Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen did not exactly stand out among the crowd during his team’s practice session in Cranberry on Wednesday.

He was wearing a white jersey, which usually signals a convalescing player who is not to absorb contact while working his way back into form.

Then again, fourth-line winger Josh Archibald, who is designated to long-term injured reserve, and rookie center Jonathan Gruden also were donning laundry lacking in pigmentation, and the trio served as the team’s “fifth” line during the practice session.

“I guess maybe for me it was,” Kapanen quipped when asked if his jersey was to signal noncontact. “I think they just wanted to have the same color jersey for us to be a line.”

Kapanen doesn’t figure to be part of any line in any games soon. Currently designated to injured reserve, he has missed the past three games because of an undisclosed injury that he suffered during a 5-4 overtime road loss to the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 18.

While he did not offer any specifics as to his malady, Kapanen indicated it was something that became progressively worse after the game.

“Something that I didn’t expect to turn into something bigger,” Kapanen said. “Over one night, over two days, it did get pretty painful. I’m out right now. Just making progress.”

Previously, coach Mike Sullivan has labeled Kapanen’s time frame for recovery as being “week to week.”

Wednesday marked the first time Kapanen had participated in a formal practice session. He also skated before the session with injured defenseman Jan Rutta — currently designated to long-term injured reserve — and assistant coach Ty Hennes.

In 35 games this season, Kapanen has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) while clocking an average ice time of 11 minutes, 45 seconds per contest.

Blueger battered a bit

AP In 32 games this season, Penguins forward Teddy Blueger has seven points (one goal, six assists).  

Teddy Blueger, currently the team’s third-line center, left practice early Wednesday as a planned measure for an undisclosed ailment.

“It was more maintenance than anything,” Sullivan said. “He’s got bumps and bruises that he’s dealing with. We just made a decision on the ice there early in practice to give him the day off.”

In 32 games this season, Blueger has seven points (one goal, six assists) while averaging 12:43 of ice time per contest.

Smith heads back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review In nine NHL games this season, Penguins defenseman Ty Smith has four points (one goal, three assists).  

With reserve goaltender Dustin Tokarski recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League in the wake of starting goaltender Tristan Jarry’s undisclosed absence, the Penguins cleared space on the roster and the salary cap by assigning defenseman Ty Smith to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Recalled to the NHL roster Dec. 28, Smith has appeared in nine NHL games this season and scored four points (one goal, three assists) while averaging 20:12 of ice time per contest.

In 26 AHL games this season, Smith has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists).

In the final year of his three-year entry-level contract, Smith does not need to clear waivers to be assigned to a minor league affiliate.

Schedule change

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review The Penguins are scheduled to face the Detroit Red Wings on April 8.  

The Penguins’ road game against the Detroit Red Wings on April 8 — exclusive to ABC — has been rescheduled for a 1 p.m. start (or, in all reality, some time well into the hour given how late games on national broadcasts tend to actually begin).

Previously, the contest was scheduled to start shortly after 7 p.m.

Follow the Penguins all season long.

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