Penguins to sit forward Ben Kindel as part of a development plan for rookie

Of the eight rookies the Pittsburgh Penguins have played this season, forward Ben Kindel leads the pack with 18 games this season.

A ninth — forward Tristan Broz — is scheduled to make his NHL debut Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres.

At all of 18 years of age, Kindel isn’t exactly the graybeard of the group (particularly since he looks as though growing facial hair of any hue would be a challenge).

“I wouldn’t say veteran,” Kindel said “I only have 18 NHL games under my belt. But it’s nice to go through it with other guys as well.”

Kindel did not reach Game 19 on Wednesday as he was a healthy scratch. That decision was made as part of a development plan the team has outlined with Kindel and fellow rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke, 19, earlier this season.

Given that the teenagers are taking their first steps as professionals, the team has taken steps to give them games off for the benefit of their overall long-term development.

Before Wednesday, Kindel’s most recent healthy scratch came Oct. 26. Given a rash of injuries to other forwards that limited the roster’s flexibility and that the past month hasn’t been nearly as compacted in terms of the sheer number of games, the team dressed Kindel for 12 consecutive contests entering Wednesday.

Since the calendar flipped to November, the Penguins have played only nine games over the first 25 days of the month.

Between Wednesday and when the NHL’s holiday break begins Dec. 24, the Penguins are slated to play 15 games over 28 days.

“Things are ramping up again now in terms of games,” coach Dan Muse said. “We’re going to put out a lineup that we feel is best there to win games. But also, with a young player like Kindel, we also want to make sure we’re doing what’s best so that he can be at his best now and also what’s best for him in the future.”

Kindel’s most recent game — a 3-2 home overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday — wasn’t exactly his best performance. Centering the third line, Kindel had a turnover that led to the opening goal of the contest by Kraken forward Mason Marchment 84 seconds into the second period.

1-0 #SeaKraken

Marchment takes the puck back twice and fires beating Murashov pic.twitter.com/TfHKBoZbEC

— Alison (@AlisonL) November 23, 2025

While Kindel had a power-play assist and his line — along with wingers Tommy Novak and Sam Poulin — generated a fair amount of scoring chances, it was on the ice for each of the Kraken’s regulation goals.

Muse indicated the decision to rest Kindel was not a reaction to those mishaps.

“In terms of the decision of when, this isn’t based (on Saturday’s game),” Muse said. “We’re not making these decisions based on that. That last game didn’t factor in. This is looking at these development blocks, when we can get them in, what the right timing in. We’re constantly looking at it and reevaluating and making decisions off of it.”

Murashov demotion probable

Chaz Palla | TribLive

In four games with the Penguins this season, rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov has a 1-1-1 record.

With veteran goaltender Tristan Jarry formally activated from injured reserve in advance of Wednesday’s game, rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov is expected to be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League to make room on the active roster.

Given his limited service time as a professional, Murashov does not require exposure to waivers for an assignment to a minor league affiliate.

Since being recalled to the NHL club Nov. 4, Murashov posted strong numbers in the four games he appeared in, going 1-1-1 with a 1.90 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout.

Considered the organization’s goaltender of the future, Murashov is a candidate to return to the NHL club this season.

“He’s extremely, extremely prepared,” Muse said. “He’s an extreme competitor. I love his day-to-day (process). The way he competes every day in practice, the preparation he has just all the time, I think for a younger player, it’s really impressive to see. He’s been very consistent in showing those traits, between the off-ice preparation (and) the on-ice competitiveness. Then obviously, he’s somebody too who has got a lot of technical skill. He’s been pretty consistent in showing those things, those qualities.”

Poulin sent down

KDP Studio

Through his first 16 games of the season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, forward Sam Poulin has 15 points (seven goals, eight assists).

With another rookie, forward Ville Koivunen, slated to come off injured reserve Wednesday, the Penguins sent forward Sam Poulin to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Tuesday.

Having cleared waivers Oct. 5, Poulin can be sent to the AHL affiliate with ease.

Recalled to the NHL club Nov. 18, Poulin skated in two games, primarily on the left wing, and did not have a point on one shot while averaging 13:49 of ice time per contest.

A first-round draft pick (No. 21 overall) in 2019, Poulin has yet to substantially gain traction at the NHL level over parts of four seasons. But he has been a steady producer at the AHL level. Entering Wednesday, he was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 16 games.

Why was Poulin the right player to demote in order to clear space on the roster? Muse indicated that special teams deployment played a role.

Bottom-six forwards Danton Heinen and Joona Koppanen, each of whom have also cleared waivers earlier this season, are occasionally used on the power play and penalty kill, respectively, while Poulin’s special teams contributions in his two games was limited to 1:09 of short-handed time on ice during a 5-0 home loss to the Minnesota Wild while forward Connor Dewar, one of the team’s top incumbent penalty killers, was in the penalty box.

“We’re always going to be looking at a lot of factors,” Muse said. “Sometimes, there is usage based on opportunity guys have had here. Use the penalty kill, for example. There’s guys that kill penalties that we’ve been using on a consistent basis. You’re factoring that in. The guys that are here are the guys that we feel like are going to give us — in terms of usage, in terms of players in different situations — that’s the lineup that we’re going with.

“(For Poulin), it was two solid games. He’s been doing a great job (with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). He had a strong training camp. For him, it’s now going back down and continuing to build off of that. Take those experiences there from the games played. We hope that always helps when you’re going back down. You want guys that are hungry down there. They’re constantly pushing. They’re constantly getting themselves ready.”