Penguins Bring Up Three Forwards from AHL Affiliate
With just three games left in the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have called up forwards Emil Bemstrom, Valtteri Puustinen, and Vasily Ponomarev from their AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, under emergency conditions.
Emil Bemstrom, who has been an AHL All-Star this season and is currently the third-highest scorer on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (21 goals, 25 assists), has played 13 games with the Penguins this year. He’s recorded one assist and averaged 8:20 of ice time per game. This marks his fourth call-up of the season. The 25-year-old winger, signed through next season with a $775,000 cap hit, was last reassigned to the AHL on April 3 after clearing waivers.
Valtteri Puustinen, also 25, is returning to the NHL for the first time since being waived in late November. Earlier in the season (Oct. 20–Nov. 15), he logged 10 games with Pittsburgh, tallying a goal and an assist in just under 10 minutes per game. In the AHL, he’s produced 16 goals and 19 assists across 47 games. Like Bemstrom, he’s signed through this season at $775,000.
Vasily Ponomarev, a 23-year-old prospect acquired from Carolina in the Jake Guentzel trade, has now been recalled three times this season. He’s played four games for Pittsburgh, averaging 9:13 of ice time but has yet to register a point. In the AHL, he ranks fourth on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists). Ponomarev is under contract through 2024–25 with a $975,000 cap hit.
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