Penguins recall forwards Jansen Harkins, Alex Nylander from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forwards Jansen Harkins and Alex Nylander from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and formally recalled defenseman John Ludvig from a conditioning assignment with the AHL club as well.

Additionally, the team placed forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel on injured reserve due to undisclosed ailments. Per a team spokesperson, Rakell is designated to long-term injured reserve while Ruhwedel is on regular injured reserve.

Players designated to long-term injured reserve must miss 10 games and 24 days on the NHL calendar. For Rakell, that means the earliest he can rejoin the NHL roster for a game is a road contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 16.

This is Harkins’ second recall to the NHL roster. In four NHL games this season, Harkins has no points while averaging 9:28 of ice time per contest. With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he has appeared in 11 games and has nine points (four goals, five assists). Harkins, a left-hander, is in the final year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $850,000.

Nylander opened 2023-24 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and this is his first recall to the NHL club this season. In 11 AHL games, Nylander has eight points (five goals, three assists). A right-handed shot, Nylander is signed to a one-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $775,000.

Still officially designated to long-term injured reserve, Ludvig has been sidelined since suffering a concussion in his NHL debut, a 4-1 home loss to the Dallas Stars on Oct. 24. He logged 5:29 of ice time on five shifts and one shot in that contest. The left-hander remains is in the first year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $775,000.

Rakell has largely struggled this season despite being primarily deployed on the second line. In 17 games, he has no goals, four assists and has clocked an average of 15:35 of ice time per contest. The right-hander is in the second year of a six-year contract with a salary cap hit of $5 million.

Ruhwedel has primarily been stationed on the third pairing and the penalty kill most of this season. In 15 games, he has one assist while averaging 12:13 of ice time per contest. A right-handed shot, Ruhwedel is in the final year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $800,000.