 2013-16, but never could quite overcome the moniker of depth defenseman. He signed a one-year deal with the Penguins this summer, and will provide a veteran option should someone injure themselves in warm up.
The Penguins, 4-2-1 on the season, have turned things around after a shaky start to the year. The defense has still been porous at times, with 12 goals allowed in their last three games, but the depth up front has been able to overcome it. With Cole back in the swing of things, that group should be able to start tightening up.