The Penguins seem convinced that adding Jeff Carter enhances their chances of contending for a Stanley Cup this year.
If it doesn't, it probably won't be because they didn't give Carter a chance to contribute.
During his first practice with them Wednesday, he centered the No. 2 line, with Jared McCann on the left side and Jason Zucker on the right, and got some work on the second penalty-killing and power-play units. And Carter figures to handle all of those duties when the Penguins face Philadelphia, his original team in the NHL, Thursday at 7:08 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins acquired him from the Kings early Monday morning, with the NHL trade deadline approaching, and Carter's arrival prompted Mike Sullivan to reconfigure his second line. McCann went from center to left wing, Zucker from left wing to right and Evan Rodrigues moved from that line to the No. 3 unit, with Zach-Aston Reese and Teddy Blueger.
"There's a lot of speed on that (second) line, which I think is going to be really good," Zucker said.
Sullivan declined to elaborate on the thought process that led to the construction of Carter's new line, and acknowledged that he doesn't know how members of this incarnation of the No. 2 line will mesh.
"This is going to be a little bit of an exploration process here, until we figure out what we think is the best combination, and where people fit to make us the most competitive," he said.
Zucker's take after one practice together was that Carter's game should complement those of his wingers.
"I thought he did a good job, lugging the puck up through the middle with speed and kind of keeping the defensemen inside," he said. "I think it's really tough for defensemen to try to honor that speed from the middle, then when he's able to kick that puck out wide to (McCann) or myself, it definitely makes it hard for a defenseman to play those pucks. It has the making of a good line."
Zucker has played primarily left wing since being acquired from Minnesota late last season, but said switching to the right side is not a problem for him.
"I played there a good amount, a decent amount, when I was in Minnesota," he said. "We had a lot of left-handed players in Minnesota, so we had guys swap left and right throughout the season. So I've had some experience there.
"It's something I'm comfortable with. There will be a few adjustments for me come game time in the defensive zone and some other things, but it will just take a couple of plays, a couple of shifts, to get used to it again."
Like every newcomer, Carter will be operating with a limited knowledge of the Penguins' system, the finer points of the blueprint Sullivan and his assistants expect their players to execute during games.
That's not only because he's only been on the payroll for a few days, but because the coaches want players who are new to the team to react instinctively to developments on the ice rather than pausing to think what action the system calls for them to take.
"We give them some detail," Sullivan said. "We try not to give them too much. We're a coaching staff that, in certain circumstances, believes that less is more, And this is one of them."
Of course, Carter is 36 and has played 1,080 games in the NHL, so the Penguins might be able to share information with him faster than they would most players, even if they guard against force-feeding it to him.
"I think Jeff picks up things really fast," he said. "No. 1, he's got a high hockey I.Q. He's a really smart player. He thinks the game very well. He has a lot of aptitude. Then, when you combine that with the experience that he brings, I think a guy like him probably adjusts quicker than others."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• Zucker, on the Penguins' season-long injury issues: "It makes it really tough when you have that many guys out from the start of the year with, it seemed like, our top-six defense(men) out. ... At the middle point of the year, we had what, five of our top nine (forwards) that were out? It definitely makes it tough, but it shows the character we have in this room, the leadership we have and that 'next-man-up' mentality."
• Mark Jankowski, a healthy scratch for the Penguins' 5-2 victory at New Jersey Sunday, centered the fourth line and seems likely to play Thursday. "If we choose to put him back in the lineup, I think he has a great opportunity," Sullivan said. "He's got an opportunity to have an impact on the game, to help us win. ... There's a number of ways that (Jankowski) can help us."
• These personnel combinations were used at the practice:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Jared McCann-Jeff Carter-Jason Zucker
Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Evan Rodrigues
Radim Zohorna-Mark Jankowski-Colton Sceviour/Sam Lafferty
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Mike Matheson-Cody Ceci
Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
Mark Friedman-Chad Ruhwedel
