Penguins Hållander Out Long Term

The Penguins haven’t had too much luck with their day-to-day prognosis on injuries lately. Shortly after power forward/scoring sensation Justin Brazeau was deemed to be out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, he was moved to IR. His estimated time table, four weeks.

A day after Filip Hållander was labelled the same, the Pens announced that the 25-year-old rookie will be out a minimum of three months due to a blood clot in his leg.

The hits keep comin’, indeed.

A shame, not just from a team standpoint, but also on a personal level for the native of Sundsvall, Sweden. Especially with the club poised to travel to his homeland next week for a pair of games against the Predators.

I really like what I’ve seen of Filip during his second black-and-gold go-around. Just ultra-solid and smart, always making the right read and correct play. Bomb proof, to coin a term often used to describe sons of the Tre Kronor.

Last season’s flashy output aside, Hållander’s probably never going to produce enough to merit a top-six role, although he recently filled in admirably on Sid’s line.

But for a bottom-sixer? Found money.

Speaking of, now for the million-dollar question. Who’s going to take his place?

It’s nice to think prospect Tristan Broz (pictured), who’s tallied five goals and eight points in 11 games for the Baby Pens, will get a shot. Perhaps he will, albeit down the road a way. However, for now my money’s on veteran Kevin Hayes, who recently returned from IR.

We shall see.