Cahier des Penguins: Practice with glass and Lizotte, the lines and pairings move

While the team is on a three-game losing streakThe Pittsburgh Penguins seem poised to get some names back on their roster.

And it looks like they’re making some changes.

Forwards Blake Lizotte and Cody Glass, both in concussion protocol, practiced with the team without contact. Head coach Mike Sullivan said both players are progressing and their status has not otherwise changed.

Additionally, the Penguins made some changes to their forward lines and defensive pairings:

It’s safe to say that the Penguins roster should be shaken up a bit. After three straight losses, this tends to happen. And if things continue, Valtteri Puustinen could be back in the lineup Wednesday for the first time since Nov. 15 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. instead of Sam Poulin.

Sullivan was asked during his Monday press conference what Puustinen needs to show to keep his spot in the lineup, and he mentioned that the criteria the players themselves and the coaching staff use to evaluate each player occur on an individual basis.

“We talk to all the players about how they can make an impact,” Sullivan said. “And what criteria, for example. I have this conversation with a lot of players. How do you rate your game when you’re done at the end of the night? Everyone’s a little bit different. So the criteria that a player uses to evaluate their own game is different depending on the role of that player in that team And we try to define that for the players and what the criteria is. It’s how we evaluate our players and the role they play. .

He continued: “In other words, we’re not going to use the same criteria with Ryan Graves as we would with Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang, for example. So, it’s the same with a guy like Puusty. C “He’s a guy who has the ability to make an impact.”

Sullivan also mentioned that Kevin Hayes started on the wing on Saturday against Utah and progressed to the center position as the game progressed. He said Hayes looked good in his minutes Saturday, and while he’s not the most “agile,” he uses his veteran experience to put himself in the right positions and create offense.

However, according to Sullivan, that’s not even the biggest impact he could have.

“I think the biggest thing he can bring to our team right now, quite honestly, is the personality and the boldness that he brings to the locker room,” Sullivan said. “You interact with him, so you know what I’m talking about. I think that personality, right now, is an important part of trying to move this group in the right direction.”

Some other notes from Monday’s practice:

– It should be noted that Owen Pickering and Jack St. Ivany ended up on the same defensive duo, which was fourth in the rotation in practice today.

But don’t sound the alarm yet. That doesn’t necessarily mean Ryan Graves and Ryan Shea are ahead of them. Since the Penguins carry eight defensemen – for now – it’s probably best not to assume anything until Wednesday.

– The Penguins and Sullivan are well aware of the urgency of winning games as November draws to a close.

I asked Sullivan about the “Thanksgiving Barometer” and how they can strike a delicate balance between taking things day by day and the forward-thinking urgency to get back in the win column:

– With Lizotte and Glass returning to practice, it’s only a matter of time before the Penguins have to make roster decisions.

It’s no secret the Penguins have a lot of forwards, and if Sam Poulin passes the 10-game or 30-day NHL time mark, he’s no longer exempt from waivers. Otherwise, the only players on the roster who are waiver-exempt are Pickering and St. Ivany.

As it stands, Poulin has played six games since November 13. The Penguins have eight games remaining in their 30-day window. Depending on how quickly Lizotte and Glass progress, this could be something to watch.

UPDATE: The Penguins reassigned Sam Poulin to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and acquired forward Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick.

More information to come on this story soon.

– Speaking of Poulin, Evgeni Malkin crushed Poulin against the boards during a drill. This made the glass shake.

It was a long training session with a lot of intensity, but it ended with a shootout drill to lighten the mood a bit. Team Gold ended up winning.

Honestly, a mix of intensity and fun might be what’s best for this team right now.

“There were some really good vibes today,” goalkeeper Alex Nedeljkovic said. “It’s like that, we are where we are. It’s not where everyone wants to be, and I don’t know if there’s anyone right now watching the season as a individual and is happy with where (we) are. So you just have to move forward and worry about what you can control.