Blueger Joins Penguins For Optional Skate, Making ‘Significant Progress’

Pittsburgh Penguins center Teddy Blueger, who has an upper-body injury, joined the team for its optional morning skate Friday at PPG Paints Arena, wearing a white, presumably non-contact jersey. It was his first time skating with any semblance of the team since he got hurt.

He won’t play Friday night when the Penguins host the Buffalo Sabres in a preseason game at PPG Paints Arena, but coach Mike Sullivan seemed highly optimistic about Blueger’s recovery.

“It is a step,” Sullivan said. “He’s making significant progress. We’re really encouraged. We’re hopeful that he’ll join us for practice after the game for the next week or so and participate in a full capacity. That’s obviously the next step before his return to play.”

Blueger is expected to again fill the role of fourth-line center, perhaps as soon as the regular-season opener Oct. 13 against Arizona.

Sullivan said Tristan Jarry will start in goal against the Red Wings and is expected to play the whole game, with Filip Lindberg backing him up.

Friday is the final preseason game for the Penguins, who are 2-3. It’s not that exhibition records really matter, but the performances are constantly being evaluated by the coaching and management staff.

The others on the ice for the optional morning skate were Sam Poulin, Ty Smith, Ryan Poeling, Kasperi Kapanen, Danton Heinen, Jan Rutta, Mark Friedman, Kris Letang, P.O Joseph, Marcus Pettersson, Chad Ruhwedel, Jarry and Casey DeSmith

Blueger and defensemen Pettersson and Ruhwedel, who are not scheduled to play Friday night, along with Lindberg, also worked out on the ice prior to the morning skate.