In the System: WBS bolsters D, signs Denver captain Lee

DETROIT -- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was active again this week, signing a second undrafted college free agent to an AHL contract.

Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday announced that University of Denver defenseman Justin Lee signed a one-yea AHL level contract with Wilkes-Barre that begins next season.

This is the second undrafted free agent to sign an AHL deal with Wilkes-Barre this season, after Michigan State winger Jagger Joshua signed a two-year AHL deal last week.

As players on AHL contracts, Lee and Joshua aren't property of the Pittsburgh team, do not count toward the 50-contract limit, and cannot be called up. But players on AHL contracts often earn invites to development camp and training camp, and could potentially earn an NHL entry-level deal if they impress while on their AHL deal.

Lee, 23, is a 6-foot, 195-pound left-handed shot. He recorded a career-high six goals (four of which were game-winners) and added seven assists in 40 games as a senior this season for Denver. Lee, who captained Denver's team, was named the 2022-23 NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year. He recorded a plus-30 rating ranked third on Denver with 53 blocked shots.

Lee has already reported to Wilkes-Barre on an AHL amateur tryout contract, which will allow him to play in the AHL for the remainder of this season. Wilkes-Barre has nine games left in the regular season and sits seven points out of a playoff spot.

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.Here's how the Penguins' other NHL-contracted players in the minors or draft picks elsewhere who are still playing did this week:

FORWARDS

Corey Andonovski
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-1/194
Shoots: Right
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 23
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 55 games, 8 goals, 9 assists, 62 PIM

Andonovski was scoreless in two games.

Raivis Ansons
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, fifth round
Age: 20
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 44 games, 2 goal, 4 assists, 27 PIM

Ansons didn't play this week with an upper-body injury. He's week-to-week.

Tristan Broz
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-0/178
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, second round
Age: 20
Team: Denver (NCAA)
Season totals: 40 games, 10 goals, 18 assists, 33 PIM

Denver's season ended with a 2-0 loss to Cornell in the NCHC semifinals this week. Broz was scoreless in the loss.

I'd anticipate Broz returning to school for his junior season.

Drake Caggiula
Position: Center/wing
Size: 5-10/176
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 28
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 57 games, 18 goals, 28 assists, 43 PIM

Caggiula had one goal and one assist in two games this week.

Judd Caulfield
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-4/212
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, fifth round
Age: 21
Team: North Dakota (NCAA)
Season totals: 39 games, 10 goals, 9 assists, 12 PIM

North Dakota's season ended two weeks ago.

Caulfield announced this week that he plans to return to the University of North Dakota for a fifth season, something he is eligible to do because the NCAA granted players a fifth year of eligibility due to COVID's impact.

Caulfield's exclusive signing rights with the Penguins were set to expire this August but him returning to school for an extra year pushes that deadline back. The CBA makes no mention of four years of eligibility for college players, it only says that rights expire on the Aug. 15 following a player's graduation from university. The same rule is why players (like Zam Plante or Luke Devlin) are able to spend time in junior hockey after being drafted, then go to college, and have the team still maintain their rights during their whole college career.

Luke Devlin
Position: Center
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2022, sixth round
Age: 18
Team: West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL)
Season totals: 51 games, 11 goals, 26 assists, 27 PIM

Devlin scored a goal and two assists in two games.

Jordan Frasca
Position: Center/left wing
Size: 6-2/183
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 21
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)
Season totals: 3 games, 14 PIM (AHL), 36 games, 7 goals 5 assists, 8 PIM (ECHL)

Frasca had one goal in two games with Wheeling then was recalled to Wilkes-Barre this week. Wilkes-Barre has yet to have a game since his recall.

Ty Glover
Position: Center/ left wing
Size: 6-3/201
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 22
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 40 games, 4 goals, 3 assists, 11 PIM

Glover was scoreless in two games.

Jonathan Gruden
Position: Center/left wing
Size: 6-0/172
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Acquired via trade
Age: 22
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
Season totals: 45 games, 15 goals, 9 assists, 43 PIM (AHL), 3 games (NHL)

Gruden had one goal and one assist in two games. His goal was a power play goal:

Filip Hallander
Position: Center/left wing
Size: 6-3/201
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2018, second round
Age: 22
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
Season totals: 42 games, 11 goals, 22 assists, 18 PIM (AHL), 2 games (NHL)

Hallander was scoreless in two games.

Nathan Legare
Position: Right wing
Size: 6-0/205
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2019, third round
Age: 22
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 59 games, 6 goals, 10 assists, 59 PIM

Legare had one assist in two games.

Zam Plante
Position: Center
Size: 5-9/161
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2022, fifth round
Age: 18
Team: Chicago Steel, Fargo Force (USHL)
Season totals: 33 games, 8 goals, 15 assists, 2 PIM (USHL Chicago), 10 games, 3 goals, 2 assists (USHL Fargo)

Plante scored one goal in three games.

Sam Poulin
Position: Center/wing
Size: 6-2/214
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2019, first round
Age: 21
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
Season totals: 13 games, 4 goals, 6 PIM (AHL), 3 games, 1 assist, 2 PIM (NHL)

Poulin returned to Wilkes-Barre last week after a three-month absence for mental health reasons. He has resumed practicing but hasn't played a game yet.

Valtteri Puustinen
Position: Wing
Size: 5-9/183
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Age: 23
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 61 games, 21 goals, 28 assists, 22 PIM

Puustinen was scoreless in two games.

Puustinen's last goal was on Feb. 24. He has five assists in his last 12 games.

Lukas Svejkovsky
Position: Wing
Size: 5-9/170
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2020, fourth round
Age: 21
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 46 games, 3 goals, 12 assists, 6 PIM

Svejkovsky had one assist in one game.

Kirill Tankov
Position: Center
Size: 6-1/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Age: 20
Team: SKA-Neva (VHL)
Season totals: 1 game

Tankov suffered a season-ending neck injury in the opening game of the season and required surgery to repair a fractured vertebrae. He is expected to be able to play next season and has resumed skating.

Chase Yoder
Position: Center
Size: 5-10/176
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, sixth round
Age: 20
Team: Providence (NCAA)
Season totals: 37 games, 8 goals, 7 assists, 14 PIM

Providence's season ended last week.

DEFENSEMEN

Santeri Airola
Size: 5-11, 163
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Age: 22
Team: Ilves/SaiPa (Liiga), KOOVEE (Mestis)
Season totals: 5 games, 2 PIM (Ilves Liiga), 10 games, 7 assists (SaiPa Liiga) 29 games, 8 goals, 14 assists, 22 PIM (Mestis)

The Liiga regular season came to an end. Airola's team SaiPa didn't make the playoffs.

Isaac Belliveau
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Age: 19
Team: Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season totals: 55 games, 11 goals, 35 assists, 48 PIM

Belliveau was scoreless in three games, the last three games of the regular season. Gatineau will play the defending Memorial Cup champion St. John Sea Dogs in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.

Nolan Collins
Size: 6-3/194
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2022, sixth round
Age: 18
Team: Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Season totals: 63 games, 8 goals, 22 assists, 50 PIM

Collins scored two goals and two assists in the last three games of the OHL season. Sudbury will play the Peterborough Petes in the first round.

Peter DiLiberatore
Size: 6-0/185
Shoots: Right
Drafted: Acquired via trade
Age: 22
Team: Savannah Ghost Pirates (ECHL), Hendeson Silver Knights, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 18 games, 3 assists, 16 PIM (ECHL), 22 games, 3 assists (AHL Henderson), 8 games, 2 goals, 8 PIM (AHL WIlkes-Barre)

DiLiberatore was scoreless in two games.

Daniel Laatsch
Size: 6-5/183
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Age: 21
Team: Wisconsin (NCAA)
Season totals: 36 games, 1 goal, 6 assists, 6 PIM

Wisconsin's season ended two weeks ago.

Josh Maniscalco
Size: 6-2/205
Shoots: Right
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 23
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)
Season totals: 21 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, 7 PIM (AHL), 31 games, 8 goals, 20 assists, 42 PIM (ECHL)

Maniscalco played in two games with Wilkes-Barre and scored his first AHL goal.

Ryan McCleary
Size: 6-2/180
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Age: 19
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 66 games, 13 goals, 18 assists, 51 PIM

McCleary had one goal in two games to finish the WHL season. Portland will play the Everett Silvertips in the first round.

Xavier Ouellet
Size: 6-0/196
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 29
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 29 games, 2 goals, 15 assists, 21 PIM

Ouellet suffered an ankle injury on Dec. 31. He underwent successful surgery last week and is done for the rest of the year. He's still signed to a two-way NHL contract through next season.

Owen Pickering
Size: 6-4/180
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2022, first round
Age: 19
Team: Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Season totals: 61 games, 9 goals, 36 assists, 30 PIM

Pickering had one assist in two games. Swift Current failed to qualify for the WHL playoffs. He was named to the WHL's season-ending Central Division All-Star Team at seasons end.

Per a team source, there is a "good chance" Pickering now joins Wilkes-Barre to finish the AHL season. Pickering isn't eligible to play there full-time yet because he's not 20, but he's eligible now that his junior season is over.

Ty Smith
Size: 5-11/179
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Acquired via trade
Age: 22
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
Season totals: 30 games, 4 goals, 11 assists, 10 PIM (AHL), 9 games, 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 PIM (NHL)

Smith remains sidelined with a facial fracture after being hit in the jaw by a puck on Feb. 18. He has resumed skating and was upgraded to "day-to-day" this week.

Jack St. Ivany
Size: 6-3/201
Shoots: Right
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 23
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 54 games, 8 assists, 24 PIM

St. Ivany was scoreless in two games.

Colin Swoyer
Size: 6-0/185
Shoots: Right
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 24
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)
Season totals: 31 games, 1 goal, 8 assists, 5 PIM (AHL), 6 games, 1 assist, 4 PIM (ECHL)

Swoyer was scoreless in two games with Wilkes-Barre.

GOALTENDERS

Joel Blomqvist
Size: 6-2/183
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, second round
Age: 21
Team: Karpat (Liiga)
Season totals: 21 games, 2.29 GAA, .907 SV% (regular season), 3 game, 3.69 GAA, .848 SV% (playoffs)

Karpat was eliminated in the first round of the Liiga playoffs last week.

Taylor Gauthier
Size: 6-2/207
Catches: Right
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 21
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)
Season totals: 18 games, 2.67 GAA, .908 SV% (AHL), 16 games, 3.09 GAA, .896 SV%, 1 shutout (ECHL)

Gauthier started one games for Wilkes-Barre and made 21 saves on 24 shots in an overtime loss.

I think this would be considered a lower-body injury:

Filip Lindberg
Size: 6-1/194
Catches: Left
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 23
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Season totals: 19 games, 3.13 GAA, .896 SV%

Lindberg has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since Feb. 11. He's considered day-to-day.

Sergei Murashov
Size: 6-0/167
Catches: Right
Drafted: 2022, fourth round
Age: 18
Team: Loko Yaroslavl (MHL), Lokomotiv (KHL)
Season totals: 42 games, 1.53 GAA, .948 SV%, 11 shutouts (MHL regular season), 1 game, 1.00 GAA, .947 SV% (KHL), 7 games, 1.81 GAA, .944 SV% (MHL playoffs)

Murashov's team swept their second-round opponent, and Murashov made 38 saves on 39 shots in the final game this week. The conference finals start April 3.

Dustin Tokarski
Size: 6-0/198
Catches: Left
Drafted: Free agent signing
Age: 33
Team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
Season totals: 30 games, 2.53 GAA, .915 SV%, 1 shutout (AHL), 4 games, 3.44 GAA, ,897 SV% (NHL)

Tokarski played in one game this week and made 22 saves on 26 shots in a loss.