OTTAWA, Ontario — After dealing with significant COVID-19 concerns early in the season, the Penguins might finally be approaching the light at the end of the tunnel.
Sidney Crosby and Brian Dumoulin exited the protocol and skated at the team's practice facility in Cranberry on Saturday. Per acting head coach Todd Reirden, the intention is for both players to meet the team in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.
Coach Mike Sullivan will also clear the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. The expectation is he'll be back behind the bench when the puck drops against the Capitals.
Asked if Crosby and Dumoulin will be in uniform, Reirden didn't necessarily commit. However, one wonders if the Penguins would make Crosby and Dumoulin make the trek to Washington if they didn't have a good shot at playing, especially considering there is no morning skate scheduled for Sunday.
"Throughout [the COVID-19 pandemic], everyone is a little bit different in terms of how they come through it," Reirden said. "We've seen both extremes of it. And then even when players are playing, a lot of them that have gone through it are not up to 100 percent. It's something that's really tough to gauge as we continue to move forward through this virus."
For a Penguins team that's faced more than its share of injury and illness adversity, Crosby's eventual return will provide a much-needed shot-in-the-arm. The captain missed the first seven games of the season as he recovered from offseason wrist surgery. He returned for just one single game, where he recorded a minus-3 rating in the Penguins' loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 30. The Penguins announced Crosby had tested positive for the virus on Nov. 3.
While it probably goes without saying that Crosby's playmaking on the ice and leadership off of it can provide a significant boost for the Penguins, Dumoulin's eventual return will likewise will have a major ripple effect throughout the defensive corps.
When Dumoulin is in the lineup, he provides Kris Letang with the safety net necessary for the freelancing righty to unlock his entire skillset. Beyond that, when Dumoulin is slotted into the top pair, he helps put the rest of the defensemen in their proper roles so they are playing the right number of minutes and in the right situations.
Last year was another reminder of this. It's probably no accident that when Dumoulin returned from injury, the Penguins transformed into the NHL's best defensive team in March, leading the NHL in both against average and save percentage.
"Obviously, he's an outstanding leader," Reirden said. "Two-time Cup winning defenseman. His presence in our locker room and on the ice is well regarded. We'll be happy to have him back. [We're] hoping that is an opportunity for him to be back tomorrow, potentially. "
See you in D.C.
Joining Crosby and Dumoulin on the ice back in Cranberry were goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel and Marcus Pettersson.
The Penguins chose to keep Jarry in the United States and instead give backup Casey DeSmith the start in net in the first half of a back-to-back. Third goalie Louis Domingue will serve as the backup on Saturday in Ottawa.
Meanwhile, Pettersson and Ruhwedel cleared the NHL's COVID-19 protocol in time to suit up for Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers. However, due to longer Canadian quarantine guidelines for individuals who are recovering from COVID-19, they were not permitted to cross the border.
Pettersson left Thursday's game after absorbing a high hit mid-way through the first period. Reirden didn't necessarily comment when asked about Pettersson's health situation other than to say the defenseman is skating.
The regulations re-opened the door for Juuso Riikola. He appeared on the third pair alongside Mark Friedman during Saturday's morning skate.
Big Jeff Carter stepping up and speaking up
With the Penguins missing their coach and their captain the last 10 days, the club has been forced to fill holes on the ice and a leadership void off of it.
One of the players stepping up in both departments is Jeff Carter. He's taken command of the top-line center role and behind the scenes, he's becoming a vocal presence.
"Going into his season, he was someone we knew we were going to lean heavily on without Crosby and Malkin," Reirden said. "He's delivered. He's delivered more than just on the ice. If I could talk to you about the amount of things he says and does in our room, and he says on the bench, we are so fortunate to have this player, especially going through what we're going through injury wise and adversity. The veteran guys have a really good feel for how to help those younger players through those situations."
Sullivan often points out that he tries to give players ownership of the team with the hope of creating a player-led environment. In this particular instance, that approach is being tested — and possibly reinforced.
"A lot of guys have stepped up," forward Zach Aston-Reese said.
Aston-Reese also highlighted fourth-line center Brian Boyle as someone speaking up. The big, 36-year-old center joined the Penguins in camp after a professional tryout.
"Coming back to the bench... he's always giving tips and advice," Aston-Reese said. "I think up and down the lineup, wherever guys have been, they've stepped up. Whether it's a first-line guy like [Carter] or a fourth-line guy like [Boyle], everyone is pulling their own weight in the leadership department."
Around the boards
Danton Heinen remained on the Teddy Blueger line Saturday. He enters Saturday night leading the team with four goals... Meanwhile, Aston-Reese skated on the fourth line, as he's still searching for his first goal of the season. ... "I like a little bit of adversity," Aston-Reese said. "It's good for the soul."
