Bemstrom may be headed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if he clears waivers at 2 p.m. ET.
The Penguins will have another roster spot open by this afternoon.
The Pens placed Emil Bemstrom on waivers Monday, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
If he clears waivers by 2 p.m. ET tomorrow, Bemstrom can join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for their playoff push.
Emil Bemstrom on waivers by #Pens, per @FriedgeHNIC.
Bemstrom was on #WBSPens roster on #NHLTradeDeadline day, so if he clears waivers tomorrow he can join AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
He didn’t need waivers earlier this month because he hadn’t yet appeared in 10 NHL games.
— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) March 31, 2025
Bemstrom cleared waivers at the beginning of the season after failing to make the Penguins roster out of training camp. He needs to clear again because he’s played more than 10 NHL games. There’s reason to believe he will clear, being as Bemstrom is ineligible to play for another team this season since it’s after the trade deadline.
The forward recorded an assist on a late goal in the Pens’ March 15 blowout of the visiting New Jersey Devils, but hasn’t marked the scoresheet in any of his other 12 NHL opportunities. He averaged 8:20 per game and saw a few power-play opportunities during his time up in the NHL.
This could be his final parting from the Penguins, given that he’s signed to an expiring $775,000 contract and set to hit restricted free agency.
A former fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft, Bemstrom turns 26 in June. He spent five and a half seasons with the Blue Jackets organization before his trade to the Penguins.
Other NHL clubs have started making moves toward signing college free agents now that NCAA hockey is down to the Frozen Four.
The Penguins could also want Bemstrom down in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the Calder Cup playoffs. Bemstrom may have had limited offensive impact at the NHL level this season, but he was named an AHL All-Star in January after leading the WBS Pens with 28 points and tying for the lead with 12 goals through the first 27 games of the season.
The Calder Cup playoffs will take place after the AHL regular season ends on April 20. The WBS Penguins clinched a spot in the postseason with an overtime win over the Hartford Wolf Pack last Wednesday. By waiving Bemstrom yesterday, the Pens have started the process to open up the option to send him back in time for that- should he clear and they opt to go that route.