Penguins Prospect Watch: Sam Poulin returns with the Sherbrooke Phoenix
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.
Fifteen of the Penguins’ prospects or minor leaguers are currently playing, primarily in Europe. Here is a weekly look at their progress:
• Forward Sam Poulin played his first game in nearly a month as coronavirus concerns had hit much of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), particularly his team, the Sherbrooke Phoenix. On Wednesday, Poulin, who is Sherbrooke’s captain, recorded a short-handed assist off a steal in a 7-3 road loss to the Val-D’Or Foreurs.
He followed that up on Saturday with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 road loss to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Poulin, 19, was the Penguins’ first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in 2019. He is signed to a three-year entry-level contract which has yet to begin.
• In Finland’s Liiga, forward Valtteri Puustinen had a goal and an assist for HPK in a 4-3 home overtime loss to Karpat on Wednesday.
Puustinen, 21, was a seventh-round pick (No. 203 overall) in 2019 who has yet to sign with the Penguins.
• Also in that contest, goaltender Emil Larmi made 24 saves for HPK and recorded the loss. The undrafted Larmi, 24, is entering the second-year of a two-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.
• Forward Radim Zohorna had the primary assist on a winning goal for BK Mlada Boleslav in a 2-1 overtime win against Motor Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic’s ELH on Monday. That was BK Mlada’s first game since Sept. 27 as authorities in the Czech Republic had put all sports on hold because of concerns about the coronavirus. The undrafted Zohorna, 24, is signed to a one-year entry-level contract with the Penguins.
• Forward Jan Drozg and the rest of HK Olimpija Ljubljana, a team based in his native Slovenia with the multi-country Alps Hockey League, have not played a game since Oct. 24 due to concerns about the coronavirus. Ljubljana’s next scheduled game is Saturday on the road against the Wipptal Broncos, based in Italy. 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.
• Forward Kasper Bjorkqvist appeared in three games for Finland in the Karjala Tournament, a four-team event which also includes the Czech Republic, Russia and Sweden. The 23-year-old Bjorkqvist, a second-round pick (No. 61 overall) in 2016, did not record a point in the tournament.
Statistics
Forwards and defensemen and defensemen
Goaltenders
*-Current team
(All figures are through Monday.)
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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