PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pens forward Teddy Blueger could return on Tuesday hosting Florida, moving forward Dominik Simon up the lineup.
Out since January 23 after suffering a broken jaw in a hit during a game. Blueger has been full go now in practice for over a week. Monday at practice, the 27-year-old returned to centering the fourth line almost exclusively.
"I feel really good," Blueger said Tuesday. "I've been on the ice for a while now. I think as far as practice, I've done everything I've needed to do to feel comfortable in a game situation. I don't think there is anything more I need to do other than get in a game."
Sullivan would only say he's a game-time decision against the Panthers, adding any player that returns to his lineup returns 100% ready to resume his role.
"I missed a lot of time," Blueger said. "It's a little bit weird getting into it. I remember last year getting back from injury, the first game everything seemed super-fast. Whenever I do end up playing, I think it will be important to get my feet under me. It will take a few shifts to get acquainted with the pace."
"He adds so much versatility to our lineup," said forward Bryan Rust. "He's a guy that plays a lot of minutes in our D-zone because he gets a lot of faceoffs there. He does an unbelievable job. If the opportunity comes to get him back tomorrow, it will be really nice."
Simon elevates
Blueger back centering the fourth line, here is how the line combinations were impacted in practice.
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Danton Heinen-Evgeni Malkin-Kasperi Kapanen
Dominik Simon-Jeff Carter-Evan Rodrigues
McGinn drops to the new fourth line with Simon moving up with Carter and Rodrigues.
"It slots players where we had envisioned them to be in the lineup and casts them in the roles that allows them to play to their strengths," Sullivan said. "It gives us a certain amount of balance through our lineup. We can utilize different guys in different situations on the ice depending on what situations arise."
"We also get responsible defensive play and we are more difficult to play against."
In his return season with the Penguins, Simon has three goals and six assists in 51 games. In the entire time Blueger was out, Simon had one point. Sullivan though says not to judge it all by goals and assists.
"I think Dom quietly has played a solid game for us," Sullivan said. "He's a good two-way player. He has a lot of details to his game. He's strong in the battle areas. He's good on the wall. He has play-making ability. He's very good in tight space, in traffic and playing a give-and-go game. He can help his game create offensive opportunities. He's responsible defensively. He's hard on pucks and good on the forecheck."
Florida back-to-back
The highest scoring team in the league, the Panthers will come to Pittsburgh after playing Monday night at Buffalo. Aleksander Barkov has 25 goals in only 42 games this season.
