Penguins Navigate Blue Line Turmoil Without Letang, Karlsson
The Pittsburgh Penguins are skating into Calgary tonight without two of their biggest names on the back end. Kris Letang, a cornerstone of the franchise for nearly two decades, is officially out with an upper-body injury. It’s the first time this season the 38-year-old won’t be in the lineup-a notable absence for a team grinding through a tight playoff race.
Letang has been logging heavy minutes once again, averaging just over 22 minutes per night, second only to Erik Karlsson on the team. With Karlsson also sidelined, the Penguins are suddenly down their top two defensemen. That’s a massive void in both experience and puck-moving ability.
Letang’s 25 points in 48 games aren’t just numbers-they’re a reflection of his continued importance to Pittsburgh’s transition game and power play. Even at 38, he remains one of the most relied-upon players on the roster, both in terms of ice time and leadership. His absence forces the Penguins to dig deep into their depth chart.
Enter Jack St. Ivany, who steps into the lineup after serving as a depth piece for much of the year.
It’s a big moment for the 24-year-old, who now finds himself thrust into a meaningful role in a playoff push. Also staying in the mix is Ryan Graves, who’s had a bumpy ride this season.
After early struggles led to a stint in the AHL, Graves is back in the NHL lineup, trying to regain form and confidence. With his contract anchoring him in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future, the Penguins are hoping he can stabilize his game and provide some steady minutes on the third pairing.
Despite the injuries, Pittsburgh has been trending in the right direction-winners of six of their last ten and firmly in the playoff conversation. The hope is that both Letang and Karlsson can return in time for Sunday’s game in Vancouver, but for now, the Penguins will need to weather the storm with a patchwork blue line.
Flames Lose Huberdeau Just Before Puck Drop
On the other side of the ice tonight, Calgary is dealing with its own injury concerns. Jonathan Huberdeau was a late scratch against the Penguins, ruled out with a lower-body injury. Initially, there was some speculation about a healthy scratch, but the Flames confirmed the 32-year-old is day-to-day and dealing with an injury-his sixth missed game of the season.
It’s been a frustrating campaign for Huberdeau, who showed signs of a bounce-back last year with 62 points, but has struggled to find his rhythm this season. With just 21 points in 44 games, he’s far from the production expected of a $10.5 million player. Still, on a Calgary team that ranks near the bottom of the league in offense, Huberdeau remains sixth in team scoring-a telling stat about the Flames’ offensive challenges.
With Huberdeau sidelined, Martin Pospisil will make his season debut. The 24-year-old forward was recalled yesterday and is returning from an upper-body injury that kept him out since the preseason.
It’s a big opportunity for Pospisil to inject some energy into a lineup that’s struggled to generate consistent offense. The Flames are hoping to have Huberdeau back by Friday when they host the Capitals.
McTavish Sidelined as Ducks Face Avalanche
Out in Colorado, the Anaheim Ducks are facing a tough matchup against the league-leading Avalanche-and they’ll be doing it without one of their key young forwards. Mason McTavish is out tonight with an upper-body injury, a surprise development for a player who hadn’t missed a game all season.
McTavish had been heating up, scoring in back-to-back games and sitting at 30 points through 49 contests. While some of Anaheim’s other young stars have grabbed headlines, McTavish remains a vital part of the Ducks’ rebuild and a steady presence down the middle.
His absence adds to Anaheim’s growing list of injuries up front. Leo Carlsson, the team’s top center, is already out for three to five weeks, and now the Ducks are without another key piece of their center depth. Jansen Harkins draws into the lineup, but it’s a tall order against a Colorado team that’s been dominant all season.
Anaheim has quietly put together a four-game win streak, and while they’ve been playing some of their best hockey of the season, tonight’s game will test their resilience. The Ducks are hoping to have McTavish back in time for Friday’s matchup in Seattle, but for now, it’s next man up as they try to keep their momentum rolling.