Penguins notes: Defenseman Ty Smith finally makes debut

The absences of veteran defenseman Kris Letang, Jeff Petry and Chad Ruhwedel paved the way for defenseman Ty Smith to make his long-awaited debut at the NHL level for the Pittsburgh Penguins in Friday’s home game against the New Jersey Devils.

Acquired from the Devils via a trade in July, Smith opened Friday’s contest on the third pairing with veteran Brian Dumoulin. Given the team’s deficit of healthy right-handed defensemen — Letang, Petry and Ruhwedel are all starboarders — Smith, a left-hander, was deployed on the right side. He also filled in for Letang on the team’s top power-play unit.

The 22-year-old Smith enjoyed a strong training camp and preseason but was sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League almost exclusively for salary cap reasons.

With the Penguins operating with scant salary cap space, the 22-year-old Smith, who is in the final year of his entry-level contract, was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as he does not have to clear waivers for such a transaction.

Primarily working on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s top defensive pairing and top power-play unit, Smith has appeared in 26 AHL games and has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists).

A first-round pick (No. 17 overall) by the Devils in 2018, the left-handed Smith was recalled Wednesday but was a healthy scratch for a 5-4 home overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings that night.

A member of the NHL’s all-rookie team in 2020-21 who had never played at the AHL level before this season, Smith offered a “glass-half-full” perspective on being stationed in Northeast Pennsylvania for the bulk of the season.

“There’s always an opportunity (being with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton),” Smith said. “We have good coaches, a pretty good team down there. Lots of good players, guys that I can still learn from and work on my game.

“I don’t think anyone ever wants to be sent down or cut from a team. It was a little tough at first, but it was an opportunity to work on my game.”

Smith’s development at the AHL level has been satisfactory by management’s account.

“Ty’s a guy that as we know has played in the NHL for a number of years,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s a really talented player. Really good offensive instincts. Just working on his defensive aspects of his game (with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). Some of his habits, his speed, his quickness — things of that nature — trying to play the game a little bit quicker is an element of how we’re trying to play in Pittsburgh. He’s working on all of those habits that I think will set him up for success when he’s playing here.”

Letang was labeled as “day-to-day” because of an undisclosed injury. Ruhwedel missed his second consecutive game because of an undisclosed ailment that has sidelined him for two consecutive games.

Petry has been on long-term injured reserve since Dec. 11 because of a suspected left arm injury. That designation temporarily provides the Penguins salary cap space to make recalls from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, including Smith’s.

Oddly enough, former Penguins right-handed defenseman John Marino, who was sent to the Devils in the same transaction involving Smith, is on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury.

Poehling returns

Penguins forward Ryan Poehling was activated from injured reserve and returned to the Penguins’ lineup after missing the three previous games because of an undisclosed injury.

Following an optional morning skate Friday, Poehling indicated his ailment had hindered him for a few weeks.

“The best I’ve felt in two, three weeks,” Poehling said. “So that’s very promising stuff. Mentally, I feel like that’s a big weight off my shoulder. It just feels good to have that progression.”

His return prompted a shuffling of the Penguins’ bottom two lines to open Friday’s game. Teddy Blueger was promoted from the fourth line and centered the third line. That prompted Jeff Carter to slide from center to right wing on the third line. They were joined by Brock McGinn at left wing.

The fourth line was centered by Poehling with Danton Heinen moving from the right wing of the third line to the left wing of the fourth line. Kasperi Kapanen remained on the fourth line at right wing.

Forward Drew O’Connor, who scored his first goal of the season Wednesday while filling fourth-line duties, was a healthy scratch Friday.

With Poehling back on the active roster, forward Drake Caggiula was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.