After practice on Friday morning, the Penguins trimmed their training camp schedule significantly, using both assignments and waivers.
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The team assigned forwards Corey Andonovski, Tristan Broz and Ville Koivunen, and defenseman Owen Pickering, to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Additionally, they placed the following players on waivers:
Defenders
-Nathan Clurman
-Filip Kral
-John Ludvig
Forward
– Emil Bemström
-Jonathan Gruden
-Joona Koppanen
-Sam Poulin
Most notable on this list is Poulin, a first-round pick of the Penguins in 2019. Between 2022 and 2024, Poulin played in just six NHL games and registered an assist. He took some time away from the game in the 2022-23 season to focus on his mental health, and untimely injuries kept him from gaining much traction in terms of NHL playing time with the Penguins.
Of the players on this list, Poulin is probably the player most likely to be claimed. Ludvig could also be of interest to some teams looking for a young left defensive option.
As a reminder, teams have 24 hours to claim a player on waivers from another team. If a player clears waivers without being claimed, he is eligible to be sent to the AHL.
On the other hand, there are only a few “fringe players” who remain with the NHL club in Pittsburgh. The rosters must be whittled down to 23 before the puck drops on October 9, and teams must also meet the caps. This means at least seven other players will not be part of the NHL roster on opening night as the Penguins still have 30 players.
Related: Tough roster decisions loom as Penguins beat Red Wings in preseason matchup
The players left in camp are as follows:
Defenders
-Matt Grzelcyk
– Kris Letang
– Erik Karlsson
-Marcus Pettersson
-Ryan Graves
-Jack St. Ivany
-Harrison Brunicke
-Ryan Shea
-Sebastian Aho
Forward
-Sidney Crosby
– Evgeni Malkin
-Bryan Rust
-Rickard Rakell
– Michael Bunting
-Drew O’Connor
– Lars Eller
-Kevin Hayes
– Noel Acciari
-Jesse Puljujarvi
-Anthonie Beauvillier
-Cody Glass
-Blake Lizotte
– Valtteri Puustinen
– Boko Imama
– Rutger McGroarty
– Vasily Ponomarev
Goalkeepers
-Tristan Jarry
-Joel Blomqvist
-Alex Nedeljkovic
-Filip Larsson
Related: Here’s what the Penguins’ final roster will likely look like
Keep in mind that Nedeljkovic is dealing with a lower-body injury on a weekly basis and could see time on the long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Lizotte is out indefinitely with a concussion, Karlsson and Ponomarev are dealing with upper-body injuries on a daily basis and Rust is dealing with a lower-body injury on a daily basis.
Tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets will be crucial for players like McGroarty, Puustinen, Imama and Brunicke, who are all likely fighting for the final spot or two on the NHL roster.
The Penguins and Blue Jackets face off tonight at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.
Related: Penguins’ top prospect McGroarty fills a new role
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