Penguins Recall Goaltending, Forward Prospects Ahead Of Return-To-Play
On Tuesday, the Penguins recalled goaltender Joel Blomqvist and forward Emil Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.
In a corresponding move, goaltender Tristan Jarry was re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The Penguins have recalled forward Emil Bemstrom and goaltender Joel Blomqvist from the @WBSPenguins (AHL).Goaltender Tristan Jarry has been re-assigned to WBS. pic.twitter.com/jQhUVx7ptS
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 18, 2025
Blomqvist, 23, was sent down when the 4 Nations Face-off break ensued in order to get some playing time during the break, as the young goaltender had only started two of Pittsburgh's final nine games before the break due to the stellar play of Alex Nedeljkovic. In three AHL starts during that time, Blomqvist went 1-1-1 with a .900 save percentage.
Bemstrom, 25, was recalled for two games prior to the break. Although he didn't post any points in those two NHL games, he is enjoying a stellar season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 20 goals and 44 points in 41 AHL games. He was also named an AHL All-Star this season.
The Penguins return to regular season play on Saturday, when they take on the Washington Capitals at home. Pittsburgh is 23-25-9 on the season and currently sits six points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
What I'm hearing about Penguins prospects, expected NHL arrivals
PITTSBURGH — For the first time in a generation, the Pittsburgh Penguins' prospect pool isn't an organizational afterthought. Real players with real talent are on their way to Pittsburgh as the team's rebuild is fully underway. The organization is excited about its direction for the first time in several years and about individual prospects who could someday make a profound impact in the NHL. Advertisement I've had the opportunity to speak with many people within the organization since the NHL Draft and the team's recently completed rookie camp. Here's what I've learned about a handful of players. While the Penguins now have a boatload of first-round picks in their prospect pool, I'm not sure a player has elevated his profile more than Harrison Brunicke. Expecting the 19-year-old to make the team out of training camp seems unreasonable because the Penguins also employ Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Matt Dumba and Connor Clifton. Those four right-handed defensemen, despite their limitations, figure to make it very difficult for Brunicke to make the team. Of course, the roster can change. More to the point: The Penguins are in love with Brunicke, and it's easy to see why. Brunicke — at 18 — was probably their best defenseman in training camp last season. A couple of days before the season, former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan's eyes grew huge at the mere mention of Brunicke's name. Sullivan didn't say a word, but his facial expression illustrated his opinion that Brunicke will become a big-time NHL player. Sullivan isn't alone on that. The Penguins front office is unified in that belief, and not just because of his significant physical ability. Brunicke might have the personality to wear a letter on his chest someday. 'His greatest strength might be his competitiveness. He wants to make the team out of camp,' said a high-ranking member of the organization who was granted anonymity so they could speak freely about personnel matters. Brunicke played only 12 games for AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season, but people in the organization say he was the best player on the ice in many of them. He'll likely land in Pittsburgh at the start of the 2026-27 season. It's typically unwise to rush defensemen to the NHL, and the Penguins know they're likely to lose a lot next season anyway. But make no mistake, the Penguins are exceptionally enthusiastic about Brunicke. They believe they got a steal in the second round. Advertisement There's a sentiment around the NHL that the Penguins reached for Benjamin Kindel with the draft's 11th pick. Kindel is undersized, yes, but the Penguins — notably vice president of player personnel Wes Clark, whose power during the draft is unmatched in the organization — believe they made the right choice. Kindel didn't blow anyone away with his performance at rookie camp, but the Penguins aren't the least bit concerned. They believe Kindel will become an NHL standout. Why? More than anything, his hockey mind. His brain is his greatest strength, and that's not always going to be on display in something like a rookie camp. A team source recently compared him to a younger version of Jake Guentzel. He's not the biggest, or the fastest, and probably won't be ready for the NHL for two or three years. But … his hockey IQ is so exceptionally high that the Penguins believe he will prove their selection to be correct. Don't be shocked if Bill Zonnon, the 22nd pick in the draft, makes it to the NHL before Kindel. The Penguins think they landed a steal. Zonnon did nothing to disappoint them in rookie camp. Quite the opposite. Scouts have said that his floor is very high, and everyone I've spoken with in the NHL agrees. He's big, he's physically mature, and he plays a very simple game that NHL coaches love. There's not much East-West in his game, and there aren't many bad habits, either. The Penguins love him. Speaking of players the Penguins are pleased with, Will Horcoff, the third of the first-round picks last month, also impressed at rookie camp. While his skill doesn't blow anyone away, his size and hockey IQ do. The Penguins love him. One longtime member of the organization said Horcoff reminds him, in some ways, of Jordan Staal. Advertisement Horcoff won't make the team at 18 like Staal did, but there are indeed similarities in size, puck handling and clogging up passing lanes with their long reach. One player to watch when training camp arrives is defenseman Emil Pieniniemi, the Penguins' third-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft. His stock rose as he produced 60 points in 60 games with the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) last season. The Penguins think his skating and overall defensive work must improve before he is NHL-ready. However, they love his decisions with the puck and believe he will mature into a good, puck-moving NHL defenseman. Just because the Penguins acquired goaltender Artūrs Šilovs doesn't mean they are down on the other young goaltenders in their system. Far from it. Šilovs is young and talented, and, given his talent and small acquisition cost, the trade was a no-brainer for the Penguins. Still, they remain very high on prospects Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist. In particular, Murashov's ceiling is especially high, and the Penguins are eager to gauge his progress in training camp. It would be something of a surprise if Murashov makes the NHL roster out of training camp, but his trajectory is impressive. Many people across the organization expect him to make his NHL debut by the 2026-27 season at the latest. The Penguins are not outwardly 'tanking' for Gavin McKenna, the surefire first pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. But the organization is delighted that he'll play at Penn State next season. Expect Penguins boss Kyle Dubas and many other team officials to spend plenty of time in Happy Valley this season … just in case. (Photo of Harrison Brunicke: Jeanine Leech / Getty Images)
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Will Owen Pickering Make The Opening Night Roster?
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a lot of decisions to make regarding some of their young players before the puck drops on the regular season Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Wraparound: What Will The Penguins Do With Rust And Rakell?
Kick off a new week in the NHL off-season with a new episode of rapid-fire topics on The Wraparound. What Will The Penguins Do With Rust And Rakell? by The Wraparound undefined Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Adam Kierszenblat discussed in this episode: 0:00: Reflecting on the NHL career of Jaroslav Halak 5:30: Will Blake Wheeler go down as one of the best Winnipeg Jets ever? 9:20: Did the Jets get a good deal by extending Gabriel Vilardi? 13:30: What will the Pittsburgh Penguins end up doing with Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell? 18:40: Could Nazem Kadri be traded by the Calgary Flames? 24:17: Will the Colorado Avalanche be able to keep Martin Necas? 30:40: Which players going through salary arbitration are due for the biggest raises? 34:30: What have been the best and worst contracts handed out this off-season? See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes. Apple Podcasts Spotify Podbean iHeartRadio Amazon Promo photo credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
