Sam Poulin is coming back.
Poulin, the Penguins' 2019 first-round pick, stepped away from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Dec. 7 for personal reasons, and had been at home with his family in Quebec for the last three months. He announced on Instagram on Wednesday that he was ready to return to Wilkes-Barre after taking some time to take care of his mental health.
"Three months ago, I made a decision to take a break from hockey, and return home to take care of myself and my mental health," Poulin wrote. "After seeking the help I needed, I am now ready to return to Wilkes-Barre to rejoin my team. I want to thank everyone who helped get me through this difficult time, including my family, my girlfriend, my friends, my medical team, the entire Pittsburgh Penguins organization, my teammates, and the fans, who showed unconditional love and support."
Poulin ended his announcement with a message to those who might be struggling with their mental health as well.
"I strongly encourage everyone to speak openly about mental health because it affects us all," he wrote. "For those who may be struggling, please know that you are not alone."
Poulin, who turned 22 last month, had four goals in 13 games for Wilkes-Barre before taking his leave, primarily centering the second line. He was recalled to the NHL during the Penguins' western Canada road trip and made his NHL debut in Calgary on Oct. 25. He had one assist his debut, his lone point in the three NHL games he played before being re-assigned to the AHL.
Wilkes-Barre has 13 games left in its regular-season schedule that ends on April 15. Its next set of games is a three-in-three this weekend, with a home game against Rochester on Friday and road games in Syracuse and Lehigh Valley on Saturday and Sunday. The Penguins sit last in the eight-team Atlantic Division, a division in which the top six teams make the playoffs. They are four points behind the seventh-place Hartford Wolf Pack and seven points behind the sixth-place Bridgeport Islanders, with all teams having played the same amount of games.
