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Penguins Notes: Karlsson, Ludvig, Smith

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The Pittsburgh Penguins tweeted yesterday that star defenseman Erik Karlsson was held out of practice due to an illness. The 33-year-old is questionable for Saturday night’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights which means recent call-up Ryan Shea could find his way back into the lineup once again for the Penguins.

Karlsson was acquired this past August in a blockbuster three-way trade involving the San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens. He won the Norris Trophy last season after being the first defenseman to top 100 points in a season since Brian Leetch did it in 1991-92. In his first year with the Penguins, Karlsson has had stretches of play where he has looked dominant, however, he has also struggled with the man advantage as the much-maligned Penguins powerplay has yet to find consistency and is a big reason that the team is chasing a playoff spot at the midway point of the season.

In other Penguins notes:

  • Pens Inside Scoop is reporting that injured Penguins defenseman John Ludvig skated in a non-contact jersey after the official portion of the team’s practice had ended yesterday. Ludvig was placed on the injured reserve on January 3rd and is progressing towards a return very soon. The 23-year-old is in his first season with the Penguins, and although he has only a single assist in 19 games, he has impressed the team with his defensive responsibility and willingness to throw his body around.
  • Pens Inside Scoop also reported that Reilly Smith also skated in a non-contact jersey after Penguins practice as he hopes to return in the coming weeks. Smith will likely not be able to play Saturday when the Penguins take on his former team in the Vegas Golden Knights as he is out longer term with an upper-body injury according to the Penguins. Smith suffered the injury on January 11th and has not played since. While a return to the ice against his former team is unlikely, the 32-year-old is in Vegas with the Penguins and should have a chance to re-connect with the community he spent six years in.

Penguins Reassign Jordan Frasca To ECHL

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  • In a minor league transaction, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced that their NHL affiliate, the Pittsburgh Penguins, had reassigned forward Jordan Frasca back to the organization’s ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers. Frasca went scoreless in his three-game stint in Wilkes-Barre but has already scored nine goals and 24 points in 25 games for the Nailers this season.

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Penguins Injury Notes: Ludvig, Nieto, Smith

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Rob Rossi of The Athletic had some updates today on a few injuries the Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with as they reach the mid-season mark. Rossi stated that defenseman John Ludvig is tracking well and skated on his own this morning. The 23-year-old rookie has been a pleasant surprise this season for Pittsburgh after he was acquired off waivers from the Florida Panthers. The former third-round pick hasn’t offered much offensively but has been one of the only Penguins defenders to engage opponents physically and had been very sound in the defensive zone.

Ludvig was placed on injured reserve back on January 3rd after head coach Mike Sullivan said he was a little banged up. It isn’t clear what type of injury he is dealing with, but it appears that he should be back in the Penguins lineup very soon. Pittsburgh has quite a few bottom-pairing defensive options and has shuffled through all of them, however, before the injury Ludvig appeared to be taking a firm grasp on one of those spots.

In other Penguins injury notes:

  • Rossi also provided a brief update on injured forward Matthew Nieto who underwent successful laparoscopic surgery to his right knee just two weeks ago. Rossi’s short comment mentioned that things are status quo with Nieto and his recovery, and he will remain in Pittsburgh when the team goes on their upcoming road trip. Nieto was expected to miss 6-8 weeks recovering from the surgery, and given that his status remains the same, it is safe to assume that he will return to the Penguins lineup just before the NHL trade deadline on March 8th. Nieto has been terrific for the Penguins on the penalty kill this season, and his even strength play improved after a poor start to the season. Jansen Harkins is currently occupying Nieto’s spot on the Penguins fourth line alongside Noel Acciari and Jeff Carter.
  • Finally, Rossi offered an update on Reilly Smith saying that he will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip but likely will not play. It is expected that the team will have an update on Smith’s status after the weekend. Smith’s injury is currently being classified as an upper-body injury that will keep him out longer-term, however, not much more information is available. Smith opened the season showing terrific chemistry with center Evgeni Malkin, but since November 4th he has just two goals and has seemed lost at times. He has dressed in 40 games this season and has eight goals and 12 assists during that time. The Penguins are currently using Drew O’Connor in Smith’s role on the second line alongside Malkin.

Pittsburgh Penguins Place Radim Zohorna On Waivers, Recall Ryan Shea

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Jan. 17: Zohorna cleared waivers and can be assigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the Penguins’ discretion, TSN’s Chris Johnston reports. In a corresponding transaction, the team summoned defenseman Ryan Shea after sending him to the minors last week.

Jan. 16: The Pittsburgh Penguins are placing depth forward, Radim Zohorna, on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. If Zohorna does clear and is reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, it will mark Zohorna’s first time back in the AHL since late October of this season.

Towards the beginning of the year, Zohorna was originally recalled by Pittsburgh to improve a bottom-six that had struggled out of the gate. Zohorna got off to a strong start, scoring three goals and six points in 13 games between October 21st and November 19th. Unfortunately, since then, Zohorna has seen his production crater, as he has only been able to muster one goal in his next 18 games for the Penguins, seeing his average ice time drop by approximately three minutes.

In the meantime, with Pittsburgh’s recent recall of Colin White on Saturday, the team may be more comfortable with giving White an opportunity on the team’s third or fourth line. White had originally spent the first few months of the season in the AHL, scoring five goals and 10 points in 21 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Now returning to the AHL, Zohorna will return to a very familiar setting in eastern Pennsylvania. Although he has only played in two games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, Zohorna is a veteran of 53 games for Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate since 2020-21, scoring 15 goals and 32 points over that stretch.

Penguins To Discuss Jake Guentzel's Future Over All-Star Break

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  • Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is expected to have a conversation with pending UFA winger Jake Guentzel’s camp about his future with the team during the upcoming All-Star break, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Monday’s edition of the “32 Thoughts” podcast. Reports earlier this month indicated Guentzel’s agent, Ben Hankinson, may opt to delay extension talks until the summer. While a 6-2-2 run in their last 10 games now has the Penguins at a 60% chance of making the postseason, per Hockey Reference, they’re not a lock in a competitive Metropolitan Division. If their conversation in a few weeks doesn’t result in Dubas having substantive confidence in his ability to extend Guentzel, the two-time 40-goal scorer may end up the subject of a blockbuster deadline trade.

Penguins Recall Colin White

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The Penguins recalled forward Colin White from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday afternoon, per a team release.  To remain cap-compliant, the team sent defenseman Ryan Shea to WBS in a corresponding transaction.

White, 26, is in his first season with the organization after shouldering fourth-line duties for the Panthers in their run to last season’s Stanley Cup Final. Initially joining the team on a PTO during training camp, the 2015 first-round pick was one of the few tryout attendees this year to earn a permanent contract. The Penguins signed him to a one-year, two-way deal three days before the start of the season and promptly placed him on waivers.

After passing through unclaimed, White reported to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for his first full-time AHL assignment in six years. His stat line with the Baby Pens is underwhelming, to say the least. He’s posted five goals and five assists for ten points in 21 games, although he’s heating up with eight points in his last ten games after a horrid start to the year.

The former Ottawa Senator is now on his third team in as many years after his lone campaign in Florida in 2022-23. His production has continuously dwindled since his 14-goal, 41-point rookie season in 2018-19, which prompted former Senators GM Pierre Dorion to sign him to an ill-advised six-year, $28.5MM deal that was bought out in the summer of 2022.

Injuries have played a major role in his lack of development. Most significantly, a dislocated shoulder cost him the first 50 games of the 2021-22 campaign.

Nevertheless, he gets what’s likely to be a brief shot back in the NHL ranks with Pittsburgh. With Reilly Smith sidelined with an upper-body injury, the Penguins are down to 12 healthy forwards on the active roster and only have cap room for two healthy skaters. For now, they evidently prefer to carry 13 forwards and six defenders rather than 12 and seven.

Shea, also in his first season in Pittsburgh, heads back to the AHL after a ten-day stint on the NHL roster. The 26-year-old’s only NHL experience has come in a Penguins jersey this season, posting a -2 rating and averaging 12:28 per game in 22 contests. The former Blackhawks and Stars prospect is still looking for his first NHL point.

He was one of the best shutdown blueliners in the minor leagues last season, posting 28 points and a +37 rating in 70 games with AHL Texas. That showing earned him a one-way deal from Pittsburgh and a spot on the team’s opening-night roster, and while he’s shown solid chance-prevention skills with the Penguins, his lack of any offensive production has bumped him down the depth chart over the past few months. He’s eligible for UFA status next summer.

Reilly Smith Out "Longer-Term"

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Reilly Smith has had a slow start to his first campaign with the team, as his 41-point scoring pace is a notable decline from last season, when he scored 56 points in 78 games. Smith has been struck with even worse luck, as after a hit from Nikita Zadorov in last night’s game Smith is believed to be out “longer-term” with an upper-body injury. (via SportsNet Pittsburgh’s Hailey Hunter)

Smith is currently playing third-line minutes alongside Lars Eller and Valtteri Puustinen, and will need to be replaced for the foreseeable future. Big Radim Zahorna has been a healthy scratch and could step right in, or alternatively, the team could opt to call up a player from its AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. The Penguins traded Wilkes-Barre Scranton’s leading scorer, Rem Pitlick, to the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this month, so it’s likely if there is a recall a player such as Alex Nylander is the one who receives it.

Anaheim Ducks Claim Gustav Lindstrom Off Waivers

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Chris Johnston of TSN is reporting that the Anaheim Ducks have claimed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens. Lindstrom was originally acquired by the Canadiens from the Detroit Red Wings along with a 2025 fourth-round pick in exchange for defenseman Jeff Petry. The trade happened towards the end of last summer after Petry had been moved to Montreal by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 25-year-old Lindstrom was drafted by Detroit 38th overall in the 2017 NHL entry draft and emerged as an NHL option during the 2019-2020 season as he posted one assist in a 16-game NHL audition. The following year during the pandemic-shorted season, Lindstrom dressed in just 13 NHL games and put up three points, while struggling with turnovers and defensive miscues.

The turnovers became a theme in Lindstrom’s play during his first full NHL season in 2021-22 when Lindstrom dressed in 63 games and averaged over 16 minutes of ice time per game. Lindstrom did emerge as a talented shot blocker and a physical option on the back end, but his sloppy play with the puck became a problem for the young defender.

This year with Montreal, Lindstrom has played in 13 games and has a career-high three goals and an assist. Despite his goal-scoring, Lindstrom has not played for Montreal since December 9th and was expected to be sent to the Laval Rocket of the AHL if he cleared waivers.

With the waiver claim, the Ducks will have a free look at a talented, albeit flawed, young defenseman.

Jake Guentzel Could Delay Extension Discussions With Penguins

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Jake Guentzel’s future with the Penguins is one of several questions surrounding the team as they continue to battle to get back into a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.  The fact he’s a pending unrestricted free agent would seem to expedite the need for extension talks to happen.  However, in a recent appearance on the NHL Network (video link), David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period suggests that Guentzel’s camp could opt to wait until the summer before engaging in substantive discussions about a new deal.  He adds that there have been no discussions between the two sides so far.

The 29-year-old is in the middle of what could be a career year as he has 18 goals and 25 assists in 37 games so far, a 95-point pace.  His previous benchmark was sent in 2021-22 when he collected 84 points in 76 contests.  Guentzel has reached the 40-goal mark twice so far in his career and is on pace for 40 this season as well, setting him up quite nicely for a substantial raise on his current $6MM AAV.

One of the elements that could delay Guentzel’s decision is Pittsburgh’s place in the standings.  If GM Kyle Dubas decides to embark on any sort of retool or rebuild, it’s possible that could dissuade Guentzel from wanting to extend.  Of course, it’s possible that in that scenario, the decision gets taken out of his hands altogether if the Penguins decide to move him altogether by the March 8th trade deadline.  What Pittsburgh’s plans are moving forward will obviously go a long way toward determining Guentzel’s level of interest in sticking around.

Assuming the salary cap goes up to the $87.5MM range as anticipated, Pittsburgh should have enough flexibility to make a competitive offer to Guentzel, one that could push past the $9MM mark on a long-term agreement.  Considering his value to the team and in a potential trade, it stands to reason that Dubas will at least approach Guentzel’s camp to get a sense of what a new deal might cost.  But one way or another, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be putting pen to paper on an extension anytime soon.

Blackhawks Acquire Rem Pitlick

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The Blackhawks have added some extra depth up front, acquiring winger Rem Pitlick from Pittsburgh in exchange for a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick.  Both teams have announced the swap.

Pitlick spent the previous two seasons with Montreal before being included as part of the three-team swap which also involved San Jose, landing the Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson.

The 26-year-old impressed as a waiver claim by the Canadiens in 2021, picking up 26 points in 46 games.  That was enough for Montreal to give him a two-year, $2.2MM contract, seemingly giving him some stability.  However, Pitlick cleared waivers last season, splitting the year between AHL Laval and Montreal where he had just 15 points in 46 contests, leading to a trade request, one that was granted with his inclusion in the three-way trade.

However, the change of scenery didn’t work out quite as planned for Pitlick.  Pittsburgh’s cap situation helped land him back on waivers and since clearing at the end of training camp, he has played exclusively with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  Pitlick has been productive down there, notching 24 points in 32 games to lead the Baby Pens in scoring.

Presumably, Pitlick will now get an NHL look with a team where the salary cap situation won’t be a concern.  The Blackhawks have six forwards on injured reserve at the moment while Connor Bedard left yesterday’s game due to injury so Pitlick should get an opportunity to make an impact with Chicago.  A strong second half showing could give him a nice boost heading into unrestricted free agency this summer, just like it did two years ago.

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