Penguins activate forward Jansen Harkins off injured reserve

After missing two games because of a concussion suffered Feb. 12, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins was activated from injured reserve Sunday afternoon and is available for the club vs. the Los Angeles Kings at PPG Paints Arena.

Harkins, 26, has skated in 34 games for the Penguins this season, recording no goals and four assists while averaging 8 minutes, 23 seconds of nightly ice time.

He has primarily been deployed as a fourth-line winger this season while also seeing action on the penalty kill.

In related transactions, the Penguins optioned fellow forwards Jonathan Gruden and Vinnie Hinostroza back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after short stints in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins have re-assigned forwards Jonathan Gruden and Vinnie Hinostroza to the @WBSPenguins.

Jansen Harkins has been activated off of Injured Reserve.

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 18, 2024

Gruden, Hinostroza as well as Valtteri Puustinen were all called up simultaneously from the American Hockey League on Thursday.

Gruden appeared for 7:18 during the Penguins’ recent 4-1 win over Chicago that same night, with Hinostroza being a healthy scratch for the contest.

Notes:

• Per coach Mike Sullivan, Tristan Jarry will start in net vs. Los Angeles. Jarry is 14-16-4 on the year with a 2.52 goals against average and .913 save percentage.

• Sunday’s contest begins a crucial four-game homestand for the Penguins (24-20-7, 55 points), who enter the game seven points removed from the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot, currently held by the Detroit Red Wings (28-20-6, 62 points). The Penguins’ other most probable route into the postseason, securing third place within the Metropolitan Division, is 10 points out of reach, as they trail the Philadelphia Flyers’ 65 points.

Said Sullivan: “We’re going to try to put our best game on the ice, we’ll lean through that experience and we’ll be ready for the next one.”

• Jaromir Jagr’s much-anticipated No. 68 sweater retirement ceremony will precede Sunday’s game, with a scheduled start time of 4:17 p.m. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 4:15. “Celebrate 68” weekend officially concludes at 4:57, by which time Jagr’s iconic number will be raised into the PPG Paints Arena rafters, alongside Mario Lemieux and Michel Briere.

• The Penguins were on the opposite end of a notable pregame ceremony with the Kings last year, as on Feb. 11, 2023, Los Angeles retired longtime captain Dustin Brown’s No. 23 before a game with the Penguins at Crypto.com Arena. The Kings went on to win the game 6-0.