TAFFE, WALLACE RETURN TO WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forwards Jeff Taffe and Tim Wallace to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL), it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Taffe tallied one assist in four games on his latest stint with Pittsburgh.  He has two assists in eight games with Pittsburgh this season.  The 27-year old ranks second on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) and third with a plus-8 rating in 25 games this season.

The 6-3, 215-pound forward played 45 games with Pittsburgh last season, scoring 12 points (five goals, seven assists) along with eight penalty minutes.  Taffe registered 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 27 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2007-08.  He has played 152 career games in the NHL over parts of five seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers, tallying 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) along with 36 penalty minutes. 

The native of Hastings, Minnesota was originally drafted by St. Louis in the first round (30th overall) of the 2000 Entry Draft.  He signed with the Penguins as a free agent on July 13, 2007.      

Wallace has appeared in seven games, recording one assist in his first stint with Pittsburgh.  He had seven points (four goals, three assists) along with 31 penalty minutes in 21 contests with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the time of his recall. 

The native of Anchorage, Alaska recorded 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) and 82 penalty minutes in 74 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season.  The 6-1, 206-pound forward also posted eight points (two goals, six assists) along with 21 penalty minutes in 22 playoff contests, helping the Penguins reach the Calder Cup Finals.

The 24-year old, hard-hitting forward has played 127 games in the AHL for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, scoring 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) along with 152 penalty minutes.  He has registered 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and 23 penalty minutes in 33 post-season appearances with the Penguins.  Wallace signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent on October 4, 2006.

PITTSBURGH REASSIGNS STONE TO WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forward Ryan Stone to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL), it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Stone, 23, appeared in two games with Pittsburgh on his latest stint.  He has registered 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 28 games for Wilkes-Barre, ranking fourth on the team.  His 47 penalty minutes also rank fourth among the Penguins.   

The Calgary, Alberta native played six games over three stints with the Penguins during the 2007-08 season.  He made his NHL debut on January 10th vs. Tampa Bay and registered his first NHL point on March 12th vs. Buffalo.  He has played eight career games in the NHL, registering one assist along with seven penalty minutes. 

The 6-2, 207-pound forward tallied 39 points (11 goals, 28 assists) and 129 penalty minutes in 65 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) during the 2007-08 season.  He was sixth on the club in scoring and tied for third in assists.  Stone also appeared in all 23 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as the team advanced to the Calder Cup Finals.  He scored 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) and led the team with a plus-nine rating in the postseason.   

Stone was originally selected by the Penguins in the second round (32nd overall) in the 2003 NHL Draft. He is in his fourth season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, collecting 126 points (38 goals, 88 assists) and 371 penalty minutes in 209 career games in the AHL.  Stone has also played 43 playoff games, registering 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) and 66 penalty minutes.