The Penguins' first line had a different look in Thursday's practice as Sidney Crosby continues to be evaluated for an upper-body injury.
Anthony Beauvilier and Bryan Rust skated as the wings, but it was Rickard Rakell who shifted from wing to center in place of Crosby.
Rakell has played center before -- he was a center early in his pro career, in the AHL and in his first few years in Anaheim. It wasn't until his last couple of years with the Ducks prior to his trade to the Penguins that he shifted over to wing.
Mike Sullivan was non-committal about Rakell at center, calling it only "an option." Crosby too remains an "option" -- he skated on his own on Thursday, and the team hopes to have more information on his status Friday morning. If Rakell does indeed stick at center, he knows that there's no real replacing of Crosby. But he's going to do his best.
"I think I have one way of playing center, and then Sid has one way of playing center," Rakell said with a grin on Thursday. "And he's the best at it. But I'm just going to try to play my game and not make it too complicated."
Rakell said that he doesn't anticipate it being too much of an adjustment in shifting to center. He acknowledged that his work in faceoffs may be a little rusty, it isn't something he's practiced much over the last few years. But he doesn't think draws will be a "big issue."
"It obviously depends on who you're going up against," Rakell said. "But it's going to be up to my wingers to help me out."
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
7:16 pm - 02.06.2025Cranberry, Pa.Rakell to center with Crosby out
The Penguins' first line had a different look in Thursday's practice as Sidney Crosby continues to be evaluated for an upper-body injury.
Anthony Beauvilier and Bryan Rust skated as the wings, but it was Rickard Rakell who shifted from wing to center in place of Crosby.
Rakell has played center before -- he was a center early in his pro career, in the AHL and in his first few years in Anaheim. It wasn't until his last couple of years with the Ducks prior to his trade to the Penguins that he shifted over to wing.
Mike Sullivan was non-committal about Rakell at center, calling it only "an option." Crosby too remains an "option" -- he skated on his own on Thursday, and the team hopes to have more information on his status Friday morning. If Rakell does indeed stick at center, he knows that there's no real replacing of Crosby. But he's going to do his best.
"I think I have one way of playing center, and then Sid has one way of playing center," Rakell said with a grin on Thursday. "And he's the best at it. But I'm just going to try to play my game and not make it too complicated."
Rakell said that he doesn't anticipate it being too much of an adjustment in shifting to center. He acknowledged that his work in faceoffs may be a little rusty, it isn't something he's practiced much over the last few years. But he doesn't think draws will be a "big issue."
"It obviously depends on who you're going up against," Rakell said. "But it's going to be up to my wingers to help me out."
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