PITTSBURGH RECALLS Di PAULI FROM WBS, LARMI FROM WHEELING

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender Emil Larmi from the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL and forward Thomas Di Pauli from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford.

Forward Jake Guentzel has been placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Justin Schultz has also been placed on injured reserve, retroactive to December 17. Casey DeSmith, who was expected to join Pittsburgh, was unable to due to a lost passport.

Larmi, 23, is in his first professional season in North America after signing as an undrafted free agent with Pittsburgh on June 2, 2019. In five games with WBS, the Lahti, Finland native has gone 1-2-2. He registered 30 saves for his first AHL win on October 16, 2019 versus Binghamton. Larmi has also appeared in four games for the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, where he’s gone 3-1-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage. He recorded a 26-save shutout in his ECHL debut on December 20, 2019.

Prior to his time in the Penguins organization, the 6-foot, 185-pound goaltender spent the previous three seasons with HPK of Finland’s top professional league (Liiga) as their starting goaltender, compiling a 50-44-29 record (wins-losses-ties), 2.07 goals-against average, .931 save percentage, and 15 shutouts. He finished the 2018-19 campaign with the Liiga’s third best goals-against average (1.94) and was tied for the third-most shutouts (4).

Last season, Larmi led HPK to the Liiga championship. He appeared in all 18 playoff games, going 12-6 with a 1.72 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage, and two shutouts, both of which came in the finals.

Di Pauli, 25, is being called up to Pittsburgh for the third time this season and is looking to make his NHL debut.  The 5-foot-11, 188 pound Di Pauli has skated in 22 games for WBS this season, recording six goals, six assists and 12 points.  In 130 career AHL games, all with WBS, Di Pauli has tallied 27 goals, 22 assists, and 49 points.

Pittsburgh travels to Montreal to face the Canadiens on Saturday, January 4 with a 7:00 PM ET puck drop.