Pittsburgh Penguins News

Gruden played the last six games from the Penguins but was placed on waivers on Monday. If he clears waivers, he will return to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), where he has 23 points (13G / 10A) in 41 games this season.

Lucius was a fourth-round pick (No.124 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old winger is still unsigned, playing in his sophomore season with the University of Wisconsin, where he leads the team with 31 points (12G / 19A) in 32 games.

Ponomarev was a second-round pick (No.53 overall) in 2020 and has appeared in just two career NHL games. The 21-year-old centre has spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL, where he has 29 points (8G / 21A) in 41 games. He will likely report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Koivunen was a second-round pick (No.51 overall) in 2021 and remains in Finland, playing for Karpat (Liiga). The 20-year-old centre is tied for the team-lead with 55 points (21G / 34A) in 57 games.

Bunting is in the first year of a three-year deal that carries a $4.5M AAV cap-hit. He gets reunited with his former GM Kyle Dubas, who moved from Toronto to Pittsburgh in the offseason. Bunting picked up 13 goals and 23 assists (36 points) in 60 games with the Hurricanes this season. He could be a candidate to skate with Sidney Crosby, now that Guentzel is out of town, which would be a huge fantasy boost for the 28-year-old winger.

Acciari returned to the lineup two weeks ago after a multi-week absence due to an injury, and after playing six games, was on the sidelines in the Penguins' last contest. The Penguins' bottom-six forward has one assist, six shots, and nine hits in his last six games.

The Penguins snapped a three-game losing skid in their last outing and will turn to Jarry between the pipes again on Thursday night. Jarry has allowed three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-2-0) but saved 33 of 36 shots (.917 SV%) in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Penguins enter action as -160 home favourites against a Washington Capitals club that was defeated 5-2 by the Arizona Coyotes in their last match.

Bunting is in the first year of a three-year contract and has a 10-team no-trade list but will still be held out of Carolina's lineup on Thursday for trade-related reasons. The 28-year-old scrappy left-winger has enjoyed a mediocre first season in Carolina, with 13 goals, 36 points, 113 SOG, 55 PIMs and a -15 plus/minus through 60 games played.

Beauvillier was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this season for a fifth-round pick and has now been flipped from the Blackhawks to the Predators for a fifth-rounder. The 26-year-old Beauvillier struggled for an offensively challenged Blackhawks team, registering six points (2G / 4A) and a - 10 plus/minus in 26 games.

O'Connor was limited to only 9:07 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets before exiting the game with a concussion. He has been held off the scoresheet in six straight games after collecting four points (3G / 1A) in his previous three.

Acciari returned to the lineup two weeks ago after a multi-week absence due to an injury, and after playing six games, was on the sidelines in the Penguins' last contest. The Penguins' bottom-six forward has one assist, six shots, and nine hits in his last six games.