The Pittsburgh Penguins' final roster is coming into focus after a key cut to the training camp roster Monday afternoon.
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The Penguins announced that defenseman Harrison Brunicke, the team's 44th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, was reassigned to the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Despite the organizational decision to send Brunicke back to his junior team so he could play a "significant role" there, head coach Mike Sullivan is very encouraged by what the organization saw from him in training camp as an 18-year-old.
"We couldn't be more encouraged with Harry's overall camp," Sullivan said. "We thought he played terrific in the games that he played in. He made a huge impression on everybody, and I think he should go back to his junior team with a whole lot of confidence with the experience that he just went through here in Pittsburgh."
With the season opener just two days away, the Penguins' roster has now been cut down to 27. Brunicke, Rutger McGroarty, and Vasily Ponomarev were some of the notable prospect names left at practice today before Brunicke was reassigned.
The team must be both camp-compliant and roster-compliant by 5:00 p.m. Monday, so more decisions are expected later this afternoon. Injuries will play a factor in decision-making, as forwards Ponomarev, Bryan Rust, and Blake Lizotte are all "status quo" as day-to-day, per Sullivan.
There is a good chance that some players - such as goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, forward Matt Nieto, and, possibly, Lizotte - are headed to injured reserve. Nieto is out month-to-month, and shifting him and his $900,000 salary to long-term injured reserve will make the Penguins cap-compliant.
If this is the case, the final roster spot will either be occupied by Ponomarev or McGroarty. McGroarty skated on a line with Lars Eller and Jesse Puljujarvi in practice today, as well as on the second penalty kill unit alongside Drew O'Connor.
Ponomarev will either need to be activated or sent to IR before 5:00 p.m. today, as he cannot be optioned while injured.
