Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Friedman made his season debut at the NHL level during Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena.

Despite having been recalled to the NHL level on three occasions this season, Friedman had been a healthy scratch for all seven games he was eligible for before Wednesday.

A casualty of the salary cap, Friedman was put through waivers (and cleared) during the late stages of training camp and primarily has been stationed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL this season.

Typically deployed on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s top pairing, Friedman has appeared in 19 AHL games this season and scored five points (one goal, four assists).

Friedman was inserted into the lineup Wednesday less than 24 hours after defenseman Chad Ruhwedel suffered an undisclosed injury during a 5-1 road loss to the New York Islanders.

Ruhwedel did not record a shift beyond the 1-minute, 45-second mark of the second period in that contest. On Wednesday, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan did not offer a substantive update on Ruhwedel’s status beyond indicating he was still being evaluated.

• Penguins collapse in overtime loss to Red Wings • Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel sidelined due to undisclosed injury

With Ruhwedel absent and fellow right-handed defenseman Jeff Petry currently designated to long-term injured reserve because of a suspected left arm injury, Friedman, also a righty, opened Wednesday’s contest on the third pairing with rookie left-hander P.O Joseph.

The 2022-23 season hardly has been ideal for Friedman given his lack of playing time at the NHL level. But his approach to his limited deployment has been satisfactory to management.

“He’s a good pro,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s handled it extremely well. He’s controlling what he can. That’s the best thing that you can do as a player. He’s been that way his whole time since he’s been a Pittsburgh Penguin. I’ve really grown to admire and respect his approach every day because he hasn’t been in easy circumstances. That’s part of the role that he plays on our team is that depth guy. When he gets called upon, he just needs to keep himself ready which he always does.

“What we do know is he’s a very capable NHL defenseman. He’s played extremely well (with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). He’s been their best defenseman down there. That’s why he got the call-up in the first place. We have faith in (Friedman) that he can get the job done.”

Capable of playing either side of a defensive pairing, Friedman’s versatility is part of what Penguins management values in him.

“It’s a great attribute to have, the ability to play both sides,” Sullivan said. “He clearly can do that. His greatest strength is his mobility, his skating ability. He’s a real good skater. That’s what helps him play on the off side as well. Helps us on the penalty kill. Is just a good defender, a pretty steady defenseman for us back there. For a bit of an undersized guy, he plays the game with an edge. That just speaks to his competitive spirit. We believe he’s a guy that’s part of the mix here that can help us win games.

“It’s essential that you have that type of depth for situations like this.”

Smith, Caggiula recalled

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The Penguins recalled defenseman Ty Smith and forward Drake Caggiula from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Both players were healthy scratches Wednesday.

In corresponding transactions, forwards Josh Archibald and Ryan Poehling were placed on injured reserve.

Archibald’s designation to injured reserve is retroactive to Dec. 18. An undisclosed ailment has sidelined him for the past four games.

For Poehling, his designation to injured reserve is retroactive to Dec. 20 as he has missed the past three games with an undisclosed ailment.

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