With forward Evgeni Malkin healthy enough to play in Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Red Wings, the Penguins assigned rookie forward Kasper Bjorkqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday under emergency conditions, Bjorkqvist participated in warmups prior to Sunday’s game at PPG Paints Arena. Almost as soon as warmups concluded, the team announced he had been returned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
In six NHL games this season, Bjorkqvist has one goal while averaging 8 minutes, 22 seconds of ice time. With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Bjorkqvist has played in 41 games and scored eight points (six goals, two assists).
Malkin missed Friday’s 5-1 road loss to the New York Rangers due to an undisclosed illness and was absent from practice in Cranberry on Saturday. He is expected to center the Penguins’ second line with Rickard Rakell on the left wing and Bryan Rust at right wing.
