PENGUINS ADD FOUR DEFENSEMEN

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced today that they have signed defensemen Niclas Almari and Connor Hall to amateur tryout contracts for the remainder of the 2016-17 season. Additionally, defenseman Kevin Schulze has signed a professional tryout agreement with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and the Penguins have recalled defenseman Ryan Segalla.

Almari split his first pro season between HPK Hämeenlinna (Liiga) and Lempäälän Kisa (Mestis) in Finland. During that time, he earned four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 47 games. He also won the Legacy Bowl with HPK’s junior club as Jr. A SM-liiga champions on Apr. 1, 2017. The 18-year-old blueliner from Espoo, Finland was taken in the fifth round (151^st overall) of this past summer’s 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Hall, a third round pick (77^th overall) by Pittsburgh in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, comes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after his second season with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. The six-foot-four defenseman appeared in 17 games with the Rangers this season before he underwent shoulder surgery in December. In 64 career OHL games, Hall has earned three goals, nine assists, 12 points and 95 penalty minutes.

Schulze led the Nailers this season with 47 assists and tied current Penguin Cody Wydo for the team lead in points (60). The rookie out of the University of Wisconsin was the only defenseman in the ECHL to lead his team in points at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Segalla, who is also playing in his first season of pro hockey, made his AHL debut in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 4-0 win at Lehigh Valley on Mar. 25, 2017. In one AHL game, the Hanover, Mass. native did not earn any points. The 22-year-old has posted three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 62 games with the Nailers this season.

Segalla was drafted by Pittsburgh in the fourth round (119^th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s next game is tomorrow, Wednesday, Apr. 12, the last of 12 season meetings between the Penguins and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Puck drop between the Penguins and Phantoms is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

Individual tickets for all Penguins home games are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza box office, online at TicketMaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Penguins ticket packages, including 10-voucher flex packs, are available directly through the Penguins offices by calling (570) 208-7367.