Penguins forward Nick Bonino resumes skating
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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino skated briefly Monday at the team’s facility in Cranberry for the first time since he suffered a lacerated kidney earlier this month.
Stepping onto the rink prior to the team’s practice session, Bonino eventually watched his teammates from the bench.
That marked a step forward in his recovery from the ailment he suffered when he was struck by a puck during a 4-3 home overtime loss to the New York Islanders on March 9.
Bonino was briefly hospitalized and underwent an unspecified procedure after being injured.
“I would anticipate his exercise level picking up here this week,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He is improving, his health is getting better there. (The team’s medical staffers) watch that closely for obvious reasons. But he is making progress. And he is around the team a fair amount since we’ve been back.
“He’ll continue, I think, to participate more as the healing process takes place. But he is starting to become more active just from a sheer exercise standpoint. He’s been riding the bike, he’s been doing some off-ice training and conditioning to try to keep him — from a fitness-level standpoint — the best that we can possibly do it, but also doing it in a safe manner.”
Bonino is designated to long-term injured reserve and is not eligible to rejoin the roster until April 4. Regardless, his presence at the team’s facility, even if limited to workout gear, has been welcomed by teammates.
“He’s been kind of floating around a little bit,” forward Bryan Rust said. “But I’m sure it’s nice for him to be back and hang out with the guys. Obviously, it’s not a great situation with what he’s going through and everything. … It’s tough, but it’s good to have him around.”
Bonino is in his second tenure with the franchise. A member of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup championship teams in 2016 and 2017, he was re-acquired in a three-team trade March 3. He was injured after playing in three games following the trade.
In addition to his acumen as a bottom-six forward and penalty killer, Bonino’s generally affable personality was a contributing factor in management bringing him back to the Penguins’ nest.
“Anytime he’s around, he’s lightening up the room, he’s laughing, joking, having a good time,” Rust said. “He does bring a lot of that. That’s definitely important, especially at this time of year which can be a little bit stressful.”
Petry poised to return
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Defenseman Jeff Petry, sidelined for the past five games due to a suspected head injury, is expected to be a “game-time decision” for Tuesday’s road game against the Detroit Red Wings, according to Sullivan. During Monday’s practice, Petry was a full participant with regard to contact.
In his first season with the Penguins, the 2022-23 campaign has been somewhat disappointing for Petry given that he has missed substantial portions of it due to injuries.
Throughout December and January, he missed 16 games due to a suspected left hand injury.
“It’s been a frustrating – wouldn’t say year – but parts of the year,” Petry said. “December, missing a significant amount of time and then, coming back, feeling good, playing well and being out again. It just feels like when I’m starting to get in a groove and feeling good and then something happens.”
Before his latest malady, the right-handed Petry had been skating on a pairing with left-hander Brian Dumoulin. They were reunited in Monday’s practice.
“We’ve played a handful of games together,” Dumoulin said. “It’s not like that was brand new. He’s a guy that talks a lot on the ice. It makes it easy when you’re going back for a puck, knowing where you can look and what you have for plays.”
Carter absent
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Forward Jeff Carter was absent from practice in order to attend to a personal matter. According to Sullivan, Carter is scheduled to join the team in Detroit in advance of Tuesday’s game.
Forward Alex Nylander replaced Carter as the fourth-line center and on the second power-play unit during practice.
The Penguins’ lines and pairs during practice were:
59 Jake Guentzel – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust
16 Jason Zucker – 71 Evgeni Malkin – 64 Mikael Granlund
43 Danton Heinen – 25 Ryan Poehling – 67 Rickard Rakell
10 Drew O’Connor – 19 Alex Nylander – 15 Josh Archibald
73 P.O Joseph – 58 Kris Letang
8 Brian Dumoulin – 26 Jeff Petry
52 Mark Friedman – 2 Chad Ruhwedel
The first power-play unit involved Crosby, Guentzel, Letang, Malkin and Rakell. The second unit included Granlund, Nylander, Petry, Rust and Zucker.