Who needs practice? Carter Rowney says he's good to go.
Whether he actually plays tonight, Mike Sullivan isn't saying. Technically, he will be a game-time decision.
But all indications are that Rowney will be in the lineup tonight when the Penguins host the Capitals at PPG Paints Arena. He was among the first players off the ice after Friday's morning skate. The other sign: Jean-Sebastien Dea was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
It will be Rowney's first action since being injured Jan. 2 in Philadelphia, a span of 11 games.
"As unfortunate as it was, I was lucky enough it was short-term in a way," Rowney said. "It could have been worse. It was a fairly smooth rehab and ready to get back."
Rowney has had only one practice in a non-contact jersey on Thursday and Friday's optional skate. Since he suffered an upper-body injury, he was able to skate the whole time he was out of the lineup. For him, he says it's just a matter of getting his timing down.
“I feel good right now, I’ve been skating the whole time," Rowney said. "The legs feel good, my timing feels good. I don’t feel like I have any limitations. I feel good."
Rowney will likely skate on the fourth line with usual linemates Tom Kuhnhackl and Ryan Reaves, who had been a healthy scratch the past three games.
“Obviously, he’s a really good centerman, defensively reliable," Kuhnhackl said of Rowney. "We can put him out in all situations and it’s always nice to have an extra centerman."
Rowney has two goals and two assists in 27 games this season. Dea had one goal in five games, while averaging just 5:29 per game in his call-up.