NHL Buzz: Jarry recalled from AHL conditioning loan by Penguins

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Tristan Jarry was recalled from a conditioning loan with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Saturday.

The goalie was 1-1-0 with a 5.47 goals-against average and .836 save percentage in three starts for the Penguins before being assigned to the AHL on Oct. 26. He was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in the first period of his most recent NHL start Oct. 16.

Jarry, expected to be Pittsburgh's No. 1 goalie in his ninth season, was 4-1-0 with a 2.16 GAA and .926 save percentage with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

"I've left him alone," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Nov. 4. "The reports that I've gotten is that he's played extremely well, so we're certainly encouraged by that. We know that he's a high-quality goaltender. He's working at it."

Pittsburgh (6-8-2) could dress three goalies against the Dallas Stars at PPG Paints Arena on Monday (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, SN-PIT, TVAS).

Alex Nedeljkovic, who missed the start of the season with a lower-body injury, is 2-3-2 with a 3.07 GAA and .883 save percentage. Joel Blomqvist, a 22-year-old rookie, is 3-4-0 with a 3.25 GAA and .913 save percentage.

Forward Matt Nieto was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning loan Saturday. He has not played since Nov. 30, 2023, and had laparoscopic surgery to his right knee Jan. 4 and reconstructive MCL surgery on his left knee May 2. -- Wes Crosby

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken reacquired forward Daniel Sprong in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations.

“Obviously, we’ve been struggling to score some goals lately, so we were looking at that," Seattle general manager Ron Francis said. "I had a conversation with [Canucks general manager] Patrik [Allvin] the other day, and Daniel’s name came up. Obviously, with us, he had a good season, scored 20 goals with us, 18 last year. He knows our team, our locker room, and we thought it was a low-risk gamble to give him a shot.”

The 27-year-old has three points (one goal, two assists) in nine games this season and 162 points (86 goals, 76 assists) in 353 career NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Kraken and Canucks.

Sprong played 82 total games with the Kraken during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, compiling 52 points (27 goals, 25 assists).

“I know when we first got him, it took a while to get to know him, and sort of build that trust and relationship," Francis said. "I think even when he left, it wasn’t like he left on bad terms with us. It was basically him coming off of 20 goals and playing on our fourth line, we didn’t have the money to pay him at that point. So, we said, ‘Go and test the market,’ and good for him. He ended up getting a couple million dollars, and that’s why we couldn’t keep him.”

After spending the 2023-24 season with the Red Wings, Sprong signed a one-year contract with the Canucks as a free agent July 20.

"Honestly, he's a great kid," Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. "I couldn't get him in a top-six role, to be honest. There's some other guys ahead of him for what I needed in that role and I don't think it was fair to him to play fourth line 10 minutes. It's hard because he's a skilled guy. So it's basically that and a couple of younger guys I figured that could do that role for us."

The Kraken opened a six-game homestand with a 4-3 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday and host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

“We're not playing the way we think we're capable of playing, and we're trying to find our game," Francis said before the game. "And hopefully this gives us a little jolt to get things going in the right direction.”

New York Islanders

Mike Reilly is out indefinitely for the Islanders because of an upper-body injury and missed his fourth straight game when the Islanders lost 4-3 in overtime to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

The 31-year-old defenseman has been out since sustaining the injury Nov. 1 at the Buffalo Sabres. He does not have a point in 11 games this season.

Alexander Romanov (upper body) also missed his fourth straight game and sixth of seven. The defenseman skated on his own Saturday morning and will join the team for a five-game road trip that begins Tuesday at the Edmonton Oilers.

Romanov was also injured Nov. 1 after he took a hit from Sabres forward Jordan Greenway behind his own net in the second period.

Adam Pelech is out 4-6 weeks for New York after the defenseman was also injured in Buffalo. -- Stefen Rosner

Los Angeles Kings

Alex Turcotte was placed on injured reserve by the Kings on Saturday with an upper-body injury.

The forward did not play in a 4-2 loss to the Canucks on Thursday when he was ruled day to day, and Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller said it was not concussion related.

The Kings recalled forward Samuel Helenius on an emergency basis from Ontario of the AHL on Saturday prior to their 5-2 win against the Blue Jackets.

Turcotte, the No. 5 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, has five points (one goal, four assists) in 13 games this season.