This season, the Pittsburgh Penguins already have made a healthy number of transactions with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, shuffling players up and down to bolster their depth, offset injuries and plug holes in the lineup.
Forwards Radim Zohorna, Vinnie Hinostroza and Jansen Harkins, to varying extents, all got the call-up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for those reasons.
On Saturday morning, the Penguins found themselves in a pinch because of undisclosed injuries to forwards Noel Acciari and Matt Nieto, with both players unavailable for Saturday’s game against Philadelphia, per coach Mike Sullivan.
As a result, the Penguins recalled forward Joona Koppanen, a 6-foot-5 left-handed shot.
Against the Flyers, Koppanen was inserted as the fourth line center alongside Zohorna and Hinostroza.
This year at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the 25-year-old Koppanen has three goals and three assists in 18 games.
“Most recently, I think (Koppanen) has played really well for (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton),” Sullivan said. “He obviously brings a lot of size, he’s a real mobile guy for his size, he checks well, he can help us on the penalty kill. So, there’s a lot of areas where I think we can plug (him) into the lineup, and he can help us immediately.”
A native of Tampere, Finland, Koppanen was signed July 1 to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 annually1.
He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Draft by Boston and had spent his entire career in the Bruins organization before the Penguins acquired him.
In 263 career AHL contests, he has scored 42 goals with 57 assists.
Koppanen made his NHL debut with Boston last season, appearing in five games and recording an assist.
“I’m really excited to be here,” Koppanen said. “I think things have been going for me, lately, really good … I heard a lot of good things about (Pittsburgh). Talking with my agent, it seemed like this would be a really good fit.”
Behind the 6-foot-6 Zohorna, Koppanen is the second-tallest forward the Penguins.
Nieto (2 minutes, 26 seconds) and Acciari (2:25) rank first and second among the Penguins’ forwards in average short-handed time on ice per night.
With both players out, Koppanen will likely factor in on the penalty kill, as well.
“He’s a really strong, reliable two-way center,” said Hinostroza, who spent time with Koppanen at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. “He’s definitely got skill, and he’s really strong defensively. … He’s quick, too. He’s not just big out there. He can make plays.”
