Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany left the ice early in the team’s Jan. 25 matchup against the Vancouver Canucks after sustaining an upper-body injury. He logged just three shifts and under three minutes of ice time-2:54 to be exact-before heading to the locker room, having recorded one blocked shot during his brief appearance.
The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for St. Ivany, who was starting to find his groove at the NHL level.
The 24-year-old right-shot blueliner had just put together back-to-back two-assist performances-first against the Calgary Flames on Jan. 21, then again the very next night against the Edmonton Oilers. For a young defenseman trying to carve out a regular spot in the lineup, that kind of momentum matters.
He was showing poise with the puck, making smart decisions in transition, and contributing offensively without sacrificing his responsibilities in his own zone.
Through 17 games this season, St. Ivany hasn’t found the back of the net yet, but he’s chipped in with seven assists and holds a plus-7 rating-a solid mark that speaks to his steady play when he’s on the ice. He’s not a flashy player, but he’s been effective in his role, especially in recent games where his confidence seemed to be growing shift by shift.
Now, the focus shifts to his recovery timeline. For Pittsburgh, it’s a frustrating development as they try to build consistency on the blue line.
And for St. Ivany, it’s about picking up where he left off once he’s cleared to return-because before this setback, he was starting to look like a player ready to take the next step.