Even if he hasn’t played for the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2018, Carl Hagelin still holds a prominent place in the franchise’s history.
And that notion hasn’t been diluted one bit amongst his former teammates in Pittsburgh despite him having been a member of the rival Washington Capitals since 2019.
So when Hagelin suffered an injury to his left eye after being struck by a stick during practice in Arlington, Va., on March 1 and required surgery to correct the issue, news of that development resonated with those he won the Stanley Cup with during his time in Pittsburgh.
Some members of the Penguins’ current roster who played with Hagelin during his stint in Pittsburgh over parts of four seasons have reached out to their former teammate.
A veteran 11 NHL seasons, Hagelin’s immediate and long-term future are uncertain at the moment.
After undergoing surgery the same day he was injured, the Capitals announced Sunday the speedy winger would be sidelined indefinitely. Washington general manager Brian MacLellan labeled the injury as “serious.”
Hagelin was a vital member of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup championship teams in 2016 and 2017. The “H” portion of the vaunted “HBK” line — that included Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel — Hagelin’s skating helped establish the Penguins’ identity as a team that attacked the opposition with overwhelming speed.
Off the ice, his presence might have meant more to his teammates.
“Him as a person, unbelievable,” Penguins forward Bryan Rust said. “He will go out of his way to pretty much do anything for you. Unbelievable family guy. You see it with his wife and his kids and all of that. To see a guy like that get an injury like that, it’s tough.”
Rust to reach 400 games
Assuming he is in the lineup for Tuesday’s home contest against the Florida Panthers, Rust will appear in the 400th regular-season game of his career.
A third-round pick (No. 35 overall) in 2010, Rust serves as the right wing of the team’s top line alongside franchise center Sidney Crosby.
He has come a long way since skating all of 6 minutes, 2 seconds on nine shifts during his NHL debut, a 4-3 road shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 13, 2014.
Under the direction of former coach Mike Johnston, Rust had four minutes in penalties and no shots.
“The first game was in Columbus,” Rust recalled. “I didn’t play very much. I think I got a four-minute penalty. I tried to get a fight, tried to get that five-minute major, couldn’t quite get it. But it was fun. Obviously, it’s a game that I’m going to remember the rest of my life. To be able to say I’ve played in what will be 400, it’s cool. Every time you hit a milestone like this, you look back and it’s gone by pretty quick. But it’s been a fun run. Hopefully, there’s a lot more to come.”
Reirden could return against Florida
Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden was at practice Monday in Cranberry. Hobbled by a knee injury that required surgery, Reirden was limited to the benches and did not take the ice.
Injured during the NHL’s All-Star break in early February, Reirden has worked remotely and has not been present on the bench for the past nine games.
After Tuesday’s practice, head coach Mike Sullivan suggested Reirden, who oversees the defensemen and the power play, will be a “game-time decision” for Tuesday’s contest against the Panthers.
Domingue sent to WBS
The Penguins activated reserve goaltender Louis Domingue from injured reserve and assigned him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Monday.
Domingue had been rehabilitating a right foot injury since being struck by a puck during an optional morning skate Jan. 20.
This season, Domingue has appeared in one NHL game. During a 2-1 road win against the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 15, he made 40 saves on 41 shots. He has dressed for five NHL games as a backup but did not play in any of those contests.
With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Domingue has appeared in 10 AHL games this season and has a 3-4-2 record along with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
