Penguins Assign Shea, Hinostroza to WBS Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins officially moved a couple of players who cleared waivers to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Ryan Shea, who was waived on Monday, and Vinnie Hinostroza, who was waived last week, were assigned to the Penguins AHL affiliate.

The move opened a couple of roster spots and increased the Penguins’ salary cap space to $4.425 million, according to PuckPedia.com. The Penguins cap surplus is due to placing Bryan Rust on LTIR last week.

Rust remains out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. He is eligible to return on Jan. 2.

Shea, 25, played 22 NHL games this season. He didn’t register his first NHL point anchoring the left side of the Penguins’ third pairing ahead of P.O Joseph. Veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel returned to the Penguins lineup Monday, allowing coach Mike Sullivan to move John Ludvig to the left side. The left-handed Ludvig had been playing the right side.

Hinostroza shuffled around the Penguins lineup, from the top line to the fourth line. In 13 NHL games, Hinostroza had three points, including one goal.

The Penguins currently have 21 players on the roster.