Overview

• The team announced the moves on Oct. 11, activating Bryan Rust from injured reserve and assigning Ville Koivunen to the AHL.
• Rust had been sidelined by a lower-body issue for most of the preseason and opened the regular season on IR.
• He is expected to rejoin Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell on the top line after a career-best 31 goals and 65 points last season.
• Koivunen was the easy send-down due to waiver rules after two scoreless NHL games to start the year, following seven assists in eight NHL games late last season and 56 AHL points.
• Local analysis views the demotion as a short-term setback for Koivunen’s development, with reporters projecting he remains a leading recall candidate when a spot opens.