The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled defensemen Derrick Pouliot and Taylor Chorney from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford.

Pouliot, 20, leads WBS in scoring this season with 20 points (7G-13A) in 23 games. His 13 assists also pace the club. Pouliot’s point total ranks fourth (tied) among all AHL rookies and fifth overall among all AHL blueliners.

The 6-foot, 208-pound Pouliot was Pittsburgh’s first-round (8th overall) draft pick in 2012. He has seven points (5G-2A) in seven games during the month of December.

Pouliot played four-plus years of junior hockey with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he was coached by current Penguins head coach Mike Johnston. Pouliot was the CHL and WHL Defenseman of the Year last season.

Chorney, 27, is in his first season with the Pittsburgh organization. He made the Penguins’ opening-night roster, but didn't appear in a game before returning to WBS.

The 6-foot-1, 189-pound Chorney has six points (2G-4A) and has posted a plus-15 in 25 AHL games with WBS. His plus-15 ranks second on the team.

Chorney has played 61 career NHL games with Edmonton and St. Louis, totaling seven points (1G-6A). He spent three players playing college hockey at North Dakota. Prior to that he skated for two years at the Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school that Sidney Crosby attended.