Howe had surgery to reconstruct a torn ACL on Wednesday and will be sidelined for nine months.
Howe split the 2024-25 campaign between WHL Regina and Calgary, logging a combined 18 goals and 28 assists in 47 contests before adding another nine points in six playoff games with the Hitmen. Selected by the Penguins in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old winger is likely going to make the jump to the AHL next season, but he could have been a long-shot option to make the Opening Night roster. Instead, Howe likely won't be ready to play until January and figures to play primarily in the minors for the rest of 2025-26.
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Penguins' Valtteri Puustinen: Optioned to AHL
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Puustinen was sent to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.
Puustinen managed a pair of goals and an assist in 13 NHL games this season. The 25-year-old Finn had 16 goals and 19 assists over 47 AHL games this season, before his recall.
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Penguins' Samuel Poulin: Reassigned to AHL
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Poulin was reassigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.
Poulin joined Pittsburgh for Thursday's regular-season finale against Washington but will return to the minors a day later. He recorded 19 goals and 24 assists over 56 appearances with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during the regular season, and he should have a chance to contribute during the AHL playoffs.
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Penguins' Filip Kral: Back in AHL
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Kral was returned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.
Kral was a healthy scratch in both games this week with the Penguins. The 25-year-old had seven goals and 22 helpers over 59 AHL games before his recall.
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Penguins' Vasily Ponomarev: Sent to minors
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Ponomarev was reassigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.
Ponomarev spent the last week of the regular season with Pittsburgh, and he was held without a point while generating four hits and a blocked shot over three appearances during his stint with the NHL club. He should have more opportunities to contribute in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
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Penguins' Joona Koppanen: Reassigned to AHL
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Koppanen was reassigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.
Koppanen spent the final few weeks of the regular season with Pittsburgh, and he recorded a goal, 40 hits and three blocked shots while averaging 13:23 of ice time over 11 appearances. Now that the NHL regular season has concluded, Koppanen should have a chance to see some extra work in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
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Penguins' Ville Koivunen: Relegated to minors
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Koivunen was sent to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday.
Koivunen was terrific in his eight-game trial with Pittsburgh, picking up seven assists. Koivunen had 21 goals and 34 assists in 62 AHL contests this season and is in line for a top-six role next season with the Penguins.
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Penguins' Blake Lizotte: Will be ready for training camp
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Lizotte said Friday that his lower-body injury won't linger, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Lizotte missed the last four games of the season with the injury. The 27-year-old had a career-tying 11 goals, as well as nine assists in 59 appearances this season, his first in Pittsburgh after spending the first six years of his career with the Kings. Lizotte has one more season remaining at a $1.85 million cap hit and is eligible for free agency following the 2025-26 campaign.
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Penguins' Vladislav Kolyachonok: Plays in finale
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Kolyachonok suited up and logged three hits with a shot on goal and a minus-1 rating in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Kolyachonok got back in the lineup after a seven-game stint as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old ended the campaign with seven points, 20 shots on net, 27 hits, 31 blocked shots, 10 PIM and a minus-12 rating over 35 appearances between Pittsburgh and Utah. Kolyachonok has had trouble establishing himself in the NHL, but he should get a chance to prove himself in training camp next fall, considering the Penguins' blue line was a weak spot this season.
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Penguins' Connor Dewar: Bags assist in win
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Dewar logged an assist, two shots on goal and two hits in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Dewar had three points over seven outings in April. The 25-year-old forward ended the campaign with four goals, six assists, 55 shots on net, 129 hits and a minus-3 rating over 48 appearances between the Penguins and the Maple Leafs. He'll be a restricted free agent this summer, but he showed enough as a bottom-six forward in his time with Pittsburgh to get a new contract.
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Penguins' Rickard Rakell: Sets career high in points
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Rakell logged an assist, three shots on goal and two PIM in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
The helper got Rakell to the 70-point mark for the first time in his career. He racked up 11 points over the last 12 contests of the season to achieve a career year. Rakell concludes 2024-25 with 35 goals, 35 assists, 203 shots on net, 116 hits, 77 blocked shots and a minus-22 rating over 81 appearances. He's under contract for three more years, and he should be a key part of the Penguins' offense in 2025-26.
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Penguins' Matt Grzelcyk: Picks up pair of assists
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Grzelcyk notched two assists, two hits, two blocked shots and a plus-3 rating in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Grzelcyk had four assists over the last three contests. The 31-year-old defenseman was quite successful on offense in his first year with the Penguins, earning a career-high 40 points (one goal, 39 assists) while playing in all 82 games for the first time. He added 94 shots on net, 101 blocked shots, 43 hits and a minus-6 rating. Grzelcyk played on a one-year contract this season, and his career year should generate quite a market if he gets to free agency.
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Penguins' Ville Koivunen: Notches pair of helpers
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Koivunen registered two assists, two shots on goal and two blocked shots in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Koivunen had a hand in both of Bryan Rust's tallies in the contest. This was Koivunen's first multi-point effort in the NHL. The 21-year-old picked up seven assists, including three on the power play, and added 15 shots on net and an even plus-minus rating over eight appearances late in the season. It's likely he'll return to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for that team's playoff run, but Koivunen should have an inside track to the NHL in 2025-26.
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Penguins' Danton Heinen: Scores shorthanded goal
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Heinen scored a shorthanded goal on three shots in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Heinen's goal came just before a penalty expired in the third period. The 29-year-old ended a 12-game goal drought with the tally. He produced 29 points, 81 shots on net, 71 hits, 37 blocked shots and a plus-2 rating over 79 appearances between the Penguins and the Canucks this season. Heinen is a decent bottom-six forward at the NHL level, and that's likely the role he'll fill with the Penguins in 2025-26 as he enters a contract year.
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Penguins' Philip Tomasino: Pair of points in win
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Tomasino scored a goal on three shots, dished an assist and went plus-2 in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Tomasino had three points over the last two games of the season. The 23-year-old forward ended up with 11 goals, 13 assists, 104 shots on net, 63 hits and a minus-10 rating over 61 appearances between the Penguins and the Predators this season. Tomasino will be a restricted free agent this summer, and assuming the Penguins bring him back, he's a candidate to fill a middle-six role in 2025-26.
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Penguins' Sidney Crosby: Gets over 90-point mark again
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Crosby scored a goal on three shots, added a power-play assist, logged two PIM and went plus-2 in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
From the start of March, Crosby rallied with 30 points over the last 21 games of the season. The 37-year-old wasn't able to change the Penguins' fortunes, but he was able to cross the 90-point threshold for the ninth time in 20 seasons. He ends 2024-25 with 33 goals, 58 assists, 227 shots on net, 67 hits, 39 blocked shots, 31 PIM and a minus-20 rating over 80 appearances. He earned 27 of his 91 points with the man advantage. Crosby inked a two-year extension just before this season began, so he'll be back for a 21st season in 2025-26.
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Penguins' Bryan Rust: Crosses 30-goal threshold
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Rust scored twice on four shots, including one power-play goal, in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Rust rallied in April, earning five goals and five assists over the last seven games of the season. This got the veteran winger over 30 goals for the first time -- he concludes 2024-25 with 31 tallies and 65 points, both of which are career highs. He also put up 191 shots on net, 62 hits, 54 blocked shots and a minus-21 rating over 71 appearances. Rust continues to be part of the Penguins' core heading into 2025-26.
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Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic: Gets win in season finale
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Nedeljkovic stopped 18 of 20 shots in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Capitals.
Nedeljkovic ended the season with a win against a 13-forward, five-defensemen lineup. The 29-year-old goalie had some highlights this season, including a goalie goal in January, but his overall body of work was unimpressive. In 38 games, he produced a 14-15-5 record with a 3.12 GAA and an .894 save percentage over 38 appearances. He's under contract for 2025-26, but given both his struggles and Tristan Jarry's flaws, the Penguins could be looking for an upgrade in goal over the summer.
Hayes (lower body) won't play in Thursday's game versus the Capitals.
Hayes will miss the regular-season finale due to his injury. The 32-year-old ends 2024-25 with 23 points, 52 hits, 98 shots on net and a minus-15 rating across 64 outings. Samuel Poulin will replace Hayes in the lineup.
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