Penguins defenseman Jan Rutta ready to return from injury

Whatever has ailed Jan Rutta as of late, it hasn’t affected his sharp wit.

When asked how he feels Friday after being sidelined for the better part of six weeks due to an undisclosed injury, the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman was quick in his reply.

“Definitely rested.”

That respite appears to be nearing an end as Rutta is expected to be in the lineup for Saturday’s road game against the St. Louis Blues.

During Friday’s practice session in Cranberry, the right-handed defenseman skated in a full capacity on the team’s third pairing and suggested he will be in the lineup Saturday.

“That’s probably a question for the coaches,” Rutta said. “But I think I’m ready to play.”

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan labeled Rutta as a likely “game-time decision” for Saturday.

“He’s made significant progress over the last week or so,” Sullivan said. “There’s always that last element in bringing a player up to speed with respect to the performance aspect, the game-like conditions, things of that nature. He’s checked a lot of those boxes to this point.”

Some formal transactions must first unfold before Rutta can return to the active roster, however.

First, the fate of underachieving forward Kasperi Kapanen will need to be determined. On Friday, the Penguins placed Kapanen on waivers and won’t learn if he will be claimed until 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Should Kapanen clear waivers – and considering his poor play and not-so-poor salary cap hit of $3.2 million, there’s no reason to think he’ll be claimed – the Penguins will likely assign him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, clearing a portion of Kapanen’s cap hit ($1.125 million) off their salary cap figure accordin to Cap Friendly.

Another transaction – such as potentially placing injured defenseman Mark Friedman on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) – will be needed to clear sufficient salary cap space in order to activate Rutta from LTIR.

Rutta is in the first year of a three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $2.75 million.

Having not played since Jan. 14, Rutta indicated he had been dealing with a lingering injury before leaving the lineup two days later.

“It was building up for a while,” Rutta said. “I was hoping to be back a little sooner. Obviously, I’m not happy to wait for so long. But we’re looking forward to (Saturday).”

Appearing in the first 42 games of the season, Rutta has eight points (three goals, five assists) while averaging 17:51 of ice time per contest in his first season with the Penguins.

Rutta suggested there was plenty of room for improvement in his play.

“It could have been better, that’s for sure,” Rutta said of his first 42 games. “There was some growing pains. I grew more comfortable with the system and the guys. Having to wait this long (stinks) but hopefully, I can get into the lineup and keep building.”

The veteran defenseman will be returning to a team that has struggled as of late and is in the midst of a four-game losing streak. His presence in the lineup can serve as a boost to his team’s morale.

“He brings steadiness to us,” defenseman Marcus Pettersson said. “He’s a really good player. … You can see the excitement that he brings to the rink every day with a smile. I’m excited for him to play, if that’s the case.”