DALLAS -- Teddy Blueger, freshly recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, skated with the Penguins on this Friday morning at American Airlines Center, and likely will make his NHL debut tonight against the Stars.
Not everyone in the organization thought this would ever happen.
Blueger, a 23-year-old center, was never blessed with the swiftest skating. But extensive power-skating instruction over the past year lengthened his stride and has him to the stage where, while he still won't keep up with Connor McDavid, he's done well enough to earn the promotion, putting up 12 goals and 14 assists in 45 AHL games.
I asked about the skating and about what had been going well in Wilkes-Barre, where he had seven points in his past 14 games and received Clark Donatelli's recommendation for the recall:
Mike Sullivan's long loved Blueger's head for the game. After a preseason game in Columbus this past September, the coach told me he wanted to see Blueger work on his core strength -- think skating muscles, way down deep -- but that he felt he was adept enough in most other regards to contribute in Pittsburgh.
So I asked about that again Friday:
There was no immediate indication as to which line Blueger might center, other than the fourth. In recent games, Ryan Reaves and Zach Aston-Reese have been the wingers on that unit. The Penguins' skate was optional, with roughly a third of the lineup skipping it.
In general, this lineup could benefit from a bit of a youth infusion.
Sure, they've won 10 of the past 13, but that includes a 1-3 road record, and they've yet to illustrate they've got the necessary depth -- particularly up front -- to make a push for a third consecutive Stanley Cup. I've been told from within the organization they'd like to see more of what some of the younger players in Wilkes-Barre can offer before Jim Rutherford faces his harder decisions at the NHL's trade deadline at month's end.
The more vexing issue is which ones to bring up. Or utilize fully once they're up.
Aston-Reese has played only two games, but he's gotten the coach's praise for playing "a simple, straight-ahead game" and likely will see more.
Dominik Simon, benched for the third period the other night against Vegas -- even though the Penguins were already down two forwards to injury -- apparently will be right back out there for this one. Sullivan explained that Simon’s play had “dipped over the past couple of games,” then stressed “by no means do we feel any differently about the player.”
I asked Simon about the Vegas game, in which he committed two penalties and really looked out of sorts.
“It was a terrible game, the last game, for me," he replied. "It wasn’t the best scenario for me, for sure, to be on the bench. It’s always tough to sit. But sometimes you’ve got to take it and move on.”
Jean-Sebastien Dea could be back before long, as well.
And what about Daniel Sprong, the most gifted of them all?
Well, take Sullivan's assessment of that Friday on its face because this was as candid -- and expansive -- as I've ever heard him on this subject.
"I think his shooting ability is obvious, and that's what all of you guys point to," the coach began, surrounded by reporters. "And we see that, as well. We have very high expectations of Daniel. But you know, there's more to it. There's more to the game than just that."
He paused a moment.
"There are subtleties to the game. For example, learning how to support the puck offensively. Understanding time and space so that, if he's going to play with a guy like Crosby, say, that ability to play that give-and-go game down low beneath the hash marks. That's an important aspect of guys who play with Sid because that's Sid's strength. And so, learning that is an aspect of Daniel's game where we think he can improve. And we're trying to help him in that area."
Another pause.
"The other side of it is that we also believe in making sure that the players who are performing the best are provided the opportunities."
Performing in Wilkes-Barre, he meant.
"That, from an organizational standpoint, is our philosophy. I think that everybody needs to know that how they play in Wilkes-Barre matters. We always have people down there. Billy Guerin's down there an awful lot. Scott Young, our development coach, is down there. Clark and his staff are working with these guys on a daily basis. And quite honestly, we defer to these guys. When we need to call a player up, the question I always ask is this: Which guy's going to give us the best chance to win?"
Final pause.
"By no means does it mean we've lost faith in a player. This is all just part of the process. But certainly, we have high expectations of Daniel. He's always in the conversation. And will continue to be."
Right. And Blueger's in the NHL. Sounds like all concerned will have to earn it.