While the NHL and many leagues in North America are in the the midst of their offseasons because of the coronavirus pandemic, several leagues in Europe and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League have already opened play for the 2020-21 season.

Eighteen of the Penguins’ prospects or minor leaguers are currently playing, primarily in Europe. Here is a weekly look at their progress:

• Defenseman Cam Lee recorded six points over the course of three games last week with HC Slovan Bratislava in the Slovak Extraliga. First, on Tuesday, he recorded four assists in a 6-3 home win against DVTK Jegesmedvék Miskolc. His second and third assists were primary helpers resulting in goals off of tipped shots from the point.

After being held without a point on Friday a 3-1 home win against HC 07 Detva, Lee scored the first two professional goals of his career on Sunday in a 4-1 road win against HC Kosice.

The 23-year-old Lee was an undrafted free agent signing in March who is entering the first year of a two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.

• In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, forward Nathan Legare recorded an assist for Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Thursday in a 4-2 home loss to the Val-d’Or Foreurs.

• Legare missed another home game against Val-d’Or on Sunday because of a back injury. The 19-year-old Legare was a third-round pick (No. 74 overall) in 2019 who is signed to a three-year entry-level contract (which has yet to begin) with the Penguins.

• Defenseman Clayton Phillips made his season debut with Penn State on Thursday. In a 4-1 road loss to Minnesota, Phillips recorded three shots on net and was held without a point. Phillips went scoreless again with a single shot on Friday in a 3-2 road loss to Minnesota.

The 21-year-old Phillips was a third-round pick (No. 93 overall) in 2017 and has yet to sign with the team.

• On Friday, Ilves of Finland’s top-tier Liiga announced defenseman Santeri Airola would be sidelined for one week for undisclosed reasons. Airola missed roughly two months of the action throughout October and November after suffering a preseason injury in September.

Currently on loan to Koovee of the Finland’s second-tier Mestis league, the 20-year-old Airola was a seventh-round draft pick (No. 211 overall) who has yet to sign with the Penguins.

• Elsewhere in the Mestis, defenseman Antti Palojarvi recorded his second point of the season — an assist — with a defensive play which forward Ville Heikkala converted into a game-winning goal for Hermes during a 4-3 road win against IPK on Wednesday.

Palojarvi, 21, was a sixth-round pick (No. 186 overall) in 2017 who has yet to sign with the Penguins.

• Also in that game, goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 31 saves on 34 saves to record the victory. Blomqvist followed that up Friday by making 21 saves on 22 shots to lead Hermes to a 2-1 home win against RoKi.

The Penguins selected Blomqvist, 18, in the second round (No. 52 overall) of this year’s draft. He has yet to sign with the team.

• In the Liiga, goaltender Emil Larmi made 15 saves on 16 shots for HPK in a 2-1 road shootout win against JYP on Tuesday.

During a 7-2 home loss to Luuko on Friday, Larmi was pulled after allowing three goals only seven shots. He rebounded on Saturday by making 24 saves during a 3-2 road shootout loss to TPS.

The undrafted Larmi, 24, is entering the second-year of a two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.

• In Sweden’s second-tier HockeyAllsvensken, goaltender Calle Clang’s team, Kristianstads IK, has had its past three games postponed because of coronavirus concerns and have not played since Nov. 11. Their next scheduled game is Wednesday at home against Almtuna.

Clang, 18, was a third-round pick (No. 77 overall) in this year’s draft and has yet to sign with the Penguins.

• Also in the HockeyAllsvensken, defenseman Jesper Lindgren and Modo had a road game on Sunday against AIK postponed for the same reason.

Lindgren, 23, is entering the final year of a three-year entry-level contract. The Penguins acquired him in a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs in August.

• Forward Radim Zohorna had a goal for BK Mlada Boleslav during a 7-3 home win against PSG Berani Zlin on Friday in the Czech Republic’s ELH.

The undrafted Zohorna, 24, is signed to a one-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.

• In Norway’s Eliteserien, forward Drew O’Connor had a goal and two assists for Manglerud Star during a 6-5 home loss to Sparta on Thursday.

The 22-year-old O’Connor was an undrafted free agent signing in March and is entering the first year of a two-year entry-level contract.

• In the Latvian Hockey Higher League, forward Raivis Ansons recorded an assist for HK Zemgale in a 3-1 road win against HK Mogo on Wednesday.

Ansons, 18, was a fifth-round pick (No. 149 overall) in this year’s draft and has yet to sign with the Penguins.

• In the multi-country Alps Hockey League, forward Jan Drozg’s team, HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana, had a game against Rittner Buam on Saturday postponed because of coronavirus concerns. The team had several games postponed throughout October and November for the same reason.

Drozg, 21, was the Penguins’ fifth-round pick (No. 152 overall) in 2017 and is entering the second year of a three-year entry-level contract.

Statistics

Forwards and defensemen

Goaltenders

*-Current team

(All figures are through Sunday.)

Follow the Penguins all season long.

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