Penguins
(Updated) Penguins Skate: Kapanen Injured; Petry, Poehling Close
The Pittsburgh Penguins showed one change at their morning skate Friday at PPG Paints Arena, with Danton Heinen taking Kasperi Kapanen’s place on the fourth line. Kapanen was not on the ice, and coach Mike Sullivan said afterward that Kapenen is out week-to-week because of a lower-body injury.
The Penguins canceled their scheduled practice Thursday and so held a full morning skate Friday in advance of a home game against the Ottawa Senators, a rematch of Wednesday’s road loss.
Goaltender Tristan Jarry could return from injury Friday. So could defenseman Jeff Petry, who manned the point on the top power play at the skate. He missed the past 16 games. He and forward Ryan Poehling are game-time decisions, according to Sullivan.
“It was obviously a full, premium skate,” Petry said, adding that “it’s going to be an adjustment” to return to game action.
The lines and pairings:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Jason Zucker-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell
Drew O’Connor-Teddy Blueger-Jeff Carter
Brock McGinn-Jonathan Gruden-Danton Heinen
Brian Dumoulin-Ty Smith
Marcus Pettersson-Mark Friedman
P.O Joseph-Chad Ruhwedel
Injured defenseman Jan Rutta did not skate.
The pre-skate participants with assistant coach Ty Hennes for 30 minutes were defenseman Kris Letang and forward Josh Archibald. However, both also participated in the full skate, wearing white non-contact jersey. Here’s Letang in his early workout:
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Putting Heinen is replacing anyone is a mistake unless they’re trying to showcase him. But that will fail because he’s invisible anyway. I’d rather dress 7 D if Kapanen sits. Or go a skater short.
Why don’t they really step out and send Heinen down to wbs and bring up nylander. He can’t do any worse than an empty suit. I’m frustrated with this dance
Totally agree
He isn’t anymore invisible than Kappy!
Lets hope playing at home is the remedy! Go Pens!
I think the handling of Heinen was at fault. He was going good and then the coaches started using him as the “part they could put anywhere”. That didn’t work. Maybe he felt he belonged, than he did not. Move over there! No play with him…etc.
He played very well for the first week of the season and that has been it. Heinen has gotten a shot to play everywhere in the lineup and hasn’t performed. Some of what you said is correct, but at some point he has to get out of his head, start shooting, and break out of his slump. Playing his game and scoring is his role that earned him a contract and a consistent spot in the lineup. It shouldn’t matter which line he is on.
At some point, with Heinen and Kapanen and really so many guys – you have to ask if the coaching staff is responsible for suddenly getting so little out of so many guys. Heinen scored over 20 goals in 80 some games with the Pens and then…..nothing.
I’d put Kapenen on LT injured reserve
Bring in Timo Meier someway. I guess with Kappy out now this is by the wayside.