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Jeff Carter, Tristan Jarry Placed In COVID Protocol

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have a couple more unexpected absences, as Jeff Carter and Tristan Jarry have been put in the COVID protocol. According to head coach Mike Sullivan, who spoke with reporters including Wes Crosby of NHL.com, Carter has tested positive. Both players are currently asymptomatic.

The Penguins have a few days before they have to play, giving time for either or both to post negative tests and get them out of the protocol. The team will travel to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, as they try to continue what has been a relatively successful start. Pittsburgh has still yet to lose in regulation, drawing six of a possible eight points through their first four games. That’s good enough for first in the Metropolitan Division so far.

If Carter is out that night, the team will be without their top three centers as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will also be unable to participate. Though Crosby is getting closer, Sullivan confirmed that he would not play on Saturday night. The team is also without Bryan Rust, meaning it’ll be a very different lineup than expected when the Maple Leafs faceoff against the Penguins for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

Injury Notes: Hughes, Dunn, Stars

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The Vancouver Canucks have yet to play with a healthy core this season, and unfortunately, that trend will continue tonight. While winger Brock Boeser will be back in the lineup as reported earlier today, now defenseman Quinn Hughes is injured and will miss tonight’s game, per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. After signing a six-year, $47.1MM extension prior to the season starting, Hughes has performed well with two points in three games while logging 27:39 a night. Veteran defenseman Brad Hunt draws into the lineup in his place, according to the team’s line rushes.

More injury notes ahead of tonight’s games:

  • After missing the past two games with an injury, The Athletic’s Ryan S. Clark reports Seattle Kraken defender Vince Dunn will return to the lineup. Slotting back onto a pair with Jeremy Lauzon, Dunn has an assist in two games but has played just 15:08 per game, a far cry from the role he was expected to play with the team. He’ll have to work overtime now in order to work his way back into the team’s top-four.
  • The Dallas Stars are missing both John Klingberg and Jason Robertson for tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, per the Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks. Both remain day-to-day as Robertson has yet to slot into the lineup this season, while Klingberg played just 10:21 of the Stars’ first game. It’ll be tough to knock off the Penguins, who have yet to lose in regulation, without two key players.

Bryan Rust Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury

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  • Bryan Rust is out “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury, according to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. The Penguins are 2-0-1 through the first three games of the season, first in the NHL despite the absence of several top players. Sidney Crosby won’t play on Tuesday but is approaching a return, and Evgeni Malkin has started a skating program as he continues his rehab. Rust, meanwhile, looks to be out for a little while following his strong start to the season.

Zach Aston-Reese Activated From COVID Protocol

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Zach Aston-Reese could make his season debut for the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, after being activated from the COVID protocol earlier today. It was nearly three weeks ago that Aston-Reese first tested positive for COVID-19, but after returning he ended up back on the list a few days ago. With Bryan Rust’s placement on injured reserve, the team has the roster spot available to activate Aston-Reese and potentially put him into the lineup for tonight’s game.

Though technically listed as a game-time decision, Aston-Reese’s return would be a nice boost for a Penguins team that has already secured three out of four available points this season. The 27-year-old forward has shown an ability to slot in almost anywhere in the lineup, even jumping on Sidney Crosby’s first-line wing at times. He doesn’t provide a ton of offense but did register a career-high with nine goals in 45 games last season.

The Penguins started the year with both Aston-Reese and Jake Guentzel out after positive COVID tests, but had the latter back in action against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. With Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and now Rust out, they will need all hands on deck as they welcome in Marc-Andre Fleury and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Bryan Rust Won't Play Tonight, Placed On IR

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  • The Penguins have ruled out winger Bryan Rust for tonight’s game against Chicago, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters including Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 29-year-old was injured early in the third period on a hit from Florida’s MacKenzie Weegar on Thursday.  The team is still evaluating Rust’s injury so there’s no timetable yet for his return although he has been placed on IR.

Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Brian Boyle

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Oct 12: Now that we’re into the first day of the regular season, the Penguins have made a few more cap moves to fit in Boyle. The team placed Evgeni Malkin on long-term injured reserve, moved Sidney Crosby to injured/non-roster, added Zach Aston-Reese to the COVID protocol and officially signed Boyle to a one-year, $750K contract. Anthony Angello and Drew O’Connor have also been recalled.

Oct 11: The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to sign Brian Boyle on Tuesday, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff confirms that the one-year deal will be worth $750K when finalized. Boyle had been in Penguins camp on a professional tryout after failing to even play professional hockey in 2020-21.

Now 36, Boyle’s story is one of incredible perseverance and hard work, with this just the latest impressive chapter. The veteran forward seemed to be out of the NHL last season, but took earned himself a spot on the U.S. World Championship team, was given the captaincy and proved he could still play at a high level. Even that wasn’t enough to land him an actual contract, but his performance at Penguins’ camp on a PTO–combined with the team’s injury concerns–will be enough to get him another chance.

No one is mistaking Boyle for a top-line player at this point, but he does bring size, experience and versatility to the bottom of the lineup. The 6’6″ forward can play center or left wing, while contributing on both special teams. In 2019-20 with the Florida Panthers he recorded six goals and 15 points in 39 games, while providing a physical presence and a reliable faceoff percentage. If the Penguins, who are without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to start the season, get a few months of respectable performance out of Boyle, it will be well worth the one-year deal.

Guentzel, Crosby, Aston-Reese Ruled Out For Tuesday's Opener

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The Penguins had close to a full group at practice today with winger Jake Guentzel returning from COVID-19 protocol while center Sidney Crosby participated once again.  However, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that those two as well as winger Zach Aston-Reese, have all been ruled out for tomorrow’s season-opener.  However, Guentzel is a possibility to play on Thursday night while Crosby is unlikely to play on their road trip.  An IR placement for him appears likely which could open up a roster spot for the expected signing of veteran Brian Boyle.

Injury Notes: Reaves, Bennett, Guentzel

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Despite suffering an injury on Wednesday night that forced him to be helped off the ice, New York Rangers free agent addition Ryan Reaves may not miss any regular season time. The grinder has not been practicing since the injury occurred, but head coach Gerard Gallant is optimistic that he could return by opening night. “I think it’s going to be close,” Gallant told Collin Stephenson on Newsday. “When we left the game, I said no, but… the last couple of days it’s going in the right direction… I can’t really say, but I think it’s going to be real close.” The Rangers prioritized adding grit and physicality this summer, adding Reaves, Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, and Patrik Nemeth, so they hope to be able to roll out their full complement of toughness for Opening Night.

  • Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett missed the team’s preseason match-up on Saturday night as he has been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol, the team announced. Depending on the context of Bennett’s absence, the two-way forward could miss more than just one game. The Panthers certainly hope that the physical center is good to go for the start of the season; Bennett was an excellent addition to the Florida roster at the deadline last season, recording 15 points in ten games while averaging a career-high 18:04 time on ice. As the Cats look to compete in the Atlantic Division this year, every game matters and a healthy Bennett is a difference-maker.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins expect to have Jake Guentzel back sooner rather than later from COVID Protocol. Head coach Mike Sullivan told The Athletic’s Rob Rossi that Guentzel is asymptomatic and going through the steps of the protocol. Though he has missed a week of practice, Guentzel will jump right back into the lineup if he is healthy. The 27-year-old has scored at a point-per-game pace over the past three years and will be relied on even more with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin injured.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/9/21

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With the submission of season-opening rosters due on Monday, many teams should be making more cuts today.  We’ll keep track of those moves here.

Columbus Blue Jackets (via team release)

F Tyler Angle (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Josh Dunne (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brendan Gaunce (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Carson Meyer (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Tristan Mullin (released from PTO, to Cleveland, AHL)
F Justin Scott (released from PTO, to Cleveland, AHL)
F Tyler Sikura (to Cleveland, AHL)

Florida Panthers (via WPLG’s David Dwork)

F Zac Dalpe (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Noah Juulsen (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Matt Kiersted (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Serron Noel (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Chase Priskie (to Charlotte, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (via team release)

D Calen Addison (to Iowa, AHL)
F Adam Beckman (to Iowa, AHL)
F Marco Rossi (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (via TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie)

F Jesse Ylonen (to Laval, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via team Twitter)

F Joseph Gambardella (to Utica, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (via team Twitter)

F Parker Kelly (to Belleville, AHL)
G Mads Sogaard (to Belleville, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via team Twitter)

G Felix Sandstrom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team release)

F Michael Chaput (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Juuso Riikola (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

G Colten Ellis (to Springfield, AHL)
F Dakota Joshua (to Springfield, AHL)
D Scott Perunovich (to Springfield, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via team release)

F Carson Focht (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F William Lockwood (to Abbotsford, AHL)

Jake Guentzel Enters COVID-19 Protocol With Positive Test

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel has tested positive for COVID-19 and has entered protocol, the team confirmed Sunday morning. The Athletic’s Rob Rossi reports that due to protocol measures, Guentzel will be available for Pittsburgh’s season opener on October 12 against Tampa Bay so long as he doesn’t have more than two failed tests moving forward.

If for some reason Guentzel can’t go against the Lightning, the Penguins will be opening the season without their three best forwards. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will remain out well into the season with their respective injuries.

Due to that, Guentzel will be relied upon heavily in Pittsburgh once he’s ready to go again. His ice time will undoubtedly stay above the 20-minute mark for the third straight season as the soon-to-be-27-year-old will take the reins as Pittsburgh’s best offensive talent until Crosby and Malkin are at full health.

Guentzel enters 2021-22 aiming for his fifth consecutive 20-goal season, as well as his third straight season above a point-per-game pace. Injuries and the pandemic have limited him to just 95 games over the past two seasons, but the Omaha-born forward’s still managed 43 goals and 100 points in that timeframe.

Pittsburgh will face an uphill battle early on in an airtight Metropolitan Division without their top two Hall-of-Fame centers. If the team (and Guentzel) can’t cover for their absences by committee, the Pens risk missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2006.

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