ARIZONA COYOTES

Arizona Coyotes D Niklas Hjalmarsson back in lineup against Penguins

Jan 12, 2020, 11:13 AM | Updated: 3:00 pm

Niklas Hjalmarsson (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)...

Niklas Hjalmarsson (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Hammer’s back.

After a 43-game absence, Arizona Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is back in the lineup for Sunday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The defenseman had been on the mend with a cracked left fibula he sustained after blocking a slapshot back on Oct. 12.

The return of Hjalmarsson comes following the Coyotes’ decision to recall goalie Ivan Prosvetov, assigning Kyle Capobianco to AHL Tucson in a corresponding move.

Hjalmarsson’s seen four games this season, scoring one goal on four shots for a point.

Since coming over to the Coyotes in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, Hjalmarsson’s recorded two goals and 18 assists for 20 points to go along with 62 PIM in 134 games. His average time on ice over that span is 19:55.

The Coyotes are 25-18-4, second in the Pacific Division, heading into Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Just four games remain before the 2020 NHL All-Star break.

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