The Pittsburgh Penguins are making significant roster updates as the 2024-25 NHL season evolves. The latest developments include the acquisition of defenseman Colton Poolman from the Buffalo Sabres and the return of top defense prospect Owen Pickering off the injured reserve.
Colton Poolman's arrival to the Penguins was officially announced by Kyle Dubas, the team’s President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. The trade sees forward Bennett MacArthur head to Buffalo as part of the exchange. Poolman, who is signed through the 2024-25 season at an average annual value of $775,000, will initially report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the team’s AHL affiliate. This 29-year-old blueliner has spent the majority of his professional career—five years—competing within the AHL, playing for teams such as Rochester, Calgary, and Stockton. His impressive stats include 218 career AHL games played, where he scored six goals and had 34 assists, along with maintaining a plus-33 rating. Notably, he has also made appearances during the Calder Cup Playoffs, contributing three assists across 27 games.
Prior to his professional career, the East Grand Forks, Minnesota native had a notable collegiate tenure with the University of North Dakota, where he captained the team during his senior year, tallying 75 points (18G-57A) over 146 regular-season games. His experience at both levels is expected to bring depth and skill to the Penguins’ defensive lineup.
Meanwhile, the Penguins have also activated Owen Pickering from injured reserve just before their matchup against the Florida Panthers. Pickering's return is eagerly anticipated, as the young defenseman has been out since late December due to concussion symptoms sustained during a game against the New Jersey Devils. Before his injury, he had played 14 games for the Penguins, contributing one goal and one assist, but has struggled with defensive consistency—marking him as still needing experience at the NHL level.
Despite these challenges, the Penguins remain optimistic about Pickering's development. Having played the entire preceding season with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, where he recorded seven goals and 46 points over 59 games, the team hopes he can build on his prior success and maturity now returning to the NHL, especially with veteran Kris Letang facing injury issues himself. Expectatedly, he will fill the third-pairing role alongside Ryan Graves tonight, showcasing both potential and promise.
On another note, the Penguins faced some misfortune with forward Philip Tomasino exiting their recent game against Florida due to a lower-body injury. The incident occurred early in the third period when Tomasino crashed awkwardly against the boards, slowing down the pace of the game tied at one goal apiece. With Tomasino being one of the notable newcomers on the squad—acquired from the Nashville Predators—a string of solid performances for Pittsburgh this season was disrupted as he had tallied four goals and three assists over his 15 appearances prior to the injury. His contribution had been significant, especially following underwhelming stats with Nashville where he managed only one assist across 11 games.
The Penguins' roster is experiencing rapid changes, reflecting the team's strategy to adapt to the situated challenges of the season, from dealing with injuries to integrating new players. The combination of seasoned players like Poolman and the youth represented by both Pickering and Tomasino signals Pittsburgh's commitment to maintaining competitive performance on the ice. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see how these updates impact the team’s standing as they navigate through the remaining weeks of the season.