After a disastrous road trip, the Pittsburgh Penguins are calling up some reinforcements from the AHL. On Friday morning, they announced that prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty are bound for Pittsburgh.

Currently, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the AHL's fifth-best team, with a 36-18-7-1 record thanks partly to Koivunen, who has compiled 55 points in 62 games, good enough for sixth in league scoring. 

Meanwhile, since Feb. 15, McGroarty has collected the most points of anyone in the WBS lineup, scoring 18 points in the past 19 games, bringing his season totals to 39 points in 60 games.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

After coming to the Penguins organization after a mid-summer trade from the Winnipeg Jets, McGroaty played in three NHL games before finding his groove in the AHL. 

Like McGroarty, Koivunen is playing his first professional season and is the baby Penguins' leading scorer and one of four players to score more than 20 goals this season.

The Finnish winger, a key piece in the Jake Guentzel trade, will have a chance to make his NHL debut on this call-up.

Since Pittsburgh will not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, both prospects will get some laps in and still have plenty of time to return to the AHL for the Calder Cup playoffs, which begins mid-April.

Pittsburgh's next game is Sunday against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena, while WBS visits the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday.