The Penguins announced that they’ve recalled right-winger Samuel Poulin from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Middle Kevin Hayes was transferred to injured reserve to open an energetic roster spot.
Poulin, 23, was Pittsburgh’s first-round choice within the 2019 draft. The Penguins chosen him twenty first total, a tad larger than the consensus on the time, forward of names like Connor McMichael and Shane Pinto. He’d been taken second total within the QMJHL Entry Draft by the Sherbrooke Phoenix simply two years prior, and he’d began his main junior profession on the proper foot with 45 objectives, 76 assists and 121 factors by 122 appearances over two seasons earlier than being plucked by the Penguins.
After one other two years of high-end offensive performances within the Q, Poulin turned professional and commenced the 2021-22 season on task to WBS. Accidents and a prolonged depart of absence to deal with his psychological well being have restricted his video games performed and total efficiency considerably since then, although. 2022-23 was a low level – whereas he did make his NHL debut that season amid a three-game call-up, he was restricted to simply 4 objectives in 15 AHL contests. Final 12 months, although, he appeared to achieve some traction again with 31 factors (16 G, 15 A) in 41 appearances with the Child Pens, the perfect point-per-game displaying of his AHL profession by a large margin.
In 2024-25, Poulin was waiver-eligible for the primary time, resulting in a good quantity of hypothesis that he’d make the workforce out of camp purely out of concern of dropping him on the wire. That didn’t occur, although, and Poulin cleared waivers with out incident in early October and commenced the season again in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He’s acquired three objectives and 6 assists for 9 factors in his first 11 video games, tying him for second in scoring.
Poulin now appears to see NHL ice for the third 12 months in a row after three-game showings in every of the final two seasons. In these mixed six appearances, he has one help, a -4 ranking, 4 pictures on purpose and eight hits whereas going 13-for-29 on attracts and averaging 8:53 per sport. He’s now not among the many league’s high 100 prospects, however McKeen’s Hockey nonetheless ranks him because the seventh-best up-and-comer within the Pens’ system. He can stay on Pittsburgh’s roster for as much as 30 days or play 10 video games earlier than he requires waivers once more to go again to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
As for Hayes, he was downgraded to week-to-week Sunday with an upper-body harm. The IR placement solely guidelines him out for Monday’s sport in opposition to the Stars, however he’ll miss extra time than that.
