Penguins
(UPDATED) Sam Poulin Clears, But Ludvig Claimed off Waivers
Former Pittsburgh Penguins first-round pick Sam Poulin did not make the team’s final 23-player roster and was placed on waivers Friday. Saturday at 2 p.m., he cleared waivers and will join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to continue his career with the Penguins organization.
However, of the seven players the Penguins waived on Friday, defenseman John Ludvig was the only one not to clear. The Colorado Avalanche claimed the defenseman.
Ludvig, 24, made an immediate impact after the Penguins claimed him off waivers from the Florida Panthers last season, literally and figuratively. In his first game with the club–his first in the NHL–Ludvig cannonballed into an open-ice hit on Dallas Stars’ forward Radek Faksa, who is 6-foot-3, 215 pounds.
Ludvig fought five times last season, including fighting Michael McCarron on Nov. 28.
Ludvig, who is 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, absorbed more of the impact and missed the next several games with a concussion. In total, he played 33 NHL games last season, scoring two goals and registering three assists.
The others who cleared are Filip Kral, Jonathan Gruden, Emil Bemstrom, Joona Koppanen, and Nate Clurman.
UPDATE: The Penguins also assigned goalies Filip Larsson and Taylor Gauthier to the WBS Penguins.