When the Penguins inked defenseman Mark Pysyk to a PTO on August 30, there was genuine hope the 10-year NHL vet might earn a spot on the third pairing. In the process providing solid and seasoned depth behind fellow right-siders Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.
While I hate to be pessimistic, those hopes would appear to be dashed…at least for the foreseeable future. After logging 18:31 of ice time during the Pens’ 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus on Sunday night with no apparent ill effects, the 31-year-old Alberta native was moved to the injured list Monday.
Today coach Mike Sullivan delivered the grim news. Pysyk sustained a lower-body injury and will be out “longer term.”
“It’s unfortunate because we were really looking forward to watching Mark throughout the course of the exhibition season, getting him in some games and where he might potentially fit with our team,” Sullivan said.
To digress, Pysyk missed all of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, which included a setback in February just as he was preparing to return to the Red Wings’ lineup.
Only recently he remarked in an interview with Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now, “I mean, jumping and running, I’m definitely not doing a ton of right now, but I can if I need to jump or run.”
I remember reading that and thinking, “Uh oh.”
Although there hasn’t been any in-depth explanation on the nature of the injury, you hope and pray it isn’t his Achilles.
Reminds me of erstwhile sniper Max Pacioretty, who missed part of 2021-22 and nearly all of last season with a recurring Achilles injury. The big left wing’s attempting a comeback with the Capitals, a team that’s endured more than its share of misfortune on the injury front.
Back to Pysyk. Let’s hope Mark’s injury isn’t a career ender…or harbinger of things to come for the black and gold. The aforementioned Karlsson and Letang haven’t exactly been bombproof, health-wise, the past few seasons. Too, I’m reminded that twin pillars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin missed nary a game last season.
The likelihood of that happening again is…well…
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