Penguins Lose Noesen, Sharks Claim Gritty Forward

The Pittsburgh Penguins waived forward Stefan Noesen on Wednesday and lost the forward on Thursday. The San Jose Sharks who recently fired head coach Pete DeBoer plucked Noesen off the wire.

Noesen signed an AHL deal with the Penguins on the eve of the regular season. He scored 22 points including 14 goals in 22 games. The Pittsburgh Penguins purchased his contract and called him up to the NHL. On Dec. 4, he scored a goal against St. Louis in the first game with the Penguins.

Noesen, 26, had one goal in six NHL games. Noesen was the Ottawa Senators 2011 first-round choice (21st overall). In his career, he has 46 points (25g, 21) and played 165 NHL games over seven professional seasons, including time with the Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Penguins.

San Jose is six points out of a Wild-Card position in the Western Conference. San Jose is 16-18-2 with a negative-27 goal differential. Bob Boughner is the current Sharks head coach after San Jose fired DeBoer on Dec. 11 after four-plus seasons.

Noesen will join his fifth NHL organization. San Jose will have to keep Noesen on the NHL roster. If they attempt to waive him, the Penguins could reclaim him and send him to the WBS Penguins of the AHL.

The Penguins continue their western Canada road trip on Friday night. They will face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Wednesday, Noesen participated in the Penguins outdoor scrimmage at a small rink outside Calgary. The playground rink included basketball hoops over the rink and a chain-link fence instead of glass.

The Penguins currently hold the top Wild-Card position in the Eastern Conference after their 4-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday night. Tristan Jarry stopped 33 of 34 shots and lowered his league-leading Goals Against Average to 1.85 and raised his league-leading save percentage to .940.