It Begins: Bemstrom Recalled

What will likely become a steady stream of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins loading up their car and making the drive across the state to join the Pittsburgh Penguins began Thursday afternoon.

As Pittsburgh Hockey Now noted Thursday morning, Emil Bemstrom was recalled Thursday as forward Matt Nieto cleared waivers.

The move became official not long before 6 p.m., marking the official start of moving deserving players from the AHL to the NHL. Otherwise, there was no reason to waive Nieto (and not much reason to play him, either).

Bemstrom was an offensive driver for the WBS Penguins this season. His first recall was for the final two games before the Four Nations Face-Off break. At the time, Bemstrom was the AHL’s second-leading scorer.

Bemstrom is scoreless in his first two games, but that matters less than his arrival. However, Bemstrom won’t be in the lineup Thursday as the Penguins face the Philadelphia Flyers. Instead, gritty forward Boko Imama will take a fourth-line spot.