Radim Zohorna May Have Been Placed on Waivers to Make Room for a Call Up from Wilkes-Barre

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Radim Zohorna on waivers. Zohorna has been a healthy scratch for the Penguins after December 30th and saw limited ice time the last two games after Reilly Smith was injured.

This is nothing new to Zohorna, who was placed on waivers by the Penguins in October of 2022, then he was picked up by the Calgary Flames.

It is likely that the Penguins just wanted to make a roster spot on the big club with a forward who will make a bigger impact. Zohorna scored only 1 point, a goal, against the Islanders in that 7-0 win on December 27th, in 18 games.

WAIVERS: The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed LW Radim Zohorna on waivers, on the purpose of assignment. #LetsGoPens

(📷: Jeanine Leech) pic.twitter.com/qnVgMWLobD— Around The Horn Hockey (@ATHornHockey) January 16, 2024

The Penguins Could Look to Prospect in Wilkes-barre/Scranton Sam Poulin to Fill In as a Winger

The possible forward position could be filled by Sam Poulin. He has seen limited ice time, playing just 17 games because of injury. During those games he has 8 goals and 3 assists. Although the Penguins see Poulin as a center, he can play left wing and slide into Zohorna's spot on the third line with Lars Eller and Valtteri Puustinen. Poulin and Puustinen are familar with each other, as linemates on the Baby Pens squad.


As it stands now, the Penguins do not have any cap space to call up anyone from Wilkes-Barre, without having to place Reilly Smith on long term IR. The other option would be to send someone down, such as Colin White, who would not need to clear waivers and did not play Saturday against Seattle.

The Penguins take the ice today for practice, and according to Pens Inside Scoop, White is filling in at the moment on the third line.

Radim Zohorna is not on the ice, while Chad Ruhwedel is skating after leaving Monday's game. Penguins lines and D-pairs:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
O'Connor-Malkin-Rust
White-Eller-Puustinen
Harkins-Acciari-Carter
Petterson-Letang
Karlsson-Graves
Joseph-Ruhwedel— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) January 17, 2024

Regardless of the reasons the Penguins did decide to move Zohorna to waivers, it appears that he was not fitting in with what the Penguins need from their wingers right now.

As Read On: DK Pittsburgh Sports - Zohorna on waivers ... clearing path for Poulin?