Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko appears close to rejoining active roster – USFTB

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko was a full participant in his team’s practice Monday in Cranberry.

Currently designated as non-roster, Kuzmenko appears to be a likely candidate to rejoin the active roster and be in the lineup for Tuesday’s game at the Chicago Blackhawks.

Coach Dan Muse pumped the brakes on that transaction formally happening but liked what Kuzmenko offered Monday.

“Looked good,” Muse said. “We’ll have some conversations and figure out some things for tomorrow.”

Kuzmenko worked on the left wing of the third line with Ben Kindel at center and Ville Koivunen on the right wing.

That trio skated together for one game this season, a 3-2 home loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 5. Kindel and Koivunen recorded the first and second assists, respectively, on a goal by defenseman Declan Carlile in that contest.

“Everyone is good (offensively),” Koivunen said of his linemates. “And works hard. Just try to get to play with the puck and make plays. Try to get some chances.”

Kuzmenko also operated on the second power-play unit Monday.

The Penguins designated Kuzmenko as non-roster Wednesday to allow him to regain his conditioning after he took a leave of absence to attend to his family in Russia following the death of his father, Alexander, on Sept. 22.

A free agent addition this past offseason, Kuzmenko has appeared in only two games this season and has not recorded a point while averaging an even 12 minutes of ice time.

Van Riemsdyk, Brazeau still sidelined

Penguins defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk was placed on injured reserve Monday afternoon because of an undisclosed ailment that led to him being scratched for Saturday’s 2-1 home win against the Dallas Stars.

He remains labeled as “day-to-day” and will be absent for at least the early portion of the team’s upcoming four-game road trip, Muse said.

“It’s not something that we’re expecting to be long, but he’s not going to start the trip with us,” Muse said. “He could join us on the trip, though.”

Van Riemsdyk has appeared in five games this season with no points while clocking an average of 18:48 of ice time, primarily on the third pairing.

Forward Justin Brazeau remains designated to injury reserve because of a suspected right foot injury and will not travel for the road trip. Muse said Brazeau skated Monday morning before his teammates formally practiced.

Brazeau has not played since being injured in a preseason game Sept. 21.

Penguins swing trade with Sabres

The Penguins acquired defenseman Ryan Johnson from the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday afternoon in exchange for defensemen Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch.

A first-round draft pick (No. 31) of the Sabres in 2019, Johnson has spent the majority of his professional career in the AHL.

In four AHL games with the Rochester Americans this season, the left-hander has no points. He appeared in three NHL games last season and did not record a point while averaging an even nine minutes of ice time.

According to a team spokesperson, the 26-year-old Johnson (6-foot-1, 191 pounds) will report to the Penguins’ NHL roster, giving the club a spare defenseman for its road trip, primarily through western portions of the United States.

A native of Irvine, Calif., Johnson is in the second year of a three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $875,000.

Jones and Laatsch were assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL and Florida of the ECHL, respectively, at the time of the trade.

Sweet home Chicago for Stastney

Acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, Penguins defenseman Spencer Stastney is slated to play his second game with the club Tuesday against the Blackhawks, the team he rooted for as he grew up in Woodbridge, Ill.

Throughout his five-year NHL career, the 26-year-old has played the Blackhawks seven times. But the first moment he encountered the Blackhawks directly came in a unique environment.

Notre Dame Stadium.

In 2019, the Blackhawks hosted the Boston Bruins for a Winter Classic at the famed football venue in South Bend, Ind.

A freshman with Notre Dame’s hockey team at the time, Stastney was granted the opportunity to be a flag bearer for the Blackhawks as they took to the rink in a lavish pre-game ceremony.

“We had our captains (planned) as flag bearers,” Stastney said. “But we played the night before, and I think guys (said), ‘It’s pretty early, I don’t really want to do it.’

“So, I volunteered. I was leading the ‘Hawks out. It was pretty cool.”