PITTSBURGH – The playoff hopes for the Pittsburgh Penguins have hit a new low, but they still managed to get some positive news on the injury front. Ahead of a full-team morning skate, a pair of injured Penguins hit the ice for their own session.
Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust are dealing with upper-body injuries that aren’t expected to hold them out of the lineup for too much longer. Guentzel was placed on long-term injured reserve but is eligible to return on March 10. Rust is on regular injured reserve and can return at any point.
While it is unlikely Rust returns to the Penguins’ lineup for their contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets, this is progress for the forward. Rust did not travel with the team on their Western Conference road trip.
Guentzel did, however, travel with the team out West and participated in a couple of optional skates.
The bigger story surrounding Guentzel, however, is if he returns to game action in a Penguins’ uniform ever again. The NHL trade deadline is days away and Guentzel is the top forward available.
Guentzel and Rust are not the only two players currently injured on the Penguins roster as Matt Nieto continues to recover from knee surgery and Jansen Harkins did not play in the third period against the Edmonton Oilers.
Head coach Mike Sullivan stated Harkins was being evaluated for an upper-body injury.
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