Former Bruins forward reaches new career low following AHL assignment

Heinen has spent most of the season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, not Pittsburgh, a stark shift from the role he once held in the NHL. The Penguins recalled him earlier in November when injuries piled up, but as soon as bodies returned, his spot evaporated.

For a 30-year-old forward who put up 47 points as a rookie in Boston back in 2017-18, the decline has been sharp and hard to ignore.

The Penguins, stuck in a tightening playoff race, opted for youth and pace over veteran insulation. Heinen's production no longer outweighed his inconsistencies, and his once-reliable play along the wall has slipped behind faster skaters climbing Pittsburgh's depth chart.

Heinen managed only brief minutes during his call-up, and the move back to the AHL felt inevitable given the organization's trajectory.

As a fan watching his career unfold, this chapter feels especially difficult. Heinen was a versatile piece during Boston's 2019 run and later carved out respectable seasons in Anaheim and Pittsburgh. But the league keeps getting faster, and players who sit between roles often get squeezed. The fact he now battles for ice in the AHL shows how thin the margin has become.

Heinen still brings smarts and responsible reads, but the explosion that once separated him from fringe talent appears gone. Unless Pittsburgh faces another wave of injuries, his NHL path looks uncertain.

Here is the transaction that marked his latest setback.

For a player who once looked like a long term Bruin, it is a tough reminder of how quickly careers can pivot. Heinen is now fighting for relevance again, hoping consistency in Wilkes-Barre earns him one more shot. Fans who remember his early promise can only hope he finds a way back.