PITTSBURGH ASSIGNS SMITH, FRIEDMAN TO WBS

TY SMITH

Smith, 22, completed his second NHL season in 2021-22, appearing in 66 games and recording five goals, 15 assists and 20 points while averaging 17:30 minutes of time-on-ice per game with the New Jersey Devils. His 66 games played, five goals, 45 hits and 73 blocked shots were all career bests.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Smith has played in 114 career NHL contests over two seasons where he’s notched seven goals, 36 assists, and 43 points. Smith was named to the NHL’s ‘All Rookie Team’ in 2020-21 after leading all rookie blueliners in assists (21), points (23), and power-play points (7) that season.

Prior to his time in the NHL, Smith enjoyed a four-plus season junior hockey career with the Spokane Chiefs from 2016-20. With the Chiefs, Smith recorded 235 points (45G-90A) in 240 games and won the Bill Hunter Trophy, awarded to the top WHL defenseman, in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. He was also named the WHL (West) All-Star team in each of his last three seasons with the club and was also named the CHL’s Defenseman of the Year in 2018-19.

MARK FRIEDMAN

Friedman, 26, played a career-high 26 games for Pittsburgh last year and recorded one goal, four assists and five points, and added one goal in six playoff games. The defenseman also skated in two games for the WBS Penguins in 2021-22.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound defenseman has played in 42 career NHL games, split between the Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers, and has recorded three goals, six assists and nine points. He has also skated in 188 career AHL games with the WBS Penguins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, registering 10 goals, 51 assists and 61 points, and scored two goals in 13 AHL playoff games with Lehigh Valley.

The Toronto, ON native was originally drafted in the third round (86th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins acquired the defenseman on Feb. 24, 2021 when they claimed him off waivers from Philadelphia.

The Penguins’ final two preseason games are on the road, starting with a visit to play the Hershey Bears on Sunday, Oct. 9. Game time for the Penguins and Bears is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Giant Center.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opens its regular season at home against Lehigh Valley on Saturday, Oct. 15. Puck drop for the Penguins’ season-opener is slated for 6:05 p.m.

Individual game tickets and season-ticket packages for the 2022-23 season are on sale now. Full-Season, 22-game, 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans are available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.