Penguins Lose Another Forward to Injury

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered another brutal loss at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, extending their losing streak to three games. While the game was likely already out of reach, the Penguins had to finish the contest down a forward.

Jansen Harkins took a big hit from Evander Kane in the second period and did not return for the final frame. Harkins tried to play a few more shifts in the second but ultimately didn’t join the Penguins for the useless third.

Following the contest, head coach Mike Sullivan stated that Harkins was being evaluated for an upper-body injury. Harkins played just over seven minutes of ice against the Oilers and missed on a penalty shot opportunity.

The Penguins are off on Monday and will return to the ice for a full-team morning skate against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. That is likely when the next update on Harkins will come through.

Harkins has been a consistent face in the Penguins lineup all season but has been one of the lowest producers of offense. Sure, he’s playing on the fourth line, but his numbers have been atrocious.

In 42 games played, Harkins has not scored a single goal while picking up only four assists. Harkins joined the Penguins via waiver claim during the preseason and quickly looked like a quality piece for the depth. He earned his spot in the lineup early on, but he hasn’t been able to capture that same magic since.