Jami Krannila, Joel Blomqvist join Pittsburgh Penguins’ AHL affiliate on tryouts
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed forward Jami Krannila and goaltender Joel Blomqvist to amateur tryout agreements, the club announced Tuesday.
Krannila, 22, recently concluded a successful four-year collegiate career with the St. Cloud State Huskies. The five-foot-ten center, who shoots left, collected 21 goals and 40 points in 41 games as a senior with the Huskies during the 2022–23 season. Krannila was not drafted into the NHL.
Blomqvist, 21, was a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 52 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft. The six-foot-two goaltender excelled in the Liiga with Karpat in 2021–22 but faltered this past season, going from a .940 save percentage to a .907 (and being outplayed down the stretch by Ottawa Senators prospect Leevi Merilainen).
The Penguins have until June 1, 2024 to agree to terms with Blomqvist on an entry-level contract before his exclusive draft signing rights expire. Krannila is currently eligible to sign an ELC with any NHL club.
The Penguins have signed goaltender Joel Blomqvist and forward Jami Krannila to ATOs.
Defensemen Peter DiLiberatore and Chris Ortiz have been reassigned to the @WheelingNailers: https://t.co/34mmxyYbHQ pic.twitter.com/5KuF4tgyo4
The WBS Penguins are all but guaranteed to miss out on qualifying for the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. They currently rank eighth (and last) in the Atlantic Division through 66 games with a 25–28–13 record. With 63 points, the Penguins sit 10 behind the Hartford Wolf Pack for the sixth and final playoff spot in the division.
Blomqvist previously made his AHL debut with the WBS Penguins down the stretch in the 2021–22 season, stopping 25 of 27 shots in a 3–1 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Apr. 23, 2022.
It remains to be seen whether Krannila or Blomqvist will be in the lineup when the WBS Penguins return to action on Wednesday evening to take on the Charlotte Checkers at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. at 7:05 p.m. ET.