The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned forward Joona Koppanen to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Saturday after he cleared waivers.
A left-handed shot, Koppanen was recalled to the NHL roster Nov. 6. Exclusively deployed on the left wing of the third and fourth lines, Koppanen has appeared in 10 NHL games and has one assist while averaging 12:25 of ice time per contest.
He has been scratched for the previous two games. During a 4-3 road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, Koppanen was sidelined by illness.
Koppanen, 27, previously cleared waivers Oct. 3 and was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. With the AHL club, Koppanen has been deployed primarily as a bottom-six center. In six AHL games, he has two points (one goal, one assist).
In June, Koppanen re-signed with the Penguins, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level.
Following this transaction, the Penguins have 22 players on the active roster, one short of the NHL limit of 23.
