Penguins PTO Defenseman Out 'Longer-Term'
Mark Pysyk might lose his chance to reach the Pittsburgh Penguins roster with injury.
Defenseman Mark Pysyk signed a professional tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and has been looking to revitalize his career in the NHL.
Through the first few days of training camp, Pysyk looked ready to steal a spot on the Penguins roster and crack the opening night lineup.
Pysyk’s return to the NHL might be delayed a bit longer, however, as he was recently placed on the injured list.
When the Penguins announced their first round of roster cuts, Pysyk was moved to the injured list and it wasn’t immediately clear why.
Following the morning skate ahead of a preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings, head coach Mike Sullivan stated Pysyk would be out ‘longer-term' with a lower-body injury.
Sullivan said the organization was really looking forward to seeing how Pysyk could perform in a Penguins uniform.
It’s not clear what this will do to Pysyk’s chances at a roster spot or even a contract, but being out for a fair amount of time at this point in training camp doesn’t bode well.
The season Pysyk missed all of the 2022-23 season was due to an Achilles injury and those aren’t easy to rebound from.
If this is a nagging or similar issue, the Penguins can’t afford to take the risk.
The Penguins have plenty of other options if Pysyk is unable to remain a healthy option; guys like Chad Ruhwedel, Mark Friedman, and Ty Smith will all have a new opportunity at the role.
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