Dumoulin, McCann Disclose Injuries

A couple of Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday disclosed injuries they were dealing with during the playoffs while meeting with reporters for the final time this season.

Defenseman Brian Dumoulin, who missed the final three regular-season games before returning for the playoffs, said he had a torn posterior collateral ligament (PCL) in his knee and wore a brace during the first-round series against the New York Islanders.

“In that last Carolina game (March 31), I didn’t really know what happened. Kind of woke up the next morning, had a tear in my PCL in my knee,” Dumoulin said. “I’ve never had any knee problems, so that was a little different, playing with a brace and things like that.

“Toward the end it was getting a little better.”

Dumoulin, who resumed his normal role on the top defensive pairing with Kris Letang upon returning, was asked about the limitations he had during that series, in which the Penguins got swept by the Islanders.

“It’s tough to tell,” he said. “I had to wear a brace. Other than that, by the time you’re playing in the game you just play.

“At least now I can have a heathy offseason and don’t have to wear it.”

Meanwhile, winger Jared McCann said he missed Game 2 of the series because of a separated shoulder. He was able to return for Games 3 and 4 and at times played on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel.

“It was definitely tough, but the doctors were great here,” McCann said. “They made the pain go away, so it was good.”

It was just three games, but they were the first playoff experience of McCann’s NHL career.

“It was a learning experience,” he said. “I feel like the game’s just that much faster at that level. I’m hungry for it again next year.”