Penguins Recall Three (or Puusti Rides Again)

The 2024-25 NHL season, or what’s left of it, refuses to go quietly into the night for our Penguins. With a scant three games remaining on our regular-season docket and our forwards dropping like proverbial flies, the Pens dipped into their farm system and made three emergency recalls.

Forwards Emil Bemström, Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen (pictured) are the summonees. Barring any unforeseen occurrences, they’ll play out the string with the big boys.

It’ll be the second stint with the parent club for Bemström and Puustinen, the third for Ponomarev. The 22-year-old Muscovite skated in three non-descript games with the Pens in November and a fourth just prior to the 4 Nations Faceoff. He failed to register a point.

In 54 games with the Baby Pens, Ponomarev produced a healthy 15 goals and 40 points.

Puustinen, 25, opened the season with the black-and-gold. After notching a goal in his third game, Puusti’s ice time gradually dwindled ahead of a late November demotion. The peppery winger’s been a consistent offensive threat in Wilkes with 16 goals and 35 points in 47 games, including a recent four-game goal-scoring streak.

Could it be Puusti’s last stand with the Pens? Or will he ride again?

Yes, I’m being silly.

Only recently returned to Northeastern PA, the 25-year-old Bemström had a lone second assist in 13 games with the Pens. Belying his anemic boxcars, Emil’s underlying numbers were nothing short of sensational (a 58.93 Corsi and 58.28 xGF%).

An all-too-familiar theme with the Pens this season (see Glass, Cody).

I was initially disappointed that Sam Poulin, hot of late, wasn’t among the recalls. However, it appears the husky 213-pound forward is nursing an injury of his own.

As for the Pens’ no-go list, grinders Noel Acciari and Blake Lizotte, emergency recall Matt Nieto, ex-Preds Tommy Novak and Philip Tomasino, and rookie Rutger McGroarty all have been shut down for the remainder of the NHL season.

Provided they recover, McGroarty and Nieto will be eligible to skate for the Baby Pens in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Speaking of the Baby Pens, they’re presently tied for third in the tough AHL Atlantic Division with a record of 37-21-8 and 82 points. They’re four points out of second, currently occupied by Charlotte, with a game in hand on the Checkers and six games left to play.