Penguins Coaching Camp: Notes from Remaining Day of Practices

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins held their ultimate common observe day of coaching camp in preparation for the 2024-25 season.

And there have been nonetheless some younger guys hanging round.

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Forwards Valtteri Puustinen and Rutger McGroarty, in addition to defenseman Harrison Brunicke, remained with the NHL group for observe at this time. Another guys – most notably Sam Poulin, Owen Pickering, John Ludvig, and Emil Bemstrom – practiced with a separate group previous to the repeatedly scheduled NHL skate.

As well as, defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has missed all of coaching camp with an upper-body harm, skated on his personal earlier than observe. Ahead Bryan Rust had a upkeep day.

Ahead Avery Hayes and defenseman Dan Renouf had been additionally assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s coaching camp.

The road mixtures and defensive pairings had been as follows:

Forwards

Drew O’Connor-Sidney Crosby-Anthony Beauvillier

Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell

Valtteri Puustinen-Lars Eller-Jesse Puljujarvi

Cody Glass-Kevin Hayes-Noel Acciari

Rutger McGroarty (rotating in)

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk-Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson-Jack St. Ivany

Ryan Graves-Harrison Brunicke

Ryan Shea-Sebastian Aho

Goaltenders

Tristan Jarry, Joel Blomqvist

Listed below are some harm updates and notes from Wednesday’s observe:

– On the harm entrance, the Penguins introduced that goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is out week-to-week with a decrease physique harm.

As well as, ahead Blake Lizotte is out indefinitely with a concussion, and ahead Vasiliy Ponomarev is day-to-day with an upper-body harm.

These accidents open the door for a number of guys who’re on the perimeter to make the roster. Blomqvist will doubtless again up Jarry to begin the season. And there are a number of ahead spots for the taking as effectively, which I am going to get to shortly.

– Blomqvist was undoubtedly the large speaking level at observe at this time, given the Nedeljkovic harm information.

The begin to coaching camp was a bit rocky for him, however he appeared to get higher as camp went alongside. And he was excellent on Sunday in opposition to Detroit.

Head coach Mike Sullivan had nice issues to say about Blomqvist’s camp and his response to a tough begin in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres within the first preseason sport.

“I feel how he reacted to his first sport has been spectacular,” Sullivan stated. “As a younger participant, when it does not go the best way you need, typically that may have an effect on your general confidence and in flip have an effect on your future efficiency. That hasn’t been the case. He put it behind him, went again to work and he controls that which he can management. When he went again within the web, he did a terrific job. I feel that claims so much about his maturity, I feel it says so much about his resilience.”

He continued: “Sports activities are robust. It should problem you on a regular basis. Your capability to have the ability to shrug a few of the disappointments off is crucial to your capability to have success as a participant. He actually has reacted to it the precise method to what might have been a troublesome state of affairs for him. We give him excessive marks for that. I feel it says so much about his maturity as a participant.”

Related: Brunicke Shines, Penguins Fall to Detroit in Preseason Rematch

The dynamic between Jarry and Blomqvist will probably be one to observe. Whereas Jarry figures to be within the beginning position, in addition to in a management position, Blomqvist will see some NHL begins.

I am trying ahead to seeing how this case shakes out. If Blomqvist performs effectively, the Penguins may have one too many goaltenders on their NHL roster as soon as Nedeljkovic returns.

– Puustinen, McGroarty, and Brunicke are all nonetheless right here.

Head coach Mike Sullivan is assured that Karlsson is monitoring towards readiness on opening night time, which makes it much less doubtless that Brunicke cracks the roster. However it’s attention-grabbing that St. Ivany, who has been paired with Graves for many of camp, bumped up with Pettersson once more, seemingly signaling that they are making ready for the state of affairs that Karlsson is not able to go. And this will likely give Brunicke a shot.

When requested if Brunicke had a shot at a nine-game trial, Sullivan stated, “Sure, in fact he does.” So, this subsequent week could very effectively decide Brunicke’s destiny forward of Oct. 9.

As for the ahead spots? It appears Puljujarvi is a lock to make the roster – and to begin – at this level. He was deployed on the second energy play unit in observe at this time, and he didn’t rotate out of his spot on the third line alongside Eller.

With Lizotte and Ponomarev out – two guys who seemed to be forward on the depth chart – Puustinen skated on the third line left wing, and McGroarty rotated in on the third and fourth traces.

It’s value noting that Rust did not observe, and the Penguins had 13 forwards on the ice at this time. Whereas it looks like McGroarty might be the odd man out right here, it stays to be seen whether or not the Penguins roll with 13 or 14 forwards.

Related: Tough Roster Decisions Loom as Penguins Defeat Red Wings in Preseason Matchup

– On that notice, McGroarty has seen a while on the penalty kill, each in yesterday’s sport and through observe at this time. He was paired on a unit with Anthony Beauvillier.

I requested Sullivan about whether or not or not accidents to penalty killing and defensive forwards like Lizotte and Ponomarev change something in regards to the analysis course of for filling these roster spots. Whereas he stated that it did not change the analysis course of, he did say it throws extra guys into the combination.

So getting some work on particular groups ought to solely assist McGroarty’s probabilities of making this roster. Gamers who’ve a component of versatility to their sport are usually in additional favorable positioning on depth charts, particularly in the event that they present they’re succesful.

I spoke with McGroarty at this time in regards to the penalty kill – and I am going to have one other piece on this later at this time – however the extra situational hockey he finds himself enjoying in, the higher off he must be when it comes to an opportunity on the roster.

If each Lizotte and Ponomarev are out to begin the common season, I do suppose McGroarty has a very good shot to make it. Or, no less than, issues are trying up for him. I nonetheless suppose Ponomarev is probably going forward of him on the depth chart at this level.

– All credit score to Valtteri Puustinen for his sturdy displaying on Sunday in opposition to Detroit.

To be sincere, it actually regarded like he was on the surface trying in. Accidents are enjoying an element right here, clearly, and whereas Lizotte’s state of affairs is more likely to lengthen into the season, it is potential that Ponomarev remains to be able to go earlier than Oct. 9. And I do suppose Ponomarev was doubtless the highest “fringe man” on the depth chart in coaching camp forward of Puustinen, McGroarty, and Sam Poulin.

However he earned his means again into the dialog in an enormous means. With the accidents, these subsequent two video games in opposition to Columbus will probably be crucial for him. I’d anticipate him to begin each video games.

All in all, the state of affairs is trying a lot better for him than it did only a week in the past.

Related: Penguins’ 2024 Second Round Pick Turning Heads in Preseason

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