Things are good for Penguins rookie Ville Koivunen. But they could be better

Ville Koivunen was feeling pretty good Tuesday.

During a practice session in Cranberry, the Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward was skating into the offensive zone on the right wing, then … THUD!

That was the noise his body made when it was slammed to the ice on the blue line, thanks to a hammer of a body check by defenseman Parker Wotherspoon.

Koivunen, on injured reserve because of an unspecified ailment, hopped up and continued with the drill as if nothing had happened.

Being deposited his backside in such an involuntarily audible manner obviously wasn’t a positive sensation. But being able to absorb some punishment and knowing he was still able to carry on with his duties was beneficial for Koivunen, who has been sidelined the past three games.

“It was good,” Koivunen said. “It means the leg is good. It wasn’t that hard. I wasn’t ready for that at all. I was surprised, but it isn’t too bad.”

The overall audit of Koivunen’s season hasn’t necessarily been bad. But it would be generous to describe it as good.

In 11 NHL contests, he has two assists while averaging 12 minutes, 34 seconds of ice time.

Sprinkled throughout those figures are absences from the NHL roster, including his ongoing recovery from injury.

After opening the season on the left wing of the top line, Koivunen was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 11 in part because of underwhelming play.

After two productive weeks at the AHL level — he generated 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in six games — he was recalled to the NHL roster Oct. 26 and largely inhabited a role on the third line.

The offensive touch he displayed in the AHL and with the NHL club late last season (he had seven assists in eight games with Pittsburgh in the final weeks of 2025-26) hasn’t been matched so far this season.

Still a prospect in essence, the 22-year-old remains a work in progress.

“Since coming back (from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), if you look at the areas that he’s getting to offensively, there have been a lot of chances,” coach Dan Muse said. “Now, it’s how can he take that next step and turn some of those scoring chances into whether it’s goals or plays that are leading goals and helping to create offense there, five on five. It’s continuing to just work with him in those areas on the ice.

“He is working at it. Working at some of those details. Sometimes, it takes time in the (NHL). But he has shown a willingness to work on them.”

Koivunen appears set to be part of the team’s lineup for Wednesday’s home game against the Buffalo Sabres.

During Tuesday’s practice, he largely operated on the left wing of the third line with rookie Tristan Broz at center and veteran Tommy Novak at right wing. He also worked on the second power-play unit.

“Playing with Tommy here a lot,” Koivunen said. “(Broz with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) last year, a lot of games. I know how they play. It feels good. They have a lot of skill on the ice. I think we can do some damage in the (offensive) zone. I hope we can get going there and play good.”

Getting his first career NHL goal would be congruent with that pursuit.

“It’s got to feel good,” Koivunen said. “It always feels good (to score) when you don’t score in a long time. I haven’t scored (yet) here in the NHL in a lot of games. I’m going to feel good if that happens.”

As Muse suggested, Koivunen has had opportunities to find that goal.

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“That’s a good sign, of course, a lot of good chances,” Koivunen said. “Sometimes, I don’t know how it doesn’t go in. But hopefully, it goes in some day.”

That would also be a good outcome for Koivunen.

“Just have to get the chances,” Koivunen said. “I feel like I’ve gotten those. Now, I just have to do something with those chances. Score goals and that kind of things.”

Notes: Muse suggested goaltender Tristan Jarry (undisclosed injury) and forward Bryan Rust (illness) would be available for Wednesday’s game. Jarry has been on injured reserve since Nov. 4, and Rust has missed the past two days of practice. … To make room for Jarry or Koivunen to potentially rejoin the active roster, rookie forward Sam Poulin was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. … Forward Noel Acciari (undisclosed), Justin Brazeau (undisclosed) and Filip Hallander (blood clot) skated before practice Tuesday. All three are on injured reserve. … Defensive prospect Finn Harding was assigned from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to Wheeling of the ECHL.