The NHL's current collective bargaining agreement signed in 2005 states the following:

16.4 Active Roster Size; Playing Roster.

(a) For the 2005/06 League Year and thereafter, there shall be a maximum of twenty-three (23) Players on each Club's Active Roster at any one time, provided, however, that, on the date of each season's Trade Deadline, a Club's Active Roster may be increased to any number of Players the Club, in its discretion, so determines, subject to Article 50 hereof.

The callups of Eric Tangradi and Brad Thiessen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton give the Penguins 14 Forwards, 7 Defensemen, and 3 Goalies on the active roster. Thats 24 players. Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy are listed on IR and do not count against the active roster limit.

So how are the Penguins pulling this off? That after the jump

I've asked the Penguins social media team a few times to confirm or deny this, but honestly I am sure I won't get the answer. Here is how the Penguins are keeping 24 players on the active roster, and not running afoul of the Collective Bargaining Agreement

16.13 Goaltender Exemption.

(a) On up to two (2) occasions during the course of the Regular Season and Playoffs, each Club will be granted a Goaltender Exemption to its Active Roster limit. Each Goaltender Exemption may last a maximum of forty-eight (48) hours. A goaltender Recalled under this provision will not count against a Club's Active Roster limit. However, for purposes of clarity, the Recalled goaltender's Player Salary and Bonuses will be included in calculating a Club's Actual Club Salary and Averaged Club Salary, and the Players' Share, for purposes of Article 50.

If this is the vehicle of Thiessen's recall, he will have to be returned to the Baby Pens within 48 hours of his call-up or the Penguins will have to make a roster move. The Penguins have to identify which injured goaltender the callup and exemption is for and file some paperwork with the league, so the Penguins and their media team should be able to tell their more informed fans how they are putting 24 players on the roster.

File that one under a Sam & Meesh fail. Either they don't know, or are unwilling to find out. I know I am not the only fan out there that wants to know how the team is facilitating the current roster situation. There are still 2 months left in this regular season. If a goalie exemption has been used per 16.13 that might be something worth knowing in the next 8 weeks.