Team reshuffles as players return
With Brian Dumoulin and Evan Rodrigues on the verge of rejoining the lineup, the Penguins on Friday sent two underutilized youngsters to Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton of the American Hockey League in order to get in more action in games.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Drew O’Connor were on the taxi squad as of Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. But with the Penguins close to full strength at their respective positions and veterans ahead of them giving, in their opinion, the team a better chance to win right now, they opted to reassign the two.
“We don’t want them on the sidelines too long,” coach Mike Sullivan said.
Joseph got off to an impressive start to his NHL career. He had a goal, five points and a plus-5 rating in his first seven games. But the rookie cooled off, dropped down the depth chart and last suited up in Sunday’s 2-0 loss on Long Island.
“We’re really excited about his game, where it’s at and where we think it can potentially go,” Sullivan said. “We just want to try to help continue with his growth and development. ... We still feel very strongly that P.O. is part of the group here in Pittsburgh even though right now he’s playing games in Wilkes-Barre.”
The 21-year-old blue-liner had 5 points and a plus-1 rating in 16 games.
“I think [the experience] will be good for him. He can hold his head high. He played really well for us,” veteran Cody Ceci said. “If he continues to do that down there, I’m sure he’ll be up here in no time when the opportunity presents itself.”
O’Connor was not as successful in his first stint in the NHL. The former college free agent played nine games, notching just one assist with a minus-2 rating. In his most recent game, the winger took a costly penalty in a Feb. 25 loss in Washington.
The 22-year-old averaged just 9:14 minutes of ice time in those games. Sullivan said the
Penguins believe it will be in the best interest of O’Connor, who “had some inconsistencies in his game,” to get some seasoning in the AHL. There, he can play 20-plus minutes and get pro experience in high-leverage situations.
“We’re always going down parallel tracks here,” he said. “As a coaching staff, our priority is to win games, and that’s the first priority here. We’re trying to put the best lineup on the ice so we can do that. But we also have a commitment to every single player on the team to try to help them get better and grow.”
Anthony Angello and Josh Currie took their spots on the taxi squad Friday.
Dumoulin ready to rock?
Brian Dumoulin practiced without contact restrictions Friday afternoon at PPG Paints Arena and was back next to longtime partner Kris Letang on the top pair. That suggested he is on track to suit up Saturday against
the Flyers.
He has been out with a lowerbody injury since Jan. 26, forcing the Penguins to try to fill his sizable void with a few different blue-liners. Most recently, it was Marcus Pettersson, who skated with John Marino on the second pair Friday.
Sullivan said Dumoulin’s return to the lineup, if it indeed happens Saturday at PPG Paints Arena, will have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the pairings.
“I think it has a huge impact,” he said. “Dumoulin is a guy that’s been paired with Kris Letang for a long time now in my tenure as a coach. … He’s just a real good, reliable, 200-foot defenseman. When we do have Dumo in our lineup, it puts the other defensemen in the position where we envisioned them being.”
Rodrigues and blue-liner Juuso Riikola were also a full-go at Friday’s practice.
Friedman sits out practice
Mark Friedman, who got his
first NHL goal Thursday, did not practice Friday.
Friedman went to the dressing room twice in Thursday’s loss to the Flyers, his former team. Not long after he scored, he got drilled into the boards by Nolan Patrick, who received a minor penalty for boarding. Friedman returned but was knocked out of the game for good during his first shift of the second period.
Friedman tried to hit Patrick in the neutral zone but was met by a hard shoulder. He appeared to be woozy before heading off the ice and down the tunnel.
Sullivan said Friday that he was still being evaluated for an upper-body injury.
“He’s a guy who’s like a little Energizer Bunny,” Jared McCann said. “He’s always going, always willing to stick up for his teammates. He’s been a great add for us.”