Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist out 'longer term'
Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist will be sidelined “longer term” with an undisclosed injury according to coach Mike Sullivan.
Hornqvist left practice in Cranberry on Monday after falling and slamming into the boards with his back midway through the session. He was absent from Tuesday’s practice.
In 20 games this season, Hornqvist has been one of the team’s steadiest producers with 11 points (six goals, five assists).
Hornqvist departs a lineup already perforated because of injuries or other ailments.
Defenseman Brian Dumoulin will be sidelined until at least late January following ankle surgery on Sunday while forward Sidney Crosby and Nick Bjugstad are each on injured reserve with core muscle ailments.
Additionally, forward Zach Aston-Reese missed Tuesday’s practice because of an illness and was kept away from the rest of the team as a precaution.
There were a few signs of salubrious optimism however.
Defenseman Justin Schultz participated in practice wearing a gray non-contact jersey. He skated on a fourth-pairing with Zach Trotman and worked on a second-power-play group.
“It’s good to be out there with the guys again, and a full practice,” Schultz said. “Just trying to get ready to get back into a game here.”
Schultz has missed six games with what is believed to be a groin injury.
“I never felt it before,” said Schultz, who has eight points (two goals, six assists) in 21 games. “It was something that happened in practice. It was unlucky but I think I’m ahead of schedule now. So it’s been feeling really good.”
Schultz isn’t quite sure what to make out of the team’s wretched fortunes with regards to maladies.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Schultz said. “It’s like every day there’s something new. Hopefully we’re getting them all out of the way now for the end of the year. It’s pretty wild.”
“It’s just unlucky I think. Everyone is spending a lot of time in the gym, stretching and making sure everything is good. it’s just really unlucky. (Dumoulin), you can’t do anything about. Lots of them are just unfortunate but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Schultz, who remains on injured reserve, virtually ruled himself out for Wednesday’s home game against the St. Louis Blues.
Additionally, forward Bryan Rust, sidelined the past two games with an undisclosed ailment he suffered from crashing into the boards feet first during a morning skate in Columbus on Friday, skated prior to Tuesday’s practice.
Sullivan said that session “went pretty well.”
Notes:
• Forward Stefan Noesen practiced with the team for the first time after signing a one-year contract worth a prorated $700,000 on Monday. He practiced on the team’s second line and on the top power-play unit as a net-front presence.
• Forward Joseph Blandisi practiced before clearing waivers at noon. He remains on the NHL roster.
• The Penguins’ lines and pairs in practice were:
Jake Guentzel – Evgeni Malkin – Dominik Simon
Alex Galchenyuk – Jared McCann – Stefan Noesen
Dominik Kahun – Teddy Blueger – Brandon Tanev
Joseph Blandisi – Sam Lafferty
• Assistant coach Mark Recchi worked as the left wing of the fourth line.
• The defensive pairs:
Jack Johnson – Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson – John Marino
Juuso Riikola – Chad Ruhwedel
Zach Trotman – Justin Schultz
• The top power-play unit included Galchenyuk, Guentzel, Letang, Malkin and Noesen. The second unit included some combination of Blandisi, Kahun, McCann, Pettersson, Riikola and Schultz.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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