Penguins place 3 on waivers, assign 2 to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed three players on waivers on Wednesday, presumably for the purposes of assigning them to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Reserve forwards Jimmy Huntington, Marc Johnstone and Mac Hollowell were waived. Should they clear by 2 p.m. on Thursday, they can be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Hollowell and Huntington were free agent signings in July while Johnstone is entering his second season with the organization.

Johnstone, a right-hander, has played in one contest this preseason and has one assist.

The 28-year-old appeared in his first career NHL game last season as a member of the Penguins and did not record a point. Primarily assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2023-24, Johnstone (6-foot, 179 pounds) played in 41 games and scored nine points (three goals, six assists).

The 25-year-old Huntington has played in two games this preseason and has no points with one shot.

A left-handed shot, Huntington spent all of last season with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, helping that team win the Calder Cup. In 67 games during the 2023-24 campaign, Huntington (6-foot, 200 pounds) had 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists).

In two preseason contests, Hollowell, 26, has one assist. The right-handed Hollowell (5-9, 162) spent the 2023-24 season with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, suiting up for 64 games and scoring 44 points (three goals, four assists).

Johnstone is entering the final year of a two-year contract while Hollowell and Huntington are signed to one-year deals. All three are signed to two-way contracts and carry salary cap hits of $775,000, the league minimum.

Additionally, forward Avery Hayes and Dan Renouf, each signed to AHL contracts, were assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

In three games this preseason, Hayes, 21, had one assist and five shots. Renouf, 30, suited up for one game and had no points.