Guentzel back at practice in full capacity
Including Tuesday afternoon, Jake Guentzel has been on the scene for each of the Penguins’ last two practices in Cranberry.
But rather than sporting a no-contact sweater like he did last Friday, Guentzel was operating at full capacity at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, per coach Mike Sullivan. It marked the first day of Guentzel being a full go with his teammates following offseason surgery on his right ankle.
“I feel great,” Guentzel said after practice. “It’s obviously nice to be out with the team, the guys again and just to see the faces and be out with the new guys, that was fun. So, exciting day for sure and just the first step.”
Team president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said in August shortly after Guentzel’s procedure was completed that the team’s leading scorer last season was expected to miss about the first five games of the 2023-24 campaign.
His rehabilitation process from the injury has gone quite smoothly and quickly, however, raising questions as to whether Guentzel might not be out for as long or miss any regular season games. Guentzel downplayed that potential.
“It’s too early to tell. It’s kind of a wait-and-see,” hel said when asked if he was ahead of schedule. “Obviously, just got to wait and see what happens.”
Guentzel confirmed to reporters that he was injured during the 2022-23 regular season. His right ankle was wrapped in ice after blocking a shot in a March game against Colorado.
Guentzel still skated in 78 games last season and even tried to play in Da Beauty League, a semi-professional summer league for NHL players. But once it became clear that his ankle was still giving him problems, he and the team elected for surgery during the summer.
“It obviously just didn’t heal properly the way we thought it was gonna,” Guentzel said. “So, kind of decided last minute to go this route and now we’re here. So, it’s just kind of hoping for the best.”
Joseph injured
While nearly every player from Monday’s preseason game against the Ottawa Senators was on hand for practice, Pierre- Olivier Joseph was not. The 24-yearold defenseman is day-to-day with what Sullivan labeled a lower-body injury.
After Monday’s contest, Joseph told reporters that he had been hit by a shot from his older brother, Mathieu.
Around the boards
The Penguins recalled three players from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday. Brought back were Ty Smith and forwards Avery Hayes and Rem Pitlick. Both Pitlick and Smith successfully cleared waivers last Thursday. Hayes, meanwhile, is in the first year of a two-year contract with the Baby Pens.