The Penguins are getting another forward back into the mix, and it comes at the expense of a player who never got the chance to make much of an imprint.
Ben Kindel has been activated off injured reserve, the team announced, after recovering from the lower-body injury he suffered in the preseason. Pittsburgh had already said Andrei Kuzmenko would return from personal leave tonight against Montreal, so the lineup is getting a noticeable boost all at once. Kindel was placed on IR retroactively, but in the end he’ll miss just one game.
That’s a quick turnaround for a 19-year-old who was one of Pittsburgh’s real surprises last season. Kindel entered the organization as an 11th-overall pick that caught plenty of people off guard based on where most scouting services had him ranked, then went right on surprising folks by cracking the lineup and carving out a meaningful role.
He played 77 games last season and put up 17 goals and 18 assists, which landed him inside the team’s top 10 in scoring. His work also earned him ninth place in Calder Trophy voting.
Kindel stayed in the lineup for the playoffs, too, though he didn’t record a point in Pittsburgh’s six-game loss to Philadelphia. He’s expected to slide back into a middle-six spot in a lineup that will look different from Wednesday’s opener.
To make room, the Penguins placed David Gustafsson on waivers with a non-roster designation. It’s a rough break for the 26-year-old, who was acquired from Winnipeg this offseason in exchange for blueliner Jack St.
Ivany in a move aimed at giving both players a fresh start. Gustafsson made the roster out of training camp, but his stint there was short.
He brings 149 career NHL games across six seasons with the Jets, with six goals and 14 assists and a role that has typically kept him under nine minutes per night. Last season, he spent the year in AHL Manitoba and posted 10 goals and 22 assists in 49 games.
Gustafsson is on a one-year, two-way deal worth $850K at the NHL level and a total guaranteed payout of half that amount. He’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. Any team has until 1 PM CT to claim him; if he clears, he’ll head to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and try to work his way back to the NHL through an in-season recall.
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For a team that has shown fight, the frustrating part is starting to come into focus. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has been putting pucks on net in bunches, only to leave without the finish to match, and that leaves the Penguins looking for a cleaner result when they see Hartford again on October 10. Their next home date is not until October 23 against the Belleville Senators, so there is plenty of time before the building gets another chance to see whether the effort finally turns into points. [Read more 🡒]
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So when Malkin was asked about Ovechkins news, the moment landed as more than a routine reaction from one future Hall of Famer to another. It also nudged attention toward Malkins own path, because his playing future is still an open question and the end of Ovechkins run adds another layer to the countdown around one of the Penguins defining stars. [Read more 🡒]
Crosbys Ovechkin Reflection Hits Penguins Fans Right In The Rivalry
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For Penguins fans, the larger picture is hard to miss: Crosby is still playing on an expiring contract, and he has made clear he wants to keep going beyond the current horizon. Ovechkins future now has a defined endpoint, while Crosbys does not, which only adds another layer to a rivalry that has long been about more than wins and losses. [Read more 🡒]