The NHL’s Covid hits just keep on coming and the Penguins were hit hard Monday as they returned from the Christmas break and placed six important players on the league’s Covid-19 Protocol List. Yet, at the same time, by the time the Pens play their next game, three superstars could be back in the line-up.
Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust were cleared for contact and were eager participants in the 50-minute practice, which also included some lengthy power play work. Jake Guentzel most likely would have been cleared to do the same, but he was out sick – not related to Covid. That is not true for others, however.
Word had surfaced about Evan Rodrigues going into the protocol over the weekend. Monday morning, the team announced that forwards Teddy Blueger and Dominik Simon, defensemen John Marino and Mike Matheson and, most prominently, goalie Tristan Jarry were also placed on that dreaded list. Jarry is currently tied for 1st in the NHL in goals against average at 1.93, tied for 3rd with 15 wins and 5th in save percentage at .930.
The encouraging news is that it appears none of those six were hit as hard as, say, Zach Aston-Reese, Kris Letang or Sidney Crosby. “For the most part, everybody is doing very well,” according to coach Mike Sullivan. “There are a couple of the guys who have mild, cold-like symptoms but … a handful of them are asymptomatic. None of them, to this point, have anything significant.”
As for Rust and Malkin, even though they were cleared for contact, they may not return to the line-up at the same time since, right now, the next scheduled game is Friday in Ottawa. “I think Rusty is certainly a reasonable expectation,” Sullivan said, should they actually play that night, “I think it would be aggressive on Geno’s part.”
Malkin is nearly 7 months removed from off-season knee surgery, while Rust is recovering from a second lower-body injury since the season started. Meanwhile, winger Jason Zucker, who hadn’t missed a game, but has been given numerous “maintenance days” off at practices, is now week-to-week with Sullivan termed a lower body injury.
With positive Covid tests resurfacing throughout the league, the NHL and the Players Association have also agreed to add Taxi Squads comprised of six players (maximum) to be available on an as-needed basis - what happened with the Penguins coming out of the break. Sullivan says they’re working on it.
“Hexy and I and his people in Hockey Ops are sorting through that right now,” Sullivan said. “I would anticipate we would utilize the Taxi Squad in certain instances. For example, we’ve got that trip coming out west (Jan 11-17). That might be a circumstance where we bring some extra guys if we end up needing guys when we’re already on the other side of the country.
The Pens next scheduled game after Friday in Ottawa is Sunday afternoon against San Jose at PPG Paints Arena.
