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New Update On Injured Pittsburgh Penguins Defenseman Ryan Shea Emerges

Originally posted on Hockey Unplugged | By Tom Banks | Last updated Mar 20, 2025 1:49 PM ET

Ryan Shea has missed four straight games for the Penguins, and while the hope was the he was returning soon, the latest update isn't a positive one as he was not on the ice for practice on Thursday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have caught fire in recent times, and they've managed to do so despite several key injuries, with three players absent from their lineup for the past few weeks.

Now, the latest update has come through on defenseman Ryan Shea, who has missed the Penguins last four games, and unfortunately, things aren't looking much better for him.

According to Seth Rorabaugh, Shea was seen at the latest Penguins practice, but unfortunately he was watching in gym clothes, with no indicator that he's near ready to return.

This is a blow for Pittsburgh, who need a serious boost on their blue line, and with Shea posting 2 goals and 5 points in his first extended run at the NHL level, he was beginning to thrive in his role on the top pairing.

Shea did skate before practice with the other two injured players Tommy Novak and Pierre-Olivier Joseph, but the fact that he wasn't on the ice at all during practice isn't a good sign, and with the Penguins quickly running out of games, it's unclear if he'll be getting back on the ice in 2024/25.

We will continue to provide updates on Shea's status as they come through, but at the current point in time it doesn't look too positive, and with the Penguins still having an outside shot at the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they'd love to have everyone available for that push, included their three key injured players.

This article first appeared on Hockey Unplugged and was syndicated with permission.

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