Tom Kuhnhackl does a lot of good things for the Penguins. He is defensively reliable, he chases down loose pucks and is strong on the forecheck. But he is most definitely not Patric Hornqvist.
Nobody is. Except the Energizer Bunny, maybe.
Hornqvist is a whirlwind on skates, a punishing hitter who drives to the net with reckless abandon and is the Penguins' fourth-leading goal scorer (16) with the second-most goals (9) on the NHL's top power play unit.
And he's also out of the lineup with a lower body injury that will keep him out "week to week," according to coach Mike Sullivan after practice on Monday. It's not a long-term injury, as the coach said Saturday in Newark, but don't expect to see the hulking Swede back for another week or two.
Replacing Hornqvist will be difficult. No one plays or talks the game quite like him.
"It’s not quite as vocal when he’s not around," Sullivan said. "Our team plays at its best when it brings a level of emotion. I've always believed that this game is rooted in emotions. It’s about passion and a will to win. If you’re not emotionally invested, it’s hard to be at your best. I think Horny might epitomize that."
In Hornqvist's stead it will be Kuhnhackl. He started Saturday's game against the Devils on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin, and he practiced there again Monday.
"When players go down, it’s never an easy thing," Sullivan said. "It's hard to replace some of these guys, they’re good players. But every team goes through it. It always provides opportunity."
Kuhnhackl, normally a fourth liner, has eight points (two goals, six assists) in 49 games this season, a pittance compared to Malkin, who has eight points in his last three games, or Hagelin, who has 10 points in his last 11 games.
When given an opportunity, Kuhnhackl has shown a pretty good offensive touch. Here he buries a shot top-shelf against the Flyers on Jan. 2:
On Jan. 30 against San Jose, he set up Bryan Rust with a beautiful between-the-legs pass:
The German, who once scored 39 goals for Windsor in his first year in junior, said nothing changes with him.
"No, I'm going to do the same things," Kuhnhackl said. "I'm obviously going to try and get Geno the puck a little more. He can always make something out of nothing. Other than that, I'm going to move my legs, get in on the forecheck, create turnovers, hit people and block shots on the penalty kill and make sure we don't get scored on. That's my job."
