Filip Kral has a history with Ville Koivunen.
And it isn’t necessarily rooted in a good place.
Or however one might label the place below Koivunen’s belt.
“We played against each other in the playoffs in the Liiga (Finland’s top league),” Kral said. “I slashed him between the legs. He doesn’t like me because of that.”
All of this was said in jest following the Pittsburgh Penguins practice Tuesday in Cranberry. Kral, a defenseman, held court with reporters, as Koivunen, a forward in a neighboring stall, giggled over their encounter last season.
At the moment, the rookies are teammates on the Penguins’ NHL roster after skating with one another most of this season in the American Hockey League as members of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Kral was recalled to the NHL roster Monday with one game remaining on the schedule this season.
With some of the Penguins’ incumbent defensemen dealing with bumps and bruises, Kral was summoned as something of an insurance policy to ensure the team will have a full complement of blueliners available for the regular-season finale, a home contest against the rival Washington Capitals on Thursday.
Given how late of a stage of the season the NHL Penguins are in, Kral was caught off guard, albeit in a pleasant fashion, by the transaction.
“I was surprised,” said Kral, a left-handed shot. “I wasn’t expecting to get a call-up. Pretty much at the end of the season. It was a nice surprise.”
A native of Czechia, Kral joined the Penguins last offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
In 2018, Kral was drafted by the Maple Leafs (fifth round, No. 149 overall) under the regime of former general manager Kyle Dubas, today the Penguins’ president of hockey operations.
After Dubas was fired by the Maple Leafs in 2023, the management that replaced him opted not to re-sign Kral, a restricted free agent at the time, and he joined the Lahti Pelicans of the Liiga. After a productive season with that team, Kral reconnected with Dubas, signing with the Penguins.
“I just decided to take a step back to move forward pretty much,” Kral said of his decision to play in Finland. “I didn’t want to go back to (Czechia), so I decided to go back to Finland and get a good season there and maybe try to come back here, which happened.”
Kral indicated Dubas made a pitch to sign him once he took over the Penguins in the 2023 offseason.
“There was some interest, even the season before when I went to Finland,” Kral said. “And during the season, I was playing good. Around March (2024), I talked to my agent that they were interested (in signing) me. … Just decided because of the relationship with Kyle, of course.”
Kral has some NHL experience, appearing in two games with the Maple Leafs in 2022-23. He would like more, obviously.
A solid season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has offered some hope. In 46 AHL games, Kral has posted 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) and figures to be a prominent component of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s upcoming postseason aspirations.
Bombs only from Kraler pic.twitter.com/gIod0hWvmg
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 9, 2025
“He’s been a really skilled (defenseman) for us, running the power play and scoring a lot of goals,” said forward Joona Kopponen, who has spent most of the season with the AHL club. “Really solid. Brings us a lot of offense when he’s on the ice.”
It’s anyone’s guess if Kral is on the ice for Thursday’s game. But for the time being, the 25-year-old is in the league he wants to be in.
“I just wanted to try (to get) one more shot in the NHL and try to make it,” Kral said. “It’s the end of the season. I’m here. We’ll see if I get the chance or not.”
Notes: Penguins forward Kevin Hayes (maintenance day) and defenseman Kris Letang (medical appointment) did not participate in Tuesday’s practice. … Hayes was named the Penguins’ nominee for the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which largely recognizes charitable initiatives. … Koppanen cleared waivers. … In polling among NHLPA members, Penguins forward Sidney Crosby was selected as the sport’s most complete and smartest player.
Follow the Penguins all season long.