For the first time in a while, the Pittsburgh Penguins have some clarity regarding their injury situation. During Wednesday’s GM Show, Penguins general manager and director of hockey operations Kyle Dubas updated the status of forwards Justin Brazeau, Noel Acciari, and Rickard Rakell. Brazeau and Acciari are set to travel with the team to play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and then the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
However, that does not guarantee their participation in the upcoming games. Dubas informed Josh Getzoff on the GM Show that Brazeau and Acciari are expected to be sidelined for another seven to ten days, whereas Rakell is likely to remain out for three to four weeks.
Brazeau, 27, and Acciari, 34, have both been sidelined with upper-body injuries for the entire month of November. Prior to his injury, Brazeau had six goals and 12 points in 12 games, while Acciari was leading Penguins forwards in hits and blocked shots. Rakell, 32, injured his left hand blocking a shot during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 25 and needed surgery to fix the fracture. At the time of his injury, Rakell had three goals and eight points in nine games, playing on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Brian Rust.
Despite losing these three key players, the Penguins, who started the season strong at 8-2-2, began November with a 4-5-3 record. Nevertheless, they have bounced back by winning three of their last four games and have brought up new talent with Rutger McGroarty and Boko Imama being recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) prior to Monday’s victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.
After facing Dallas on Sunday, the Penguins will head home for a five-game homestand, starting with a game against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
Fan Take: This injury update is crucial for hockey fans because it provides insight into the Penguins’ lineup stability moving forward. The return or continued absence of these players could significantly impact the team’s performance and playoff chances, making this a pivotal moment for the franchise and its supporters.
