DETROIT -- Mike Sullivan's made no secret of his wish to plug Zach Aston-Reese right back into the Penguins' lineup once healthy.
In turn, he made little secret that this return will take place tonight against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.
"Game-time decision," was all the coach would say on the matter after an optional morning skate, but anyone familiar with Sully-speak knows what that means.
Aston-Reese, a 23-year-old rookie, had four goals in his first 10 NHL games before sustaining an upper-body injury Feb. 26.
"It's been frustrating being out. It obviously wasn't great timing," Aston-Reese told me after the skate. "But I'm excited, ready to go. It feels good to be back."
There was no immediate indication of Aston-Reese's line assignment, as no line rushes get shown in an optional skate and no one was divulging.
As for how he'll fare ...
"There's always an adjustment when you come back," he said. "It's been exactly four weeks. I hope it's not as big of a gap. Hopefully, I can hit the ground running."
I mentioned to Aston-Reese some of what the Rangers' Jimmy Vesey, who followed a similar path out of the NCAA, had told me about him a couple weeks ago in New York, how Aston-Reese might actually benefit from the time off because the NHL grind can beat up a rookie out of college. He seemed to appreciate Vesey's thought process.
"I hope so," Aston-Reese said. "I certainly hope that's the case. I know I'm feeling fresh and healthy and everything else. I mean, you still have to work in rehab, but it's nothing like going out there in games and getting banged around. We'll see, I guess."