Penguins Practice: Dewar Promoted; Letang Shifted; Injured Guys Skate

After a day off, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to practice Thursday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. All expected players participated.

The Penguins shuffled some of their personnel, with Joona Koppanen moving onto the “energy line,” Connor Dewar moving onto Evgeni Malkin’s like, and Conor Timmons moving onto the top defensive pairing with Kris Letang — and Letang moving to the left side.

Letang doesn’t often play on his off side, but he noted that it often worked that way with previous long-time defense partner Brian Domoulin.

“When I played with ‘Dumo,’ because I always taking the first guy on the ice, I was always taking the left side,” Letang said. Th0se two often then would cross. “It’s going to be an adjustment, but it’s not like I’ve not been in that position before.”

Letang noted that Timmons, who has played just five games since he was acquired in a trade with Toronto, helps provide offense. He has a goal and three assists in those five games.

“Offensively, he’s got good instincts,” Letang said. “He’s got a really good shot. Defensively, he’s really solid, good skater.”

Before practice, the team’s three injured players — forward Tommy Novak and defensemen Ryan Shea and P.O Joseph — had an on-ice workout.

Novak, who got hurt after playing two games following his trade from Nashville, is listed as day-to-day, while the two defensemen are out on a week-to-week basis. It’s believed this could be the first time Novak has skated since he got hurt.

Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Connor Dewar-Evgeni Malkin-Philip Tomasino

Joona Koppanen-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Danton Heinen-Kevin Hayes-Boko Imama

Defense

Conor Timmons-Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Graves-Vladislv Kolyachonok