The Pittsburgh Penguins made a roster move, re-assigning defenseman Mark Friedman to their AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Friedman was recalled from the Baby Penguins after Penguins' defensemen PO Joseph and Jan Rutta sustained injuries against the Washington Capitals. Despite the brief call-up, Friedman has yet to appear in an NHL game this season.
Friedman began the season in the American Hockey League playing top pair minutes for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has two assists in 10 appearances and is playing over 20 minutes a night in all situations. In 198 career AHL games, Friedman has 62 points.
The 26-year-old, right-handed defender is a veteran of 42 NHL games, with nine points in his 42 appearances. Originally drafted in the third round by the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh claimed Friedman on waivers in February of 2021.
Friedman has since spent the past two seasons with the Penguins organization. Last season, he played in a career-high 26 NHL games, registering five points. He also suited up in six of their 2022 postseason contests, scoring one goal.
With this move, the biggest takeaway is that Jan Rutta is not hampered by the injury he sustained against the Capitals. Veteran Chad Ruhwedel stepped in for PO Joseph and will continue filling in minutes on the bottom pairing. This move also gives the Penguins a roster spot to recall another defender if they choose, or could signal the return of forward Teddy Blueger.
These roster questions will be answered when the Penguins host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, November 15th for a 7:00 PM faceoff.
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