Mike Sullivan said before the Penguins' western road trip that he anticipated the team taking advantage of its taxi squad as insurance while on the road.
They didn't want to be all the way out in California, have a player get injured or go into COVID protocol, and have all of their backup options be on the other side of the country in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
With the Penguins' western road trip over, and forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Danton Heinen both expected to return from COVID protocol any day now, the Penguins sent some of those insurance players back to Wilkes-Barre.