CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Mike Sullivan isn't ready to proclaim that Teddy Blueger will be back in the Penguins' lineup Tuesday night.
Not publicly, at least.
But even though Blueger, sidelined the past six weeks by a broken jaw, is officially listed as a "game-time decision" for the Penguins' meeting with the Panthers at PPG Paints Arena, there's ample evidence that he'll return to active duty then.
Like how, during practice Monday, Blueger was plugged into his usual spot between Zach Aston-Reese and Brock McGinn during drills, and how he was paired with McGinn on a penalty-killing tandem.
Oh, and how Blueger made it clear that he believes that he's recovered and ready.
"I feel really good," he said. "I've been on the ice for a while now. As far as practice, I've done everything I would have needed to do to feel comfortable getting back into a game situation."
If, as seems likely, that happens Tuesday, he will be coming back at a most opportune time for the Penguins.
He is their checking-line center of choice, and Florida has a deep and diverse offense that is generating an average of 4.09 goals per game going into its game at Buffalo Monday night.
"He's a guy who plays a lot of minutes in our (defensive) zone, because he gets a lot of faceoffs there," Bryan Rust said. "Then he does an unbelievable job."
Blueger also is the Penguins' top penalty-killing forward, averaging two minutes and six seconds of shorthanded work per game. And even though the Panthers' power play has a middle-of-the-road success rate of 21.7 percent, any unit that features the likes of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad -- oh, and some guy named Patric Hornqvist -- has a quick-strike capability that must be respected.
Sullivan declined to say whether Blueger would assume his normal workload -- he averages 15 minutes, 40 seconds of ice time -- immediately upon getting back in uniform, but added that there are no concerns about him being in condition to do so.
"We certainly discuss workload and things of that nature and where a player's at, then we see how he reacts in the game and make decisions accordingly," he said. "But what I will say is that when our players return to the lineup, they're very well-prepared to go in and participate in a full capacity."
Blueger confirmed that whenever he returns, he will be wearing that full shield that he's had on since he resumed skating, and acknowledged that it is at least a minor issue.
"Obviously, you can see a lot better with just a visor on," he said. "Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to that soon. But I've had plenty of time in practice to get used to it. It does fog up a little bit and those little (cut-out) squares on the bottom don't help you see the puck any better. When it's in your feet, especially."
As Sullivan noted, there's no way to truly replicate game conditions during a practice, so after sitting out 16 games, Blueger likely will need a bit of time to adapt to the pace of play.
"It will probably take a couple of shifts to get (acclimated), get with the pace and all that stuff," he said. "After that, you know, it's just another game. You settle in and just play."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• Goalie Louis Domingue was present for practice, but spent most of it as a spectator, and subsequently was assigned to the Penguins' farm team in Wilkes-Barre. He stopped 40 of 41 shots during his only NHL appearance of the season, a 2-1 overtime victory in San Jose Jan. 15.
• Sullivan, on the Penguins' averaging a league-low six minutes, 52 seconds of penalties per game: "We talk about discipline. We talk about discipline and details. And we talk about being a team that doesn't beat itself. And one of the easiest ways a team can beat itself is if they march to the penalty box."
• Assistant coach Todd Reirden, who is recovering from knee surgery, looks like a good bet to be back behind the bench Tuesday. He watched practice from there Monday.
• Rust, who will play in his 400th NHL game Tuesday, on the power play's consistent productivity in recent weeks: "We're a group that been together for a couple of years now, and we've got some chemistry. Anytime you have guys like Sid (Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang) out there, good things are going to happen."
• With Blueger back in the top-12 mix, Brian Boyle was the odd-man out. He skated on a wing during some drills and was paired on defense with P.O Joseph in at least one other.
• Personnel combinations:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Danton Heinen-Evgeni Malkin-Kasperi Kapanen
Dominik Simon-Jeff Carter-Even Rodrigues
Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Brock McGinn
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
Mark Friedman-Chad Ruhwedel
Power play No. 1: Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Rust and Guentzel.
Power play No. 2: Pettersson, Rodrigues, Heinen, Carter and Kapanen.
