NEWARK, N.J. -- Without the aid of crutches or so much as a walking boot, Derick Brassard ambled outside the visitor’s locker room at the Prudential Center on Thursday morning without any sign of a limp or discomfort.
All things considered, that is pretty good news for the Penguins and their prized acquisition at the NHL trade deadline.
Brassard won’t play tonight after suffering a lower body injury two nights earlier in the loss at Detroit that snapped his six-game points streak. Officially, his status moving forward is uncertain, though.
“We’ll know more when we get back to Pittsburgh, but right now his status is day-to-day,” Mike Sullivan said.
With Brassard out, Josh Jooris was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. You’ll recall that Jooris was the “other” center that the Penguins traded for at the deadline, acquiring him from Carolina in exchange for Greg McKegg. This will be his third stint with the Penguins.
“That was one of the reasons why Jim (Rutherford) went out and traded for him, because we felt like we needed more depth at the center ice position,” Sullivan said. “He’s a guy that has experience in the league. He can really skate. He can kill penalties. We thought he could fit into the depth of our organization, which is important for us.”
In four games with Pittsburgh, Jooris failed to register a point, but he did have three shots and fairly strong possession metrics (55.7 Corsi For percentage). He says that his previous stays with the Penguins give him plenty of confidence.
“Coming to a new team, it takes some time, but I felt I played pretty well,” he said. “Played pretty simple. Felt the games we had, we did our job as a line. So it was good.”
Conversely, with Jooris likely to center the fourth line, that means that Riley Sheahan will center the third, a role he played quite well before the deadline.
Then, Sheahan had been playing with Jake Guentzel and Phil Kessel. Though the Penguins did not show line combinations during Thursday’s morning skate, look for Sheahan to center a line with Conor Sheary on the left and Patric Hornqvist on the right.
Here, Sheahan explains his role:
Sheahan’s positional flexibility — he’s also played wing on the top line — allows him to move up and down the lineup, Sullivan told me.
“Riley’s been a very versatile player for us, we can play him in so many different situations,” he said. “He’s played extremely well for us this year.”
Though the deal for Brassard has reduced his production and his minutes, Sheahan said that he had no problem with Rutherford bringing in another center. Anything to win, he says.
“Everything’s always more fun when you can win,” Sheahan said. “Adding strength to the lineup helps a ton. When there’s injuries, knock on wood, you have to be prepared. You have to have depth. That’s one of the strongest points of this team.”
Sheahan says nothing changes for him whether he’s centering the third line or fourth line. It's just a matter of being mindful of his linemates and their individual skill sets.
“You try to do the same things,” he said. “You have to adjust to the linemates you play with. Tonight, I’ll just try to be strong in the corner and get the pucks to the point with Horny in the slot and get the puck to Shears, too. Whenever he has the puck, he makes something happen. I think you try to keep the same mindset and bear down with that.”
• Though all players -- save for Brassard -- took the ice for the Penguins skate, they did not show lines or pairs. Yep, Sullivan's in playoff mode with his gamesmanship. But it seems like he might mix things up.
• Matt Hunwick, who hasn't played since the March 1 loss at Boston, could be a possibility.
"He’s a guy we know that can certainly help us win," Sullivan said. "He’s a good player. He’s a real mobile defenseman. He defends pretty well and so he’s one of the group of defenseman that we’re going to rely on. Regardless of who’s in our lineup, these guys are guys that we think we can win with."
• The Devils held a very optional skate at the Prudential Center with only 11 players taking the ice, including Nico Hischier. Obviously, no lines or pairs were shown. Somewhat unusual for a game day, Cory Schneider was the only goalie to practice. John Hynes confirmed that Keith Kinkaid will get the start.
• The Penguins extended their sympathies to Jim Rutherford and his family following the death of his mother, Dorothea, at age 89 in Alliston, Ontario.