Penguins Open Spot for Riikola, Demote Weber, Czuczman

The Pittsburgh Penguins opened up a roster spot for the healthy Juuso Riikola, who returned to practice as a full participant on Monday afternoon. Riikola missed the last 12 games and has played in just two games this season.

To clear a spot on the NHL roster, the Penguins demoted RHD Yannick Weber to the taxi squad and sent defenseman Kevin Czuczman to the AHL, according to GM Ron Hextall.

In a bit of housekeeping, the Penguins sent goalie prospect Alex D’Orio to the Wheeling Nailers.

From the Pittsburgh Penguins release:

Czuczman, 30, has played two games for Pittsburgh this season, the first coming on Jan. 28 against Boston and the other against the New York Rangers on Feb, 1. He spent the majority of the 2019-20 season with WBS and in 174 career games with WBS, he has notched 10 goals, 56 assists, and 66 points.

D’Orio, 21, has spent the first portion of the 2020-21 campaign on the Penguins taxi squad. During the 2019-20 season, D’Orio played his first professional season with Wheeling, where he appeared in 31 games, compiling a 12-15-2 record.

Pittsburgh begins a four-game road trip on Tuesday, February 23 with the first of two games against the Washington Capitals, before traveling to Long Island to face-off with the New York Islanders.