Teddy Blueger has missed every game for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and while still on LTIR, he is considered day-to-day.
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Penguins have played 15 games of their 2022-23 campaign, and Teddy Blueger has missed all of them.
Blueger has been absent from the Penguins lineup ever since training camp when an upper-body injury put him on the shelf.
At first the injury didn’t seem like much, head coach Mike Sullivan initially labeled Blueger as day-to-day while he continued to rehab on the ice.
As time went on and the season got underway, Blueger went from wearing non-contact jerseys at practice to regular sweaters and slotting in to line rushes.
Before re-joining the lineup, however, Blueger was plunked to long term injured reserve (LTIR) to make roster and salary cap room to cover for other injuries.
Blueger was placed on LTIR retroactively to October 11, making his date of eligibility to return November 5.
That was 10 days ago and Blueger is still on LTIR; so what’s the deal?
Sullivan says that the situation with Blueger is fluid and can be considered day-to-day again.
“Teddy’s at the point where it’s reactionary,” Sullivan said. “Day-to-day depending on how he responds to the different stimulus that we give him.”
Throughout the course of his injury, Blueger has been around the team and practicing with them on a near day-to-day basis.
“He has been a full participant in practice,” Sullivan said. “He looks really good out there.”
Outside of the 15 games, Blueger hasn’t missed much time with his teammates.
The specifics of Blueger’s injury were never officially disclosed outside of “upper-body,” so it’s unclear exactly what needs to happen for him to be considered fully healthy.
Sullivan and the Penguins will continue to listen to their medical team, however, and when they clear him he will return to the ice for games.
“We’ll take the advice of out medical staff,” Sullivan said. “When he gets cleared to play, we’ll try to put him in a position to be successful.”
It has been, and will continue to be, a process to keep an eye on as the season continues.
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